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If you have a Certificate Of Successful Completion Of Examination
(CSCE), with a current license and callsign...that shows you've upgraded
to a higher license class, you may begin using your new license class privileges IMMEDIATELY...with the special identifiers, as follows:

UPGRADING TO: VOICE IDENTIFIER: DIGITAL IDENTIFIER:

Technician Temporary KT /KT

NOTE: This ONLY applies if upgrading from the "old Novice" license;
otherwise, no identifier is required...since Technician is the entry
class license...and you would NOT have a callsign to start with. The
digital identifier is for either Morse Code, or on a digital mode,
such as packet, PSK31, etc. -- the phone identifier is for voice.

General Temporary AG /AG

Amateur Extra Temporary AE /AE

The use of these special ID's follow your callsign on the new bands
for which your CSCE shows that you've upgraded to. If you previously
had privileges on a certain band without the CSCE (for instance, you
upgraded from Technician to General), you're not required to use the
ID on frequencies above 50 Megahertz. However, using the Technician to
General upgrade example, if you want to use the frequencies for the
General Class licensee, you are REQUIRED to use the new identifier.

If you upgrade to the Extra Class license BEFORE your General Class
paper license copy is in hand, or in the FCC database, you keep your
Technician Class license, and the CSCE's for the General and Extra
Class upgrade, as proof of your upgrades. Again, using the upgrade to
Extra Class as an example, you use the special identifier for it,
instead of the General Class license identifier.

Once your new license grant appears in the FCC ULS database, or on
the QRZ website noted above), you're no longer required to use the
special identifier. This usually takes 1 to 2 weeks after the day you
passed the exam. Failure to use the identifier before your license
upgrade appears in the FCC database would make it appear that you are
operating on amateur radio bands outside your privileges, and you
could get a Notice Of Violation from the FCC if that occurs.

Government Shutdowns And Licenses
=================================

Unfortunately, at times, a budgetary impasse within Congress, or if
the President does not sign a budget into law (either via a Continuing Resolution (CR)), or a full budget prior to the government fiscal year
that starts October 1, portions of the U.S. government "shut down". Any
work considered essential to the protection of life and property will
continue, but "non-essential" departments are shuttered, and their
workers are sent home. Those who still work (such as with the TSA at
airports, and the U.S. Coast Guard) do so without pay. Except for the government contractors, all will receive back pay when the government
shutdown ends, and the agencies reopen.

One of the agencies affected by the shutdown is the FCC. During this
time, they will NOT process any applications for new, renewal, or
upgraded amateur radio licenses, callsign changes, etc. The VE Teams
can send the results to their particular VEC, but the VEC can't key
the data to the FCC until the shutdown ends.

Now, if one's license enters the 90 day window prior to expiration,
they can file the renewal, and continue to operate, even if their
license expires during the shutdown. However, if they wait until the
shutdown ends to file the renewal, it'll have to get to the FCC within
two (2) days, or the license will be expired. Once a license expires,
the amateur radio operator is QRT (off the air). And, as noted above,
if the license lapses (expires more than 2 years), they have to start
all over, by passing the Technician Class exam, and getting a new ham
radio callsign.

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