TO: Handicapped/disabled applicants seeking exemption for the Amateur Radio 13 
    or 20 words-per-minute Morse code examination requirements as permitted by 
    FCC Rules Section 97.505(a)(5)(i)(ii):

Dear applicant:

It is the intent of the FCC's allowance for exemption/credit of the FCC's 
Morse code examination requirement for the General, Advanced or Amateur Extra 
class license, that you are permitted to apply for exemption/credit if you are 
not able to pass the 13 or 20 WPM Morse code examination due to the severity 
of your handicap or disability.  The FCC will not exempt you from the initial 
5 WPM Morse code requirement, however.

To begin, the FCC provides guidance to you and your Physician within the 
enclosed FCC Fact Sheet.

Taking the FCCs guidance into account in considering the exemption/credit 
option, we hope that you have at least attempted to pass the examination using 
the new, more flexible, examination procedures announced by the FCC, which 
include:

1. Where warranted, we may now offer you a sending test (instead of a 
   receiving test).

2. Where warranted, we may pause the tape for you to allow you to speak out 
   what you have copied.  Or, we can allow you the necessary time to write 
   down what you have copied by pausing the tape after phrases/sentences; or 
   in groups of words; or by individual word, or in extreme cases where        
   warranted letter-by-letter.

In most cases, the above flexibility will allow you to pass the Morse code 
examination on your own--therefore not requiring an exemption of the Morse 
code requirement because these procedures may have accommodated you severe 
handicap or disability.

Attached is a Physician's Certification of Disability and Patient's Release 
form.  After it is completed, you must submit this document directly to a VEC 
accredited VE Team (this may be the team who is administering your written 
exam[s]).  As required by the FCC, you must currently hold at least a Novice 
license, or a license which conveys credit for having passed a Morse code 
examination element, and you must already have earned credit for the necessary 
written exams for either the Technician (Element 3A) plus the General (Element 
3B), Advanced (Element 4A) or Amateur Extra class (Element 4B).

In order for your Physician's Certification to be accepted for 
exemption/credit by a VE Team, we recommend that you review the following 
check list to ensure that your certification will be acceptable:

* The Physician's Certification must be completed by both your Physician as 
  well as by you.
* The completed Physician's Certification (made by Medical Doctors or Doctors 
  of Osteopathy, only!) contains an original Physician's signature in original 
  penmanship.  The signature is not a signature stamp, nor is it a photocopy.
* The certification must be dated by the Physician.
* You already hold, or intend to take at the session, the necessary written 
  elements required toward an upgrade.

If your Physician's Certification meets the above requirements, then your 
request must be presented to an ARRL/VEC VE Team with a check or money order 
in the amount of $5.25 for 1991 or $5.40 for 1992 (our standard processing 
fee).  Only VEC-accredited VE Teams may process your request because they must 
provide you with a CSCE indicating that you have been given Element 1C 
exemption/credit for presenting your correctly-completed Physician's 
Certification.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the ARRL/VEC.  The 
number is: (203)-666-1541.  Our address is: ARRL/VEC, 225 Main Street, 
Newington, CT 06111.

73, 

Bart J. Jahnke, KB9NM
Manager, ARRL/VEC                                               ARRL/VEC 11/91
                      INSTRUCTIONS TO THE DOCTOR

You have been presented with these instructions and certification form for the 
purpose of certifying to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) that the 
patient under your care will not be able to pass the required 13 or 20 words-
per-minute Amateur Radio Morse code examination because the patient suffers 
from one or more severe handicap(s) in accordance with Section 
97.505(a)(5)(i)(ii) of the FCC Rules.  

Since you may not be aware of what the examination entails, here is a 
description of the examination and the allowable procedures for examining 
someone who has one or more severe handicaps or disabilities.  (See also the 
attached FCC Fact Sheet).

The Morse code is usually presented via audio as a series of dot and dash 
sequences sent at a particular speed.  Other types of presentations include 
flashing lights and/or a tactile pad.  The dots/dashes translate into 
individual characters of the alphabet; numbers 0-9; punctuation involving the 
period, comma, question mark, fraction bar (/); and three procedural signs 
made up of two-letter combinations.  For example, the letter "A" in Morse code 
is dot-dash; the number "1" is dot-dash-dash-dash-dash and the period "." is 
dot-dash-dot-dash-dot-dash.

The applicant is required to communicate to the examiners information 
regarding the content of the Morse code message that is presented in the 
examination.  The reasons a person might not be able to pass the test include 
audio/visual input processing disorders, the inability to communicate the 
information which has been comprehended, or other similar difficulties.  On 
the preceding page is an FCC Fact Sheet which will provide you with additional 
information.

The FCC makes flexible procedures available to the examiners in order to allow 
the patient to convey the translated Morse code information to the examiners.  
The examiners may write for the patient--if the patient cannot do so.  The 
examiners may allow the patient to send the Morse code (in dot dash sequences) 
instead of having the patient listen and translate [this is especially helpful 
for hearing impaired patients].  The examiners may pause the Morse code exam 
audio tape recording so that the patient may keep up with the pace of the 
exam--where warranted the tape may be paused in groups of words, sentences or 
phrases; or after each word; or after each character.

We are looking to you as the expert to certify that the patient will not be 
able to participate in the examination process.  Be aware that medical 
information as it pertains to the handicap or disability must be made 
available to the FCC upon their request as authorized by the patient's signed 
release.

            Note that you may only make this certification 
            if the duration of your patient's handicap will 
            extend for more than 365 days beyond the 
            certification date.

Only this format is acceptable by the FCC, so please complete (fill in the 
blanks) this form as indicated.

Your certification must be returned to the patient who will present it to the 
examiners so that it may be forwarded to the Federal Communications 
Commission.

Thank you for your assistance in this matter.

Sincerely, 

American Radio Relay League
Volunteer Examiner Coordinator Office



ARRL/VEC - 225 Main Street - Newington, CT 06111 (203) 666-1541 ext. 251  11/91
                         PHYSICIAN's CERTIFICATION

TO:  Applicants seeking exemption for the Amateur Radio 13 or 20 words-per-
     minute Morse code examination requirements as permitted by FCC Rules 
     Section 97.505(a)(5)(i)(ii):

The following Physician's Certification and Release form must accompany your 
FCC Form 610 license application when you attend a VEC test session.  This 
fill-in-the-blank format was provided by the FCC.

This certification must be made by your physician.  The Physician's signature 
must be made in original penmanship.  The signature may not be a copy or 
signature stamp.  If the certification is not completed following these 
instructions, the application will be returned to the applicant.

_______________________________________________________________________________

                   PHYSICIAN'S CERTIFICATION OF DISABILITY 


Physician's Name______________________________________________

Physician's Address___________________________________________

                   ___________________________________________

Office Telephone Number (______)______________________________


I certify that _______________________________________ is severely 
handicapped, the duration of which will extend for more than 365 days beyond 
the date of this certification.  Because of this severe handicap, this 
individual is unable to pass a 13 (or 20) words per minute telegraphy 
examination for an amateur operator license.

I am licensed to practice in a place where the amateur service is regulated by 
the Federal Communications Commission as a doctor of medicine (M.D.) or a 
doctor of osteopathy (D.O.).

WILLFUL FALSE STATEMENTS ARE PUNISHABLE BY FINE AND IMPRISONMENT.  U.S. 
CODE TITLE 18, SECTION 1001.

________________________________________ (M.D. or D.O.)     Date: ______________
(Signature of Physician) Stamp unacceptable

______________________________________________________
Physician's name (typed or printed)

                              PATIENT'S RELEASE

Authorization is hereby given to the physician named above, who participated 
in my care, to release to the Federal Communications Commission any medical 
information deemed necessary to process my application for an amateur radio 
license.


______________________________________________________          
(Applicant's Signature)

______________________________________________________
Applicant's Name (typed or printed)

*EOF