Subj : Interested in Ham Radio?
To : tmcca
From : Daryl Stout
Date : Fri Mar 24 2023 08:12 am
tm> Does the exam cost anything to take?
Yes and no. Depending on which Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC)
Team is doing the exams in your area, the cost can be free to $15.
The $15 fee covers one exam attempt for each element, as long as you
pass the prior exam (there are 3...Technician, General, then Amateur
Extra). If you fail the exam, you can re-take it, with a different
set of questions, for another $15.
Howevever, if you fail the same exam twice in the same session, you
likely need more study before trying again. See my previous post on
HamTestOnline.
As of April 19, 2022, amateur radio licensees in the US and Canada
MUST also pay $35 to the FCC for a NEW or RENEWED amateur radio license,
or for a VANITY CALLSIGN CHANGE request. There is NO FEE for a license
class upgrade (Novice to Technician, Technician to General, or General
or Advanced to Amateur Extra), or for a SEQUENTIAL CALLSIGN CHANGE
REQUEST. With the callsign change requests, once granted, the former
one is no longer valid.
Also, you have to pay that fee to the FCC within 10 days, or it'll
be as if you never took the exam.
The American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the National Association For
Amateur Radio in the United States and its territories, does offer a
reduced exam fee of $5 for those 17 years of age or younger, and they
will do a one time reimbursement of the $35 fee for these individuals.
They must bring a birth certificate (with the proper seal) to the exam
session, to provide as part of their identification to the exam team.
Normally, a photo ID (drivers license, passport, state ID, school ID,
military ID) will suffice...but lacking that, one needs 2 forms of
non-photo ID (a utility bill, bank statement, or piece of mail addressed
to the individual). They must also provide a Federal Registration Number
(FRN), which is obtained by going to the FCC CORES website, and providing
their Social Security Number.
Plus, they must also answer whether or not they've been convicted of a
felony, in state or federal court. If the answer is YES, they must supply
all the pertintent documentation to the FCC within 14 days of the exam
session, or the license grant is canceled. A "YES" answer is NOT an
automatic disqualification, but it depends on the circumstances that
surround the conviction.
For first time licensees, they don't need to worry about the original
and a photocopy of their license. However, those who are license, or
whose license has expired (the term is for 10 yeras) or lapsed (expired
more than 2 years), they are "starting over". If they formerly held a
General, Advanced, or Amateur Extra Class license, partial exam credit
is available, once they take and pass the Technician exam. If they don't
provide the license documentation, including data from a recent CSCE
(Certificate Of Successful Completion Of Examination) from a prior exam
session, which isn't reflected on their license...they'll have to take
that exam element again, even though they passed it previously.
But, without the photo ID, exam fee, Federal Registration Number, or
license items, they won't be able to take the exam.
Daryl, WX4QZ, UALR Ham Radio Club VE Team Liaison
... H.A.M. Radio Operator: H)ave A)nother M)eal.
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