From: ehare%arrlhq.UUCP@uhasun.hartford.edu (Ed Hare KA1CV) Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.misc Subject: ARRL VE Examination information Date: 9 Aug 91 06:29:51 GMT AMATEUR RADIO EXAMINATION OPPORTUNITIES The following test session information is provided by the ARRL/VEC for the upcoming six to eight week period. For further information, please contact the test session CONTACT PERSON at the telephone number provided. If necessary, you may contact the ARRL/VEC at 203-666-1541 x282 for~ additional information. Email sent to 2155052@mcimail.com will be printed and sent to the ARRL/VEC. Please include your postal address in email correspondence to this address. Although the test session information presented here does not indicate whether walk-ins are accepted or not, most test sessions do allow walk-ins. We encourage you, however, to always contact the CONTACT PERSON at the telephone number provided so that the VE Team are aware that you be attending the test session~. STILL NEED TO PREPARE FOR YOUR EXAM? If you would like information on how to become licensed; or how to locate Amateur Radio clubs, instructors, licensing classes and/or Novice examiners in your area; please contact the ARRL Educational Activities Department (EAD) at 203-666- 1541 x219. The EAD can also provide information on recommended study materials. AFTER THE EXAM - HOW LONG WILL IT BE BEFORE MY LICENSE ARRIVES? If you've recently passed your initial examination for an Amateur Radio license, or if you've just upgraded, please accept our warmest congratulations! Now that you've passed the test, receiving your license in the mail is the next step. Since the FCCs current license processing time is at about seven weeks, and since there can be additional time required within the volunteer examiner system of two weeks or so allowing your VE Team and VEC (if for Technician class or higher) time to process your application, your license might not arrive for up to eight to ten weeks. To keep your wait for that new license or upgrade as short as possible, we are taking the following steps to give you the fastest possible service. We have begun providing our VE Teams with express OVERNIGHT mailers for the return of applications from ARRL/VEC exam sessions to us at the VEC--and we at the VEC have begun sending our daily packages to the FCCs Licensing Facility via an express OVERNIGHT service. We are also encouraging our VEs, and imposing the same emphasis upon ourselves, to process examination packages as quickly as possible to expedite your license. Having implemented the above procedures, the ARRL/VEC wants your wait for your new license to be as short as possible. If you have any other suggestions about the program, or services we provide, please feel free to contact us. THINGS TO BRING TO THE EXAMINATION Be prepared to bring the following items with you to VEC examinations: Your original current FCC-issued Amateur Radio license (and a copy of it)--if you are licensed; Any original Written or Code Element credit documents (CSCEs) which are currently valid; Two forms of identification (e.g., a photo-ID or drivers license and another item indicating your current name and address); A calculator (if necessary); A pen and two pencils; and, the applicable examination test fee ($5.25 for 1991 ARRL/VEC Test Sessions). TECHNICIAN CLASS GRANDFATHER CREDIT If you hold a Technician class license which was issued prior to 3/21/87, you are not required to take the Element 3B (General class written) examination if you can provide a copy of your FCC-license dated before that date. If your licensed has since been renewed, and if you don't have a copy of the pre-3/21/87 license, you must seek a verification letter from the FCC. To do so, write to FCC, 1270 Fairfield Rd, Gettysburg PA 17325-7245 and request a Form 1010-B Verification Letter verifying that you were licensed as a Technician class prior to 3/21/87. After you receive that form from the FCC, bring it to the test session with you in order to claim your deserved credit. LOST LICENSES If you have lost your license, VECs are not permitted to submit any upgrades to the FCC without a copy of your current license attached to the 610 form. In order to expedite your upgrade, you must write the FCC and request a replacement license. Since that will take six weeks or more, we recommend that you also request a Form 1010-B verification letter from the FCC which will arrive in a couple of weeks--and is legally binding license document. You may use that form as a license until your Form-660 license arrives. The original and a copy of Form 1010-B must be brought to the test session verifying that you are currently licensed--the copy of which will be attached to your upgrade application (in lieu of an actual Form-660 license copy). To request the Form 1010-B Verification Letter, write to: FCC, 1270 Fairfield Rd, Gettysburg PA 17325-7245; indicating that you lost your license and that you are requesting that a replacement license be issued to you--also be sure to request that they send you a Form 1010- B Verification Letter verifying that you are licensed. ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE HANDICAPPED OR DISABLED The FCC requires that the administering VEs must accommodate an examinee whose physical disabilities require a special examination procedure. To do so, the administering VEs may require a physician's statement indicating the nature of the disability before determining which, if any, special accommodative procedures must be used. The VEs may accommodate handicapped/disabled examinees by administering the examination at a place convenient and comfortable for the examinee--even at bedside; for the hearing impaired the Morse code may be sent using flashing lights or a vibrating surface; for the visually impaired, VEs may read or write for the examinee; where warranted, the VEs may pause the Morse code message after each sentence/phrase, or each word, or even after each character to allow the examinee additional time to absorb and interpret what was sent--also the VEs may substitute a sending test for a receiving test where the examinee's handicap warrants. VE Teams may need advanced notice in order to provide the necessary accommodations to examinees who require them. If accommodations are necessary, please contact the VE Team in advance to advise them of your needs. EXEMPTION OF THE 13/20 WPM MORSE CODE REQUIREMENTS If you are severely handicapped or disabled individual and have already passed at least a 5 WPM Morse code examination (or hold a license which meets that requirement), you may be eligible for exemption from the 13/20 WPM Morse code examination requirements. For information and applicable forms, send a SASE to the ARRL/VEC, 225 Main St, Newington CT 06111, and request our Handicapped Information Package. A separate posting lists the exam schedule. ----- Ed Hare, KA1CV | ehare%arrlhq.UUCP@uhasun.hartford.edu American Radio Relay League | uhasun!arrlhq!ehare 225 Main St. | Newington, CT 06111 | There is no limit to what (203) 666-1541 - voice | you can accomplish (203) 665-7531 - FAX | if you don't care ARRL Laboratory Engineer | who gets the credit. - origin RFI, QRP, mobile, | unknown. transmitter and receiver testing | -----