Path: news.unomaha.edu!unlinfo.unl.edu!wupost!spool.mu.edu!hri.com!noc.near.net!uhasun!arrlhq!bjahnke
From: bjahnke%arrlhq.UUCP@uhasun.hartford.edu (Bart Jahnke)
Newsgroups: rec.radio.amateur.policy
Subject: Acceptable evidence of Element Credit held & Technicians w/HF privileges
Message-ID: <332@arrlhq.UUCP>
Date: 3 Dec 91 12:17:43 GMT
Article-I.D.: arrlhq.332
Sender: uhasun.hartford.edu!arrlhq!bjahnke (Bart Jahnke)
Organization: American Radio Relay League
Lines: 139


Many of you have shared your concerns in this newsgroup regarding 
what is considered acceptable evidence of Element Credit 
held/possessed toward any upgrade(s) you are seeking; and how
will/does the FCC know the difference between the two types
of Technician licensees.  

Since we work with closely with the FCC, here's what the FCC requires 
of us--the ARRL/VEC.


ELEMENT CREDIT

As provided in Section 97.505 of the FCC Rules, VEs must give credit to an
examinee holding any of the following documents:

1. An unexpired (or expired but within the grace period [there is a 5 
year grace period for 5-year licenses and a 2 year grace period for 
10-year licenses]) FCC-issued amateur operator license: The least 
elements required for the license held. For a Technician class operator 
license issued BEFORE March 21, 1987, credit must also be given for 
Element 3(B) [the 25 question General class written examination].

2. A CSCE: Each element the CSCE indicates the examinee passed within the
previous 365 days.

3. A photocopy of an FCC Form 610 which was submitted to the FCC 
indicating that the examinee qualified for a Novice class operator license
within the previous 365 days: Elements 1A and 2.

4. An unexpired (or expired less than 5 years) FCC-issued commercial 
RadioteleGRAPH operator license or permit: Element 1(C).

5. A current, or expired but within the grace period for renewal, 
Novice, Technician plus a CSCE indicating that the person passed 
Element 1(A) or 1(B).  Technician issued before February 14, 1991.  
General, or Advanced Class operator license, and a Form 610 
containing:
   (i) A physician's certification stating that because the person is 
an individual with a severe handicap, the duration of which extends for 
more than 365 days beyond the date of certification, the person is 
unable to pass a 13 or 20 words per minute telegraphy examination; and 
   (ii) A release signed by the person permitting disclosure to the FCC 
of medical information pertaining to the person's handicap: Element 1(C).

Also, per instruction 5 on the Instructions To Form 610 for Technician, 
General, Advanced and Amateur Extra class to examiners: Element 1A or 2 
credit is acceptable for 365 days as documented on an ORIGINAL Form 610
for an unsuccessful Novice operator examination indicating either
Element 1A or Element 2 was passed (see also November 1991 QST--Exam Info).


DOCUMENTATION

Lost Licenses

The FCC currently will not allow VECs to submit upgrade applications 
to them without attaching a copy of the applicant's current FCC-issued 
license held. 

For those who have lost their original license, and have no copy,
a replacement license or FCC Form 1010-B license verification letter
must be obtained by the applicant and presented to the VE Team at the 
test session (or to the VEC after the session) in order for the upgrade
application to be forwarded to the FCC.  The Form 1010-B verification
letter serves as a valid FCC license for operating or upgrading purposes--
and will arrive in about two weeks.  The replacement license will take
closer to four weeks for receipt.  The Form 1010-B verification of license
letter can be requested by calling the FCC at (717) 337-1212.

Licenses Which Convey Element Credit

As described in Item 1 (Element Credit) above, Technician licensees who 
have passed the old Element 3 Technician/General examination prior to 
March 21, 1987, must present the original or a copy of the Technician 
license carrying the pre-3/21/87 begin date to the VE Team in order to 
received credit for the current Element 3(B) General class written
examination.

If the original (or copy of) a pre-3/21/87 license has been lost or 
thrown away, then a suitable verification must be obtained from the FCC.
In order to receive the necessary verification document from the
FCC, write them at 1270 Fairfield Rd, Gettysburg, PA 17325-7245, 
and request a letter of VERIFICATION OF TECHNICIAN CLASS LICENSE 
HELD PRIOR TO 3/21/87.  That letter may be a special letter
carrying the signature of an FCC Staff member, or it can be a Form
1010-B Verification Letter.

Although some VECs, including the ARRL/VEC, do have access to a copy of 
the FCC's data base which includes licensing data prior to 3/21/87,
as we have gotten farther away from that date, verifications
have become nearly impossible for us to accomplish.  The FCC, on the 
other hand, will make their verifications from their permanent 
archives--and not from their current (active) data base.


TECHNICIANS WHO HAVE HF PRIVILEGES

Although the FCC has chosen not to identify or distinguish codeless 
Technicians differently from Technicians who have HF privileges, 
the FCC does know who is who.

A data base of Technician class licensees who have earned HF privileges 
is being maintained by the National Conference of VECs, and information
on each Technician licensee with HF privileges is being made 
available to the FCC.

Of course, any Technician class licensee who was licensed prior to
February 14, 1991, does have HF privileges--and the VEC Conference 
data base reflects this.  New Technicians licensed after that 
date who subsequently pass a Morse code examination at a VEC-coordinated
examination--as documented on a VE Team-issued Certificate of Successful 
Completion of Examination (CSCE); or a Novice licensee who have 
upgraded to Technician; have also been added to the Technician 
w/HF privileges data base.

Although perhaps not immediately, the FCC does have access to Technician
w/HF privileges licensee information and is able to determine
which Technicians do, or do not, have HF privileges--and are able to 
conduct enforcement where necessary.  


Should you have any further questions regarding examination or upgrade
requirements, please feel free to contact me at the ARRL/VEC at:

       bjahnke%arrlhq.UUCP@uhasun.hartford.edu 

Or at:

ARRL/VEC, 225 Main Street, Newington, CT 06111  

Tel: (203) 666-1541


73,

Bart J. Jahnke, KB9NM
Manager
ARRL/VEC