UPDATED: 12/12/15 11:34 a.m.
by Glen Davis KG7YDJ
Too much life story. Had to re-edit this part. This article explains a little about the Volunteer Examination Coordinator program. Why am I interested in writing an article on this topic? Since I obtained my Amateur Extra license, I found that I could actually get accredited as a volunteer examiner.
This is not a mentor program. There are other volunteer programs for that purpose. Perhaps when I get some real world experience, I can help in that area. This is a good old Navy-type paperwork drill that anyone can learn to do. That is not to say that you cannot console and comfort a candidate who fails the exam. You can encourage them to try again. Even suggest sites with practice exams or exams apps for the cell phones. Your job as a volunteer examiner, however, is simply to administer the examination with integrity.
There are questions about the VEC program in the General Exam and the Amateur Extra exam. The most recent—as of this writing— are included at the end of this article. Yet they do not give you an understanding of the VEC program, as I learned. This article is an overall view of that program. It will not accredit you as an examiner; you will have to study more if you are interested.
At most you will see two in either examination. Maybe three on the Amateur Extra. If you have an overall understanding of the program, it will help you better understand the questions and you can breeze through those and concentrate on the tougher questions. Actually many are common sense. For example an examiner must be eighteen-years of age or older even though anyone who can pass the test can get up to an Amateur Extra license. The reason is pretty clear. You are signing what amounts to government documents so you must be of age to do so.
I am no expert and am even studying this area while I write the article. I am reasonably sure the information is accurate and include links to certain documents and web sites for further study. If I encourage you to become an accredited VE, great. But this article won’t do it for you.
WHAT IS A VOLUNTEER EXAMINATION COORDINATOR?
The first thing I think of when encountering a term, such as this, is that this is the title of a person. Actually this is an organization. An organization which contracts with the Federal Communication Commission to administer tests. According to the FCC List of Volunteer Examination Coordinators, there are 13 Regions inside the United States. Region 14 is an “unofficial” region to administer tests outside of the United States.
The Amateur Radio Relay League is one of those organizations. They probably administer most of the examinations. You can go through any of the organizations, of course, and you can get accredited with any of them. Each VEC has their own standards, but much of the information in the ARRL training applies to any of them. The FCC rules are the same no matter which VEC you are accredited with.
There are specific variations for the regions due to certain conditions. For example the Anchorage Amateur Radio Club VEC Program has been given permission by the FCC to do remote testing. This is due to the large expanse of land and difficulty in transportation. I am not sure how it works, but they only do this testing for those with a legal and physical address in Alaska, according to their web site. It is not for out-of-State residents.
The information contained herein applies mainly to the ARRL VEC program. The questions on the examination about the VEC program are the same. That is because the question pool is maintained by the National Conference of Volunteer Exam Coordinators.
NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF VOLUNTEER EXAM COORDINATORS
The National Conference of Volunteer Exam Coordinators (NCVEC). This organization consists of representatives of all of the VECs and works with the FCC concerning the exams. The NCVEC is governed by a body of elected officers consisting of a Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, and Treasurer.
You can download the entire exam pool for each class of license from their web site.
At certain times, they may accept questions with answer and distractors from other Ham operators. They can choose to use them or not. I noted on their web site that they recently stopped taking exam questions for the future Technician class.
VOLUNTEER EXAMINERS
One does not have to be an expert in any class of license to administer the license examination. They only have to have the appropriate license and a knowledge of the testing procedure for a particular VEC to be accredited by them. You probably have taken your first step toward becoming a volunteer examiner.
You took the test.
You were probably too worried about passing the examination to worry about what documents you were signing and what happens to the paperwork after. Some of you might have been curious enough to ask. That puts you ahead of me for becoming a certified volunteer examiner. I just wanted the license.
One thing you do know is how much effort you put into study. You might remember the jangled nerves you had when you arrived. The rush you were in to dig into the examination—loose, win or draw. The anticipation as they graded your exam. Where you ready for the next exam? Do you remember one question from the exam? If you keep this in mind, you can make a good volunteer examiner. You might know of a way to put candidates at ease before the test. You might now of a way to let them down easy if they fail. You might be able to encourage them to try again.
Bear in mind that you are not a teacher. Mentoring is another volunteer opportunity all together. If you are interesting in teaching, there are other volunteer opportunities in that area. In fact the ARRL training specifically states:
IMPORTANT: No candidate may review the test booklet or answer sheet after it has been turned in, nor may the VE team give advice to the candidate as to which topic(s) to study for a better (passing) grade.
If a candidate fails, you should also remember to immediately offer them the Form 605. It is their right to have it returned after the examination. They may not want it and may simply vanish after they fail. If so it is to be returned to the ARRL VEC with all other paperwork. Remember this may contain a social security number and MUST be handled with the appropriate precaution.
HOW TO BECOME A VOLUNTEER EXAMINER
There are three main qualifications, in addition to becoming accredited, to become a Volunteer Examiner.
According to FCC 97.509 You must be eighteen-years of age. Older Hams are allowed to participate as well. Also you cannot have ever had a license revoked or suspended.
You must also hold the appropriate license. To understand this, we have to understand the license classes and the elements of the test.
Today the FCC only issues Technician, General and Amateur Extra licenses. None of these require a knowledge of Morse code. In the days of yore, the FCC used to issue a Novice and Advanced class license. The FCC still honors the Advance licenses that are active. Therefore they can administer tests if the local volunteer examiners accept their services.
The elements of the tests are Element 2 to obtain a Technician class license, Element 3 for a General and Element 4 for the Amateur Extra class license. Element 1 is Hydrogen. (You’ll get that later)
A person with a General license can only administer the examination for a Technician class license. A person holding an Advanced (old school) license can administer Elements 2 and 3. A person with an Amateur Extra license can administer the examination for all of the elements. Teams can refuse the service of the General Class license holder in favor of only Amateur Extra if they choose. It could be a benefit to use them, however, if you expect a lot of people taking the examination. The Generals could take care of the Technician leaving the Extras to concentrate on the other levels. This could relive some pressure and make the test run smoother if conducted properly.
This could be particularly useful if you have handicapped applicants.
The team of volunteer examiners under the VEC is the Volunteer Examiner Liaison elected by the other members of the team. That person takes care of disputes among the team and is the only person who can officially contact the ARRL VEC. The Volunteer Examiner Liaison is responsible for making sure that proper test materials are available on site and maintaining the integrity of the test. He is responsible for all test materials outside the examination.
He is also required to make sure that your examination results get to the ARRL VEC in a timely fashion.
If you are a member of a club with a team and you are not accredited, you can still help. Anyone can coordinate public announcements concerning the test. Anyone can take email requests for special requirements of handicapped persons and arrange for enough examiners to meet all requirements for an upcoming examination.
In fact, you can get accredited through ARRL for on-the-job training. There is a good place to start.
SPEAKING OF HANDICAPPED
Can handicapped people get a license? Absolutely. There are specific procedures outlined in the ARRL training guide about handling such a situation. There are some handicaps that are obvious. Wheel chairs, canes and the like. Some are not so obvious like chronic back pains and such.
The guide suggests that you ask if there are any special requirements that a candidate may need (Short of the answer template, of course), such as bathroom breaks, do they need to stand and stretch and so forth.
One of the most difficult is, of course, a blind person. You must have three VEs present with one asking the questions and recording the answers. The problem here is a blind person may be sensitive to the changes in a persons voice. In other words, if you see that they are failing and start to sound disappointed or start rushing the questions, it could cause the person taking the test to become frustrated and give up. You have to ask the questions with the same tone at all times.
Could a deaf person get a license? Why not. There are many forms of digital communications that can be accomplished over the Internet. There is Morse code software that they could use to generate a signal and reply. I have not seen one, but one can imagine setting up a Morse code transceiver that makes use of vibrations as dots and dashes (My next project?). Of course they can feel when they key the CW.
The following is just my opinion. What about an illiterate person? One who cannot read or write? As far as I know, there is only one case in which you are required to keep a written record. When you operate on the 60–meter band, using other than a dipole antenna, you are required to keep a record of the gain of your antenna according to 97.303s. (That is test question G2D07 in the General pool, by the way. That is how I know.) Other than that a written record is no longer required, but the FCC likes you to keep one in case they need to contact you for information. But there is nothing that says, in our computerized world of today, that it cannot be an audio log.
Here again, though, is a situation where you would have to have someone read the questions and record the answers. This could also be a situation where amateur radio could do some good. If an illiterate could pass the examination for Technician class, it might encourage him to ask for help in learning to read and write.
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
The Federal Communications Commission still has the final authority to issue you a license. They also reserved the right to retest licensees in any or all sections of any element for any reason. They may do so themselves, through a VEC or together with a VEC. If you choose not to show up for the reexamination, you can loose your license.
All rules for the Amateur Radio service are found in Part 97 of 47 C.F.R. Applications for a new license is covered in 97.17. 97.19 covers the procedures to obtain a vanity call sign. 97.21 covers the procedures for modifying or renewing a license.
SUMMARY
As I stated at the beginning, this is a basic overview of the examination process. I did not add information about the paperwork—Mainly because I am still learning myself. Hopefully it will assist you in understanding the test questions that follow. It certainly will not make you a Volunteer Examiner.
TEST QUESTIONS
General Exam Questions
G1D – Volunteer Examiners and Volunteer Examiner Coordinators; temporary identification
G1D01 (C) [97.119(f)(2)]
Which of the following is a proper way to identify when transmitting using phone on General Class frequencies if you have a CSCE for the required elements but your upgrade from Technician has not appeared in the FCC database?
A. Give your call sign followed by the words “General Class”
B. No special identification is needed
C. Give your call sign followed by “slant AG”
D. Give your call sign followed the abbreviation “CSCE”
G1D02 (C) [97.509(b)(3)(i)]
What license examinations may you administer when you are an accredited VE holding a General Class operator license?
A. General and Technician
B. General only
C. Technician only
D. Extra, General and Technician
G1D03 (C) [97.9(b)]
On which of the following band segments may you operate if you are a Technician Class operator and have a CSCE for General Class privileges?
A. Only the Technician band segments until your upgrade is posted on the FCC database
B. Only on the Technician band segments until your license arrives in the mail
C. On any General or Technician Class band segment
D. On any General or Technician Class band segment except 30 and 60 meters
G1D04 (A) [97.509(a)(b)]
Which of the following is a requirement for administering a Technician Class operator examination?
A. At least three VEC accredited General Class or higher VEs must be present
B. At least two VEC accredited General Class or higher VEs must be present
C. At least two General Class or higher VEs must be present, but only one need be VEC accredited
D. At least three VEs of Technician Class or higher must be present
G1D05 (D) [97.509(b)(3)(i)]
Which of the following is sufficient for you to be an administering VE for a Technician Class operator license examination?
A. Notification to the FCC that you want to give an examination
B. Receipt of a CSCE for General Class
C. Possession of a properly obtained telegraphy license
D. An FCC General Class or higher license and VEC accreditation
G1D06 (A) [97.119(f)(2)]
When must you add the special identifier “AG” after your call sign if you are a Technician Class licensee and have a CSCE for General Class operator privileges, but the FCC has not yet posted your upgrade on its Web site?
A. Whenever you operate using General Class frequency privileges
B. Whenever you operate on any amateur frequency
C. Whenever you operate using Technician frequency privileges
D. A special identifier is not required as long as your General Class license application has been filed with the FCC
G1D07 (C) [97.509(b)(1)]
Volunteer Examiners are accredited by what organization?
A. The Federal Communications Commission
B. The Universal Licensing System
C. A Volunteer Examiner Coordinator
D. The Wireless Telecommunications Bureau
G1D08 (B) [97.509(b)(3)]
Which of the following criteria must be met for a non-U.S. citizen to be an accredited Volunteer Examiner?
A. The person must be a resident of the U.S. for a minimum of 5 years
B. The person must hold an FCC granted Amateur Radio license of General Class or above
C. The person’s home citizenship must be in the ITU 2 region
D. None of these choices is correct; non-U.S. citizens cannot be volunteer examiners
G1D09 (C) [97.9(b)]
How long is a Certificate of Successful Completion of Examination (CSCE) valid for exam element credit?
A. 30 days
B. 180 days
C. 365 days
D. For as long as your current license is valid
G1D10 (B) [97.509(b)(2)]
What is the minimum age that one must be to qualify as an accredited Volunteer Examiner?
A. 12 years
B. 18 years
C. 21 years
D. There is no age limit
Amateur Extra Exam Questions
E1E Volunteer examiner program: definitions; qualifications; preparation and administration of exams; accreditation; question pools; documentation requirements
E1E01 (D) [97.509] What is the minimum number of qualified VEs required to administer an Element 4 amateur operator license examination?
A. 5
B. 2
C. 4
D. 3
E1E02 (C) [97.523] Where are the questions for all written US amateur license examinations listed?
A. In FCC Part 97
B. In a question pool maintained by the FCC
C. In a question pool maintained by all the VECs
D. In the appropriate FCC Report and Order
E1E03 (C) [97.521] What is a Volunteer Examiner Coordinator?
A. A person who has volunteered to administer amateur operator license examinations
B. A person who has volunteered to prepare amateur operator license examinations
C. An organization that has entered into an agreement with the FCC to coordinate amateur operator license examinations
D. The person who has entered into an agreement with the FCC to be the VE session manager
E1E04 (D) [97.509, 97.525] Which of the following best describes the Volunteer Examiner accreditation process?
A. Each General, Advanced and Amateur Extra Class operator is automatically accredited as a VE when the license is granted
B. The amateur operator applying must pass a VE examination administered by the FCC Enforcement Bureau
C. The prospective VE obtains accreditation from the FCC
D. The procedure by which a VEC confirms that the VE applicant meets FCC requirements to serve as an examiner
E1E05 (B) [97.503] What is the minimum passing score on amateur operator license examinations?
A. Minimum passing score of 70%
B. Minimum passing score of 74%
C. Minimum passing score of 80%
D. Minimum passing score of 77%
E1E06 (C) [97.509] Who is responsible for the proper conduct and necessary supervision during an amateur operator license examination session?
A. The VEC coordinating the session
B. The FCC
C. Each administering VE
D. The VE session manager
E1E07 (B) [97.509] What should a VE do if a candidate fails to comply with the examiner’s instructions during an amateur operator license examination?
A. Warn the candidate that continued failure to comply will result in termination of the examination
B. Immediately terminate the candidate’s examination
C. Allow the candidate to complete the examination, but invalidate the results
D. Immediately terminate everyone’s examination and close the session
E1E08 (C) [97.509] To which of the following examinees may a VE not administer an examination?
A. Employees of the VE
B. Friends of the VE
C. Relatives of the VE as listed in the FCC rules
D. All of these choices are correct
E1E09 (A) [97.509] What may be the penalty for a VE who fraudulently administers or certifies an examination?
A. Revocation of the VE’s amateur station license grant and the suspension of the VE’s amateur operator license grant
B. A fine of up to $1000 per occurrence
C. A sentence of up to one year in prison
D. All of these choices are correct
E1E10 (C) [97.509] What must the administering VEs do after the administration of a successful examination for an amateur operator license?
A. They must collect and send the documents to the NCVEC for grading
B. They must collect and submit the documents to the coordinating VEC for grading
C. They must submit the application document to the coordinating VEC according to the coordinating VEC instructions
D. They must collect and send the documents to the FCC according to instructions
E1E11 (B) [97.509] What must the VE team do if an examinee scores a passing grade on all examination elements needed for an upgrade or new license?
A. Photocopy all examination documents and forward them to the FCC for processing
B. Three VEs must certify that the examinee is qualified for the license grant and that they have complied with the administering VE requirements
C. Issue the examinee the new or upgrade license
D. All these choices are correct
E1E12 (A) [97.509] What must the VE team do with the application form if the examinee does not pass the exam?
A. Return the application document to the examinee
B. Maintain the application form with the VEC’s records
C. Send the application form to the FCC and inform the FCC of the grade
D. Destroy the application form
E1E13 (A) [97.519] What are the consequences of failing to appear for re-administration of an examination when so directed by the FCC?
A. The licensee’s license will be cancelled
B. The person may be fined or imprisoned
C. The licensee is disqualified from any future examination for an amateur operator license grant
D. All these choices are correct
E1E14 (A) [97.527] For which types of out-of-pocket expenses do the Part 97 rules state that VEs and VECs may be reimbursed?
A. Preparing, processing, administering and coordinating an examination for an amateur radio license
B. Teaching an amateur operator license examination preparation course
C. No expenses are authorized for reimbursement
D. Providing amateur operator license examination preparation training materials
LINKS:
1. Amateur Radio Relay League VEC Training.
2. How to Get Licensed to Operate a Ham Radio
By H. Ward Silver from Ham Radio For Dummies, 2nd Edition
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-get-licensed-to-operate-a-ham-radio.html
3. Amateur (Ham) Radio Information for Persons with Disability
Disabled World
http://www.disabled-world.com/entertainment/hobby/amateur-radio.php
4. Courage Kenny Handiham Program
Handiham.org: Amateur Radio & Technology for People with Disabilities
http://www.handiham.org/drupal2/