• Classes And Exams (K)

    From Daryl Stout@316:36/20 to All on Mon Mar 13 00:05:03 2023
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    Per Part 97.519, of the FCC Rules:

    (d) The FCC may:

    (1) Administer any examination element itself;

    (2) Readminister any examination element previously administered by
    VEs, either itself or under the supervision of a VEC or VEs designated
    by the FCC; or

    (3) Cancel the operator/primary station license of any licensee who
    fails to appear for readministration of an examination when directed
    by the FCC, or who does not successfully complete any required element
    that is readministered. In an instance of such cancellation, the person
    will be granted an operator/primary station license consistent with
    completed examination elements that have not been invalidated by not
    appearing for, or by failing, the examination upon readministration.

    Note that unlike a VE Test Session, if you fail the readministration
    of an exam before the FCC, you will NOT be allowed to take another test
    that same day.

    After The License Exam
    ======================

    When you're done with the exam, return the test booklet, and the answer
    sheet to the VE Team. They will grade it IMMEDIATELY (or as soon as is possible), and tell you whether you have passed or failed the test...
    although they can NOT tell you what to study the next time, if you failed;
    nor they can they tell you which questions you missed. Once your test
    booklet and answer sheet have been turned into the VE Team, you may NOT
    have them back.

    As noted above, THERE IS NO DISGRACE IN FAILING an exam. If the VE Team
    has the time and resources, and you're willing to pay an additional test
    fee, they will let you retest, but with a different set of questions. Not
    every ham radio operator has passed their license exam on the first try...
    and some have taken nearly a dozen tries or more to pass an exam element.

    If you pass the exam, and you do not yet have a callsign or a license; depending on processing time, your new callsign and/or license class
    should be available on the Internet at the QRZ Ham Radio website at
    www.qrz.com in about 10 to 14 days...but sometimes, it may take a
    bit longer...or it may be a bit sooner. However, during a Government
    Shutdown, it will be delayed until the governement (and FCC) reopen...and
    there likely will be a huge backlog of data to be processed...so, your
    patience in this regard is appreciated.

    Some VE Teams will scan in all the exam session documents, and put them
    into a PDF file, and upload them to a private URL (hidden from the public),
    to the VEC. If sent in on a weekend, it'll be processed the first business
    day (usually a Monday, unless that day's a holiday). By the end of that
    day, or by late the next day, the callsign/license will be in the FCC
    database.

    Once the callsign is there, you can begin operating. Look for the link entitled "FCC Reports"...and look for your name (last name first).
    Archived entries are available, in case you can't access the Internet for
    a period of time after you pass the test.

    The FCC no longer mails out a "paper copy" of ones amateur radio license. Instead, about 1 to 2 weeks after the exam session, the licensee will be notified via email that their license is available via the FCC ULS...and
    they are provided logon credentials (usually the FRN and a temporary
    password, which should be changed after initial logon). As noted, as of
    April 19, 2022...examinees have to pay a $35 fee for a new, renewed, or upgraded ham radio license, or a callsign change (sequential or vanity), whether for individual or a club.

    Once logged on, they can print an "Official Copy" of their license,
    plus a "Reference Copy" to take to a future license exam session, should
    they decide to upgrade their license. The FCC no longer mails out paper
    copies of the licenses.

    Once the copy of your new license is in hand, you may DESTROY the old license, and the applicable CSCE for the new one, unless you'd like to
    keep the CSCE as a novelty. Be sure to SIGN the new license before you
    make a copy of it, and/or laminate it; as the license is NOT valid without
    your signature.

    If you have not seen your callsign or upgrade in the FCC ULS 2 weeks
    after you took the test, you should call either the exam session liaison,
    or the VEC. In the case of an ARRL/VEC test session, they can be reached
    from 7am to 4pm U.S. Central Time, Monday through Friday (except holidays),
    at (860) 594-0300 -- this is a long distance call. However, the FCC is NOT available during a Government Shutdown.

    Be sure to keep your U.S. Mailing Address CURRENT...as your license may
    be SUSPENDED/REVOKED by the FCC, if mail they send to you is returned as undeliverable.

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    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (316:36/20)