[GCARC] FW: [ve-list:1687] ARRL VE Newsletter April 2014
Ray W2RM
W2RM at comcast.net
Thu Apr 10 16:58:08 EDT 2014
FYI..VEC INFO
From: ve-list-bounces at reflector.arrl.org
[mailto:ve-list-bounces at reflector.arrl.org] On Behalf Of Somma, Maria, AB1FM
Sent: Thursday, April 10, 2014 11:03 AM
To: ve-list
Subject: [ve-list:1687] ARRL VE Newsletter April 2014
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ARRL VEC
VE News
April 2014
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USPS Priority Mail Envelopes to be Phased Out
Please use the NEW plain white envelopes with the ARRL VEC self-adhesive
First Class Business Reply Mail (BRM) labels for shipping your completed
exam session results to the ARRL VEC office.
The Post Office has indicated that we will receive the same service (First
Class Mail) with the new envelopes, but for a less expensive shipping rate.
Therefore, we ask that you no longer use the Priority Mail envelopes in
conjunction with the postage paid labels. Please dispose of the Priority
Mail envelopes or return them to your local post office.
For US Postal Service First Class Mail, simply affix the self-adhesive
business-reply label to the white self-seal envelope and present your exam
session package at any post office, or place it in a convenient nearby
postal service drop box, or simply hand it to your postal carrier. The
postage will be billed to our ARRL VEC Business-Reply Account.
Remember to include the team's or the liaison's return address on the
session package. USPS stipulates that this information must be displayed on
the envelope. Any post office can refuse a package that does not have a
visible return name and address. We also request your assistance in making
the most effective use of this service by processing and shipping your
sessions as soon as possible but no later than ten days after the exam.
Please note: There is NO change to the VEC supplied pre-paid, self adhesive
business reply label.
If you or your team need a supply of these new envelopes, please contact our
supply fulfillment specialist at ihumphreys at arrl.org. Thank you for your
cooperation, and for your service to the Amateur Radio community.
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2014 ARRL VEC National Exam Day Weekends
ARRL sponsored national exam day weekends are held annually on the last full
weekends of April and September.
Spring national exam day weekend is April 26-27, 2014.
Fall national exam day weekend is September 27-28, 2014.
We thank you for your support of these events.
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2014 FCC Licensing Statistics
The below chart shows first quarter results for FCC license activity over
the past few years.
The number of new US Amateurs in the database continues to grow each year
while upgraded license transactions remains fairly steady.
During the first quarter of 2014, the FCC issued 8,943 new licenses, a 16%
gain in new Amateurs over the same period last year.
As of March 31, 2014, 2,719 Amateurs upgraded their licenses during the same
time period, resulting in a 13% gain over 2013.
We are seeing outstanding results so far this year!
__________________________________________________
NEW and UPGRADED FCC LICENSES ISSUED BY YEAR
FIRST QUARTER RESULTS ____ __ _
FCC License Action 2011 2012 2013 2014
New Licenses 5,809 7,532 7,732 8,943
Upgraded Licenses 2,656 2,824 2,414 2,719
Total Issued 8,465 10,365 10,146 11,662
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New Question Pool Schedule
CURRENT Technician class (Element 2) Pool is effective July 1, 2010 and is
only valid until June 30, 2014.
NEW Technician class (Element 2) Pool release December 12, 2013 will become
effective July 1, 2014 and is valid until June 30, 2018.
General class (Element 3) Pool is effective July 1, 2011 and is valid until
June 30, 2015.
Extra class (Element 4) Pool is effective July 1, 2012 and is valid until
June 30, 2016.
Each question pool is reviewed and updated on a four year rotation. The
current Question Pools can be viewed or printed from the ARRL Web at
http://www.arrl.org/question-pools.
For the list of questions that have been formally withdrawn by the National
Conference of VECs Question Pool Committee due to errors, omissions or FCC
Rule changes visit http://www.arrl.org/withdrawn-questions.
Be sure to use only the December 12, 2013 version of the Technician pool
when preparing classroom materials or new examinations for use after July
1st.
The new version of the pool has an errata sheet that provides a quick
reference to all changes since the release. See
http://ncvec.org/page.php?id=362.
New Exams are due to be mailed to Stocked VE Team Leaders about the 3rd week
in June. For additional information see "New Technician Class Element 2
Exams" below.
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New Technician Class Element 2 Exams
The new Technician class question pool will take effect for all Element 2
Technician class license written exams on July 1, 2014.
With the Technician class exams changing July 1st, new test designs must be
used effective that day.
ARRL VEC will be supplying all its (near 1,000) Field Stocked VE teams with
new test booklets about the 3rd week in June.
Current ARRL VEC supplied Technician class test booklets versions (2-1-2010,
2-2-2010, 2-3-2010 2-4-2010, and 2-5-2010) are valid until midnight June 30,
2014.
At that time you may destroy the old versions of the Technician exams.
Exam Maker Software Updates
The ARRL VEC VE Exam Maker Software will get updated too. If you use our
software package, the new Technician pool update will be available on the
web site about mid-June 2014.
The current version, Exam Maker - (vers. 1.4), was released July 2012. It
can be downloaded from the VEC web site at
http://www.arrl.org/ve-exam-maker-software.
If you will need any NCVEC Form 605s, CSCEs, other exam summary forms or
supplies to go with your current Exam Maker (vers. 1.4), please contact us
directly at vec at arrl.org.
Do not toss out Overlay Grading Templates, ever!
The blue plastic overlay grading templates used to grade the exams at test
sessions, should never be thrown away or destroyed when new exam versions
are introduced.
We specifically designed the plastic templates so that they will always be
useful, no matter what exams are created. They will never become obsolete.
The "Key for Templates" is what will be replaced (paper instructions -
explains how to line up the template and explains which template corresponds
to which exam version for proper grading).
The KEY will simply be changed or updated to let you know how to match up
the templates with any new exams that are issued.
Simply put, the overlay grading templates will never go out of style!
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The ARRL VEC Staff is Ready to Serve You!
As always, the dedicated VEC staff are here to answer any questions you may
have.
ARRL VE toll free hotline: 1-800-9ARRLVE (1-800-927-7583)
Email: VEC at arrl.org
Web: www.arrl.org/volunteer-examiners
Maria Somma, AB1FM, Manager
Perry Green, WY1O, Assistant Manager
Amanda Grimaldi, KB1VUV, Service Representative
Pete Warner, K1HJW, Service Representative
Lisa Riendeau, Service Representative
China Chaney, Service Representative
Ian Humphreys, Service Representative
Ann Brinius, Service Representative
We thank you for your efforts and interest in the ARRL VEC program.
===============================================================
Questions can be directed to --
Address: ARRL VEC, 225 Main St, Newington CT 06111
Phone: 1-800-927-7583
Email: vec at arrl.org
To unsubscribe from these messages, forward this message to
support at arrl.net.
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ARRL VEC VE Newsletter is published by the
American Radio Relay League, Inc. - the national association for Amateur
RadioR.
Material from the ARRL VE Express Newsletter may be republished or
reproduced
in whole or in part in any form without additional permission. Credit must
be given to
The American Radio Relay League VEC.
ARRL VEC
225 Main Street
Newington CT 06111 USA
Email: vec at arrl.org
<http://verio.arrl.org/arrlvec/vex/blocked::mailto:[email protected]>
ARRL VEC telephone: 860-594-0300
ARRL VEC Fax: 860-594-0339
ARRL telephone: 860-594-0200
Information about the VE-List server may be found on the VE Newsletter
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Please do NOT respond to these automated emails. A "reply" to this bulk
email address will not reach us
as only the list administrator may post to the list.
Sincerely,
Maria Somma, AB1FM - VEC Manager / Editor
ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio R
225 Main Street
Newington, CT 06111 USA
msomma at arrl.org
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