Stateside FCC rules

[kc9gld]

I found the following interesting...

ARRL Regulatory Information Specialist Dan Henderson, N1ND, cautions that a license upgrade is *not* automatic for those holding valid CSCEs for element credit. "You must apply for the upgrade at a VEC test session, and you may not operate as /AG or /AE until you have upgraded and have been issued a CSCE marked for upgrade," he stresses. "A valid CSCE for element credit only does not confer any operating privileges."

Henderson also advises all radio amateurs to know and fully understand their operating privileges before taking to the airwaves. Some Technician licensees reportedly started showing up on 75 meters December 15 in the mistaken belief that they had gained phone privileges there.

I guess midnight tonight the Techs will have access to hf phone. I noticed a LOT of trolling on QRZ forums on this subject. I guess trolling means starting a controversial subject on a forum just to cause trouble. This is one of the main reasons I frequent here cause that don't happen here. This world needs more moderators like the ones on this forum.

[Renae/k9do]

I found this on w5yi website


On or after February 23rd, 2007 an applicant holding a valid Certificate of Successful Completion of Examination (CSCE) for a higher license class will be able to redeem it for an upgrade. For example, a Technician licensee holding a valid CSCE for Element 3 (General) may apply at a VE exam session, pay the application fee and receive an instant upgrade. A Technician with a CSCE for Element 3 need only pass the 50 question Element 4 to upgrade to Extra Class. A CSCE is valid only for 365 days from the date of issuance. Applicants must be retested if their CSCE is dated before February 23, 2006.

As previously was the case, Technician Class applicants with an old Technician Class operator license dated before March 21, 1987 automatically qualify for a General Class ticket without further testing. But it does not happen automatically. They must bring their old license document (or other evidence) to a VE exam session and the VEs will upgrade them without examination.

Even a currently unlicensed applicant who held a Technician Class license before March 21, 1987 can become a General Class licensee by passing only Element 2. Sec. 97.505(a)(4) grants Element 3 credit even though the license is expired.

The new rules also mean that all Technician licensees, whether or not they've passed a Morse code examination, will gain HF privileges identical to those of current Novice and Tech Plus (or Technician with Element 1 credit) licensees without having to apply for an upgrade. New Sec. 97.301(e) grants Novices, Technicians and Tech Plus operators CW privileges on 80, 40, 15 meters and CW, RTTY, data and SSB privileges on 10 meters.

The exact frequencies are (CW only) 3525-3600 kHz, 7025-7125 kHz; 21.025-21.200 MHz; ...(CW, RTTY and Data) 28.0-28.3 MHz ...and (CW and SSB) 28.3-28.5 MHz. The power limit is 200 W PEP output for Novice and Technician operators. The R&O does not change the operating privileges of Novice, Tech Plus, General, Advanced and Amateur Extra Class licensees.

The new updated Element Credit regulations (Sec. 97.505) that are effective February 23, 2007:

§97.505 Element credit.

(a) The administering VEs must give credit as specified below to an examinee holding any of the following license grants or license documents:

(1) An unexpired (or expired but within the grace period for renewal) FCC-granted Advanced Class operator license grant: Elements 2 and 3.

(2) An unexpired (or expired but within the grace period for renewal) FCC-granted General Class operator license grant: Elements 2 and 3.

(3) An unexpired (or expired but within the grace period for renewal) FCC-granted Technician or Technician Plus Class operator (including a Technician Class operator license granted before February 14, 1991) license grant: Element 2.

(4) An expired FCC-issued Technician Class operator license document granted before March 21, 1987: Element 3.

(5) A CSCE: Each element the CSCE indicates the examinee passed within the previous 365 days.

(b) No examination credit, except as herein provided, shall be allowed on the basis of holding or having held any other license grant or document.