-----Original Message-----
From: Jahnke, Bart, W9JJ 
Sent: Friday, December 10, 2004 3:53 PM
To: ve-list
Subject: [VE-LIST:122] ARRL VE Update for December 2005


Dear VE:

Follows are some updates regarding the ARRL VEC test fee for 2005; question 
pools and the like. Much of this material will also be appearing in the January 
QST Exam Info column.

Here's wishing you a safe, healthy and happy holiday season...

73, 
Bart J. Jahnke, W9JJ 
Manager 
ARRL VEC 

vec@arrl.org

========================================================

VECs Question Pool Committee Anxiously Awaits FCC Action On Beginners License 
Proposals  (Puts Extra Class Pool Changes On Hold)

The Question Pool Committee (QPC) of the National Conference of VECs (NCVEC) 
decided recently to postpone revision and release of a revised Extra Class 
(Element 4) question pool until the beginners proposal matters have been 
settled.  The FCC told the Nation's VECs this past July that any restructuring 
changes on the horizon are "not imminent".  As of this writing in early 
November, there has been no change in the FCC's status on this matter.  Also not 
imminent are any FCC action on the pending Omnibus review or on ARRL's Band 
Planning by Bandwidth Petition.

As the Extra class question pool had been updated in July 2002, and there are no 
significant content issues for any current pool pressing the committee for 
immediate update or change, a postponement of revision and release of the Extra 
class pool may be a prudent action considering no one knows at this time what 
FCC might be thinking regarding restructuring of our license structure; what 
affect beginners proposals might have; and when such decisions will be made.

The QPC continues to solicit input to the Extra class syllabus and question 
pool, and invites public input regarding thoughts of the amateur community 
regarding material that might appear in a new Beginner's question pool, if/when 
such a new license class may be established.

Input to the QPC can be directed to individual committee members, or to the 
entire committee as follows:

qpc@ncvec.org (this email will be directed to all committee members)

Jim Wiley, KL7CC, (QPC Chairman):        jwiley@alaska.net
Bart Jahnke, W9JJ (ARRL VEC):            w9jj@arrl.org
Larry Pollock, NB5X (W5YI VEC):          nb5x@w5yi.org

When submitting input to the QPC, please attempt to identify the pool 
(Beginners/Tech, General or Extra), topic (Rules, Operating, etc), a full 
question (question to delete, revise, replace, or a brand new question) limited 
to 240 characters in length, and a correct answer along with three incorrect 
answer choices (limit these four choices to 160 characters in length).  If a 
graphic or formula is a component of a question, supply it with your submission.  
Microsoft Word is the preferred file format.

Watch the Amateur Radio media (including the NCVEC web site www.ncvec.org and 
ARRLWeb at www.arrl.org) for any scheduling updates related to these question 
pools. 

Question Pools (current status)

The current question pools and their four-year validation periods are as 
follows:

* Current Technician class Element 2 (effective 7/1/03):		Expires 
midnight June 30, 2007		 Effective July 1, 2003 through June 30, 2007  (or 
until FCC implements related restructuring changes, if/when they do so)

* Current General class Element 3 (effective 7/1/04):		Expires midnight 
June 30, 2008		 Effective July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2008

* Current Extra class Element 4 (effective 7/1/02): 		Valid until further 
notice


2005 ARRL/VEC Test Fee Increases to $14 

Starting January 1, 2005, the fee charged all applicants at ARRL VEC-coordinated 
Amateur Radio test sessions will increase from $12 to $14 for the year 2005. 

ARRL VE teams may continue to retain up to $6 of this fee to directly reimburse 
their teams out-of-pocket examination expenses.  This fee is charged to anyone 
applying for a new amateur license or upgrading his or her operating privileges.  

The number of examinees has diminished in the past 24 months (in part we expect 
as a result of the uncertainty of the pending restructuring proposals). As 
examinee attendance establishes our revenue, and the number of attendees has 
dropped-while at the same time our cost of doing business--and the expenses 
incurred by ARRL VEs and the ARRL VEC--continues to rise, only so many cost-
cutting measures can be justified without cutting back significantly on services 
essential to our VE teams and our program.  

While recent ARRL VEC cost cutting has included staff reduction, reduced 
printing and distribution charges of our VE training material and exam software 
(both having gone to ARRLWeb distribution only), and elimination of lesser used 
services, these steps still are not balancing the bottom line. Therefore an 
adjustment was needed in the 2005 test fee if we intended to maintain the basic 
levels of service that our VEs and VE teams have come to expect.

Applicants failing an exam at ARRL sessions where examiners permit retesting on 
the same exam element also, or those seeking grandfather-credit upgrades without 
being required to take an exam, must also submit a fee of $14 (2005).



Taking Tests - What Does the $14 Test Fee Cover

Per the FCC, the test fee allow examinees one attempt to pass or fail each of 
the four examination elements.  The FCC does not restrict the order the 
examination elements are taken--they may be taken out of sequence, in any order.  

Only if an examination element is being retaken after a failed test would a 
second test fee be charged.  When showing examinee activity, enter the examinee 
information on a single Candidate Roster entry for the first attempt of Elements 
1, 2, 3 or 4--showing a single test fee paid by checking the "fee paid" box.  
Regarding retesting, assuming the VE team has the time, has a different test 
version available, and concludes that retesting is warranted based on the 
examinee's first-attempt score, enter the retesting information with a new 
Candidate Roster entry as if the test was for a new examinee just walking in the 
door (as if the examinee had failed, left the test site and then returned as a 
new examinee).  Paying the second test fee will then in turn allow a second 
attempt at any one, two, three or all four of the examination elements.

Only one Form 605 and one CSCE need be created.  A person who retests, by being 
entered twice on the Roster, is considered as two examinees when completing the 
Test Session Report form.



ARRL VEC VE Team Mileage Reimbursements

The IRS has announced that beginning Jan. 1, 2005, the standard mileage 
reimbursement rate for the use of a car (including vans, pickups or panel 
trucks) will be 40.5 cents per mile. The announcement notes that this is the 
largest one-year increase ever. See 
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=131232,00.html.

Accordingly, we will reimburse up to 40.5 cents per mile for necessary VE travel 
beginning January 1, 2005. If a lesser amount is claimed we will reimburse the 
lesser amount.





ARRL Provides FCC-License Renewal, Address Changes and other License 
Modification Services to ARRL Members FREE, or to Non-Members for a Fee 

The ARRL provides FCC Amateur Radio license renewals, address changes and other 
license modification services FREE to current ARRL members. 

Non-members: For a $14 fee (2005 Rate), the League will renew a non-member's 
Amateur Radio ticket (the license must be within 90 days of expiration), file an 
application to change address or name, or request issuance of a new sequential 
call sign (ARRL is not able to process Vanity call sign requests). The ARRL 
Volunteer Examiner Coordinator department is processing these applications at 
ARRL.

The $14 application fee in 2005 parallels our test session fee to avoid 
confusion. 

Non-members who now choose to employ the League's application handling service 
might also consider adding $25 (based on the current under-65 full term member 
rate of $39) for a full ARRL membership, and immediately receive their first 
membership service for free (processing of their FCC license update). 

Members (or non-members taking advantage of this service with a $14 fee {2005}) 
must submit NCVEC Form 605 http://www.arrl.org/fcc/forms.html to ARRL VEC, 225 
Main St, Newington CT 06111 USA for processing. Non-members must make the $14 
fee payable to "ARRL." For more information, contact ARRL VEC at 860-594-0300, 
or vec@arrl.org. 


New Club License Requests, or Modifications of Club Address or Trustee; Vanity 
Requests

Any club, which is comprised of at least four or more members and has a name, a 
document of organization, management, and a primary purpose devoted to amateur 
service activities, may seek to obtain a club call sign. 

Club call sign requests must be made by filing an application with an FCC-
recognized Club Station Call Sign Administrator (eg, either ARRL, W5YI or 
W4VEC). There is no charge for this service. 

All routine club license changes, except for call sign changes, can be submitted 
to a Club Station Call Sign Administrator (all Vanity call sign requests must go 
directly to FCC, per FCC Vanity filing procedures ). Two signatures are required 
to make any club license changes (the signature of the trustee appointed by the 
club, and that of a current responsible club official). Trustee changes are 
typically completed by the new trustee, as the new trustee must sign the 
application (the former trustee need not be involved in the process).
     
Club Station Call Sign Administrator's (CSCSAs) can be contacted as follows:
- ARRL VEC http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/605ins.html#club, 225 Main St, 
Newington CT 06111 USA; contact Perry Green, WY1O, 860-594-0300; email 
wy1o@arrl.org
- W4VEC http://www.w4vec.com/ , 3504 Stonehurst Pl, High Point, NC 27265; 
Contact Jim Williamson, NQ4T, 336-841-7576; e-mail w4vec@aol.com
- W5YI VEC (http://www.w5yi.org/), PO Box 565101, Dallas, TX 75356-5101. Contact 
Larry Pollock, NB5X, 817-860-3800; nb5x@w5yi.org. 

Vanity requests by an individual, or club, still must go through FCC, either on 
line or by mail.  Clubs must have an FCC-issued club (or military recreation) 
station license with a call sign before they can exchange the club call sign for 
a Vanity call sign.  For Vanity information see 
http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/vanity.html, http://www.w5yi.org/page.php?id=269 or 
http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/amateur/callsigns/ .


ARRL Spring and Fall National Exam Days

Spring National Exam Days (weekend) - Annually, the last full weekend in April - 
Saturday and Sunday April 23-24, 2005
Fall National Exam Days (weekend) - Annually, the last full weekend in September 
- Saturday and Sunday, September 24-25, 2005

*eof