Post by Renae/k9do on Mar 2, 2007 21:32:42 GMT
Application Avalanche Under Way as New Codeless Testing Regime Ramps Up
NEWINGTON, CT, Feb 28, 2007 -- The avalanche of Amateur Radio license and license upgrade applications prompted by the FCC's elimination of Morse code as a licensing requirement is well under way with no end in sight. ARRL VEC Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM, reports that paperwork from upward of 450 Amateur Radio exam sessions held since the new rules went into effect February 23 has arrived so far this week. The ARRL VEC, which typically receives paperwork from about 70 sessions each day, has had to add personnel and schedule extended hours to keep up with the workload.
"We've been seeing some of the largest brand-new Technician sessions ever," Somma said. "These examination sessions are huge, and a ton of new Technician license applications has been coming in -- sometimes 60 or 70 at a clip." Somma says license upgrade traffic also has been brisk, and, with some 650 examination sessions already on the calendar for March and more arriving daily, it doesn't look like the pace will slacken anytime soon.
New Rules Driving the Demand
New Amateur Radio rules are driving the demand for new licenses and upgrades. Effective February 23, the FCC no longer requires Amateur Radio applicants to pass a Morse code test to earn operating privileges below 30 MHz. As of the same date, Technician licensees who never passed a Morse code test gained new CW privileges on 80, 40 and 15 meters and new CW, RTTY, data and SSB privileges on 10 meters. Since the Technician ticket has not required a Morse code test since 1991, most current Technician license holders will face a learning curve to take advantage of their new CW privileges. As of February 25, there were approximately 324,200 Technician licensees in the US -- more than any other license class.
Technicians may begin using their new privileges without having to apply for them. No other license class acquired new privileges as a result of the new rules that went into effect February 23, however. All license upgraders must first apply at an examination session, pay any application fee and either successfully pass the appropriate written test or present valid exam element credit.
Details, Details
ARRL VEC personnel must go through "every single piece of paper" that arrives from an examination session, Somma explained. Before keying application data directly to the FCC's licensee database, the staff must make sure that session paperwork is in order, each application is filled out correctly and signed and any element credit is attached. If an applicant took an exam element, ARRL VEC must ensure that the test questions came from the correct question pool and that the applicant indeed passed. She said it typically takes up to 90 seconds for staff members to key in an application for a new licensee, but only about 30 seconds in the case of a license upgrade.
Among the growing stack of incoming paperwork February 28 was a package from a session held in the Bahamas for 56 US citizens -- more than likely retirees and members of the cruising and sailing communities in the Caribbean. Somma said it included applications for 12 new Technician licensees. The rest were upgrades.
Handling the Rush
Normally with a staff complement of six, ARRL VEC now has as many as eight full-timers plus three part-timers to handle the rush. Somma says her team by and large has been able to review each application and transmit license and upgrade application data to the FCC within three or four days of receipt. She also had words of praise for the Volunteer Examiner (VE) teams.
"I want to thank the VEs," Somma said. "Most of the paperwork is neat and orderly, and this makes it easy for us to just key it to the FCC." She did caution VEs to make sure they include any proof of prior element credit -- usually a Certificate of Successful Completion of Examination or CSCE -- when submitting applications.
Some VE teams have been sharing observations and photos from their examination sessions. "We're enjoying those," Somma said. "Keep 'em coming."
NEWINGTON, CT, Feb 28, 2007 -- The avalanche of Amateur Radio license and license upgrade applications prompted by the FCC's elimination of Morse code as a licensing requirement is well under way with no end in sight. ARRL VEC Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM, reports that paperwork from upward of 450 Amateur Radio exam sessions held since the new rules went into effect February 23 has arrived so far this week. The ARRL VEC, which typically receives paperwork from about 70 sessions each day, has had to add personnel and schedule extended hours to keep up with the workload.
"We've been seeing some of the largest brand-new Technician sessions ever," Somma said. "These examination sessions are huge, and a ton of new Technician license applications has been coming in -- sometimes 60 or 70 at a clip." Somma says license upgrade traffic also has been brisk, and, with some 650 examination sessions already on the calendar for March and more arriving daily, it doesn't look like the pace will slacken anytime soon.
New Rules Driving the Demand
New Amateur Radio rules are driving the demand for new licenses and upgrades. Effective February 23, the FCC no longer requires Amateur Radio applicants to pass a Morse code test to earn operating privileges below 30 MHz. As of the same date, Technician licensees who never passed a Morse code test gained new CW privileges on 80, 40 and 15 meters and new CW, RTTY, data and SSB privileges on 10 meters. Since the Technician ticket has not required a Morse code test since 1991, most current Technician license holders will face a learning curve to take advantage of their new CW privileges. As of February 25, there were approximately 324,200 Technician licensees in the US -- more than any other license class.
Technicians may begin using their new privileges without having to apply for them. No other license class acquired new privileges as a result of the new rules that went into effect February 23, however. All license upgraders must first apply at an examination session, pay any application fee and either successfully pass the appropriate written test or present valid exam element credit.
Details, Details
ARRL VEC personnel must go through "every single piece of paper" that arrives from an examination session, Somma explained. Before keying application data directly to the FCC's licensee database, the staff must make sure that session paperwork is in order, each application is filled out correctly and signed and any element credit is attached. If an applicant took an exam element, ARRL VEC must ensure that the test questions came from the correct question pool and that the applicant indeed passed. She said it typically takes up to 90 seconds for staff members to key in an application for a new licensee, but only about 30 seconds in the case of a license upgrade.
Among the growing stack of incoming paperwork February 28 was a package from a session held in the Bahamas for 56 US citizens -- more than likely retirees and members of the cruising and sailing communities in the Caribbean. Somma said it included applications for 12 new Technician licensees. The rest were upgrades.
Handling the Rush
Normally with a staff complement of six, ARRL VEC now has as many as eight full-timers plus three part-timers to handle the rush. Somma says her team by and large has been able to review each application and transmit license and upgrade application data to the FCC within three or four days of receipt. She also had words of praise for the Volunteer Examiner (VE) teams.
"I want to thank the VEs," Somma said. "Most of the paperwork is neat and orderly, and this makes it easy for us to just key it to the FCC." She did caution VEs to make sure they include any proof of prior element credit -- usually a Certificate of Successful Completion of Examination or CSCE -- when submitting applications.
Some VE teams have been sharing observations and photos from their examination sessions. "We're enjoying those," Somma said. "Keep 'em coming."