[HCRA] In case you didn't make last month's meeting

[Rick Lindquist, N1RL]

Greetings!

We've been getting a lot of questions at ARRL HQ that suggest folks don't
quite "get it" regarding how the rule changes will work. This bulletin (and
the story from which it derived that appears on our Web site and will appear
in tomorrow's edition of The ARRL Letter) targets some specific areas. There
is a comprehensive information page on the ARRL site
http://www.arrl.org/fcc/morse/ that should answer any other questions you
might have. 

The main message is this: Nothing changes regarding the Morse requirement
UNTIL Feb 23, and you cannot upgrade in advance. If you take Element 3
(General) before Feb 23, for example, you'll simply get a Certificate of
Successful Completion of Examination (CSCE) for ELEMENT 3 CREDIT. Such a
CSCE is NOT valid for new operating privileges until you take it to ANOTHER
exam session, fill out the application for General, pay the session fee and
get a CSCE for UPGRADE credit. You may not do this in advance, nor may VE
teams legally let you do it (ie, let you take Element 3 and hold the
paperwork until Feb 23). VE teams found to be doing this face loss of
accreditation.

Any CSCE used for an upgrade on Feb 23 must be valid. CSCEs are good for 365
days from the date of issue, and there are no exceptions in the new rules.
If your CSCE will be 366 days old on Feb 23, you have to re-test - simple as
that. 

We've heard anecdotal reports of Technicians who never passed a code test
getting on 75 meters(!) back on Dec 15 in the highly erroneous belief that
they had earned these privileges (Technicians won't get those privileges on
Feb 23 either - or anytime soon, for that matter). All Novices and
Technicians will have the SAME privileges starting Feb 23, and the only
phone allocation for these licensees is on 10 meters.

I hope this helps. If you have specific questions, please direct them to
ARRL Regulatory Information Specialist Dan Henderson, N1ND, n1nd at arrl.org,
and he'll be happy to help.

73, Rick, N1RL 

-----Original Message-----
From: hcra-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:hcra-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On
Behalf Of Jim Mullen
Sent: Wednesday, February 07, 2007 5:19 PM
To: HCRA Mailing List (HCRA Mailing List)
Subject: [HCRA] In case you didn't make last month's meeting

______________________________________________
-------Hampden County Radio Association-------
-----------e-mail list (reflector)-------------
______________________________________________
Hi gang,

Just in case you didn't make last month's meeting and have some questions
regarding the no-code changes and upgrade process please read the latest
ARRL bulletin copied below.

Remember, February 23 is the 'go-live' date. That is also the regular date
for the Western Mass VE team so come on down Friday evening and get yourself
an upgrade. Rich, KD1XP will also be holding a VE session on Sunday evening
at 6:00 PM in Amherst and the following Friday the HCRA meeting will also
host an 'upgrade only' VE session. Sounds like exciting times for ham radio.

Here's the bulletin...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

SB QST @ ARL $ARLB007
ARLB007 No Code-Free Upgrades Available Until February 23

ZCZC AG07
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 7  ARLB007
>From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT  February 7, 2007
To all radio amateurs 

SB QST ARL ARLB007
ARLB007 No Code-Free Upgrades Available Until February 23

Code-free upgrades to General or Amateur Extra will not be available at
volunteer examination sessions until the 5 WPM Morse code requirement
disappears from the FCC's Amateur Radio Service rules on February 23. ARRL
Regulatory Information Specialist Dan Henderson, N1ND, says that, judging
from the questions he's been getting, many in the amateur community --
including some Volunteer Examiners (VEs)
-- don't fully understand the new rules that resulted from the FCC's Report
and Order (R&O) in the ''Morse code proceeding,'' WT Docket 05-235. He
stresses that VE teams may not accept upgrade applications in advance of
February 23, then hold the paperwork.

''There will be no instant midnight upgrades February 23 for applicants
advancing to General or Amateur Extra,'' Henderson explains. ''You must make
application.'' He further advises that a Certificate of Successful
Completion of Examination (CSCE) valid for Element 3 (General) or Element 4
(Amateur Extra) credit does not confer any operating privileges and, lacking
Morse code credit, is no good for an upgrade until the new rules become
effective.

''Anyone holding or earning a valid CSCE for element credit must wait until
February 23 to redeem it at a volunteer examination session,''
he says. ''You may not operate as /AG or /AE until you have upgraded and
have been issued a CSCE marked for upgrade.'' A CSCE is good for
365 days from the date of issuance, no exceptions.

Henderson further emphasizes that those who qualified as Technician
licensees under the examination regime in place from March 21, 1987, until
April 15, 2000, do not get General class Element 3 credit on that basis.
That's because the ''old'' Element 3 is not the same as the current Element
3.

Applicants upgrading at a test session on or after February 23 on the basis
of a valid CSCE must present the certificate for element credit, fill out an
application and pay any applicable exam session fee, which most VECs charge.
Between now and then, Henderson points out, upgrade applicants still have
the option of passing the 5 WPM Element 1 Morse code test in addition to the
General or Amateur Extra written tests.

Technician licensees who have not passed a Morse code examination
automatically gain new privileges on February 23 without having to apply at
an exam session.

The ARRL has posted all relevant information on these important Part
97 rule revisions on its ''FCC's Morse Code Report and Order WT Docket
05-235'' Web page, www.arrl.org/fcc/morse/.
NNNN
/EX

------Hampden County Radio Association-------
An ARRL Special Services Club celebrating 60 years
------------http://www.hcra.org------------
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Address any comments to:
-Jim, KK1W  -  jmullen at rockys.com
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