VE Testing & Amateur License Exams

Test Dates

Testing for new amateur radio license and/or license upgrade is done 4 times per year by our ARRL Volunteer Examiners.

Test sessions are planned for each quarter of the year, in February, May, August and November. Actual dates times may vary, because of weather, contests, or other events that might cause conflict, so be sure to verify the date if you plan to be tested.

Next Scheduled Test Date:  Saturday, November 10th, 2007 at 9:30 am.

Location

The testing location is the Collier County IT training rooms at 2685 Horseshoe Drive South, Suites 104/105, Naples, FL. The training rooms are entered at the rear of the building, which is located to the west off Airport Road. Parking is available at the rear of the building, with additional parking at the front of the building if needed. If you need more specific directions on the test date, call-in on either 146.52 Simplex, or 146.67(-) Repeater (136.5 PL).

What to Bring to the Test Session

Please be sure to bring the following:

• Examination fee, which currently is $14.00 per exam;
• 2 forms of identification, including 1 photo ID (Drivers License with photo will suffice);
• Original amateur license and one photo copy (which will be retained to be sent to ARRL VEC);
• Any non-expired CSCEs from a previous exam date to be used for upgrade and one photo copy (which will be retained and sent to ARRL VEC).

In an historic move, the FCC has acted to drop the Morse code test requirement for all Amateur Radio license classes. The Commission adopted the long-awaited "Morse code" proceeding (WT Docket 05-235), and released it December 19. The FCC's action will eliminate the Morse code test as a licensing requirement to operate on HF. The effective date of the FCC's action will be 30 days after publication in the Federal Register -- most likely in February.

Technicians Gain Operating Privileges

Once the changes are in effect, all Technician licensees -- whether or not they have passed a Morse code examination -- will have "Tech Plus" operating privileges. This means you will have all of your current VHF/UHF and above frequencies and also will have access to the Novice/Technician Plus frequencies on HF.

No Morse Code Test to Upgrade

Technicians can upgrade to General by passing the General (Element 3) written exam and to Amateur Extra by also passing the Extra (Element 4) written exam. No Morse code test will be required.

Technician Amateurs who wish to upgrade to General have a couple of options:

a. It is recommended that Technician licensees who have NOT yet passed the General written exam (Element 3) wait until the new rules take effect to upgrade. At a VE test session, such as those planned by ARASWF, the candidate must present a photo ID and their current license, pay the $14 test session fee and fill out the NCVEC form 605. If the Element 3 written exam is passed, the VE team will issue the candidate a CSCE for the upgrade to a general class license.

b. Technician licensees who have already passed the General written exam (Element 3) or wish to pass the General written exam before the rules take effect, will then have to apply for the upgrade at a VE session once the new rules are in place. At a session, the candidate must present a photo ID, their current license and the non-expired CSCE document, pay the $14 test session fee and fill out a NCVEC form 605. If the Element 3 written exam credit is valid, the VE team will issue the candidate a CSCE for the upgrade to a general class license. If the CSCE for Element 3 credit has expired (a CSCE is only valid for 365 days), you will have to retake the examination element in order to receive the credit toward your upgrade.

In either case, if your current license expires within 90 days of the VE session date and you either have a current Vanity call sign or are applying for a new Vanity call sign, you will also be required to remit the FCC regulatory fee of $20.80 together with the $14. VE test session fee.

VEC Test Fee

The FCC has mandated that all paperwork only upgrades be done through a VEC via their VE Teams. The processing and administration of FCC "projects" such as this, actually places a greater demand on all the VECs. This is not a special case involving only a few people; the ARRL VEC expects to receive a flood of upgrades to General. The paperwork only upgrade is not automatic for the amateur and the forms may not be sent directly to the FCC or the VEC office (again the upgrade must occur at a test session and follow FCC guidelines). The VEC test session fee is regulated (per annual agreement) by the FCC, and currently is $14..

A New Era

When the new rules are in place, we hope you explore your new band allocations, enjoy your new privileges and have fun!

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