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Volunteer Examiner Testing
History
Until the 1980’s a person who wished to test for an amateur radio license generally had to go to one of the FCC district offices. In an effort to reduce costs in the 1980’s the law was modified and the result was that FCC now interfaces with a number of entities called Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (VECs). Those entities in turn certify individual ham radio operators to become Volunteer Examiners (VEs).
VEs are individuals with a General license or higher who additionally have a certificate from a VEC. A minimum of three VEs are required to conduct testing. Once a person passes a test administered by VEs the results are sent off to the VEC for entry into the FCC system. A copy of the result is given to the person who passed the test. That temporary certificate is valid for one year. Once the license is published on the FCC website a person who passed their Technician exam may begin using their class of privileges. When an individual passes their General or Amateur Extra License; they immediately have privileges to the General or Amateur Extra frequencies. Until their license is upgraded in the ULS database, they must give their call + \AG (awaiting General) or \AE (awaiting Extra) when using the frequency privileges of their new license class.
For more information on the subject please go take a look at Brief History of the VEC Program, by the Anchorage Amateur Radio Club.
The Red River Valley Amateur Radio Club (RRVARC) publishes the information below as a convenience to those that may wish to take an exam, but the Club does not technically have any standing in the testing and/or licensing process. Location, dates and times are 100% the purview of the VEs conducting the test. For more information on contacting them, testing, etc., please read on.
As of March 1, 2025, the VEs associated with the Red River Valley Amateur Radio Club (RRVARC) are conducting all VE exams online courtesy of the exam tools on-line system. If you need to test please contact Jim Vignali, Craig Wall or Mel Toye of the Red River Amateur Testing Team (RRATTeam) at rratteam@gmail.com.
To register to take a remote online test (Thursday evenings @ 7:00 pm) in the comfort of your home, please find a date that fits your schedule at the following link (link here). Or, if you prefer to take the exam onsite please register at this link (link here). The onsite exams are the 3rd Saturday of every month at the Kiamichi Technical Center in Idabel Oklahoma @ 10:00 am.
As described above, the testing is conducted by Volunteer Examiners (VEs). These are our peers in the hobby, when testing locally they are often members of the RRVARC, licensed ham radio operators with the special VE qualification to conduct the exams. The group of VEs we are associated with work under the auspices of the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) VEC.
For your licensing test you will need:
- $15 cash for each test to be taken or retaken. The FCC will contact you via email for their $35 fee upon receiving your positive test results for the a new or upgraded license.
- Your drivers license or other valid government photo ID.
- An FCC Registration Number (FRN). If you do not have an FRN please click this link and secure one.
A good resource that you should also check would be the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) What to Bring to an Exam Session page. Additionally, a very good suggested study aid can be found at the following website (link here). If one creates a free account, their retention aptitude will be recorded as well as their test questions seen.
If at all possible please email the RRATTeam at rratteam@gmail.com and let them know you plan to test. They will follow up with you. For walk-ins, a VE will have a laptop and internet access to assist you. If you want a simple reference they have produced this flyer, which can be forwarded to someone or printed (click here).
Effective April 19, 2022, a $35 fee will apply to applications for a new Amateur Radio license, modification (upgrade and sequential call sign change), renewal, and vanity call signs. (Source: ARRL)
We can always use the help of Volunteer Examiners. If you are a General or higher and interested in performing this important public service, please click this link for more information.