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Tutorial on HAM licencse reqs.
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Everything You Need to Know to Get a License
By Frederick O. Maia, W5YI-VEC
Ham radio is probably more popular than you realize. Nearly
half-a-million people in the United States from all walks of life
call amateur radio their hobby. And the number is growing. Some
of the world's most famous people are licensed amateur radio
operators. Ex-Senator Barry Goldwater is K7UGA, Jordan's King
Hussein is JY1, ex-pro baseball player Joe Rudi is NK7U,
guitarist Chet Atkins is WA4CZD and Country-and-Western superstar
Ronnie Milsap is WB4KCG. The list goes on and on! In fact, you
never know who is behind the microphone at the other end. It
could be just about anyone from any walk of life. In amateur
radio, there are no race, age, creed, color, sex or class
distinctions. There is bound to be a ham right in your
neighborhood, maybe even on your street.
Amateur radio survives as a result of international treaties
and government regulations. Ham radio operators in the United
States are licensed and regulated by the Federal Communications
Commission (FCC). Internationally allocated, amateur radio exists
in nearly every country in the world on the same frequencies as
in the U.S. There are currently nearly two million amateur radio
operators worldwide. Japan has the most with about one million,
but doesn't have a code requirement for their entry-level
license.
There is a very big difference between ham radio and CB
communication. For one thing, amateur radio communications
requires that you must be licensed and issued a call sign by the
government. What's more, you must use that call sign when you
operate on-the-air. Instead of one band of 40 channels, you get
literally thousands of frequencies scattered throughout many
bands-=each with different propagation characteristics. You can
legally run power levels up to 1,500 watts with worldwide
capability instead of just a mere few watts for local operation.
It is really very easy to become a ham radio operator. There
are five different amateur radio license levels: Novice,
Technician, General, Advanced and the top-level Amateur Extra
Class. Each one requires demonstrating more knowledge and skill
in exchange for additional operating and frequency privileges.
You will be tested for Morse code proficiency and knowledge of
radio theory and regulations.
You should be able to qualify for the Novice license with as
little as a couple of weeks of study. Upgrading to any higher-
class licenses can be attempted any time. Enthusiastic Novices
with little or no background in the area have mastered the
necessary skills to upgrade all the way to the Extra class
license in six months or less. How quickly you move up depends on
how much effort and time you wish to devote to preparation
activities. Many amateur radio clubs and adult education programs
offer license courses at little or no expense.
Morse Code
It is an International Telecommunication Union (ITU)
requirement that to transmit long-distance amateur shortwave
radio, you must learn the Morse code. The shortwaves are defined
as those below 30 MHz. (The ITU is the worldwide United Nations
telecommunications governing body headquartered in Geneva,
Switzerland.) More and more countries are, however, allowing
their amateurs to operate on the VHF and higher frequencies
(those above 50 MHz) without telegraphy knowledge. Unfortunately,
the United States is not presently planning to be one of them.
Canada, however, is in the process of adopting a code-free
beginning amateur class.
There are all sorts of reasons cited on why the code is
needed-=or not needed. Without getting mired in this argument,
let's look at the positive aspects of the code since it is the
law that you show CW proficiency, even though fewer amateurs
today own a telegraph key than a computer.
Telegraphy can be an interesting way to communicate. It allows
more amateurs to utilize the bands at one time since it takes
less spectrum space. Under marginal band conditions, it is easier
to get through with CW than with voice since you can filter out
interference more readily. For some of us, CW is simply a lot of
fun. I enjoy the code and have many awards for international
two-way CW contacts. Amateurs who can't communicate well in each
other's language can use standard abbreviations and prosigns to
carry on fairly detailed code conversations.
To many, Morse-code proficiency is a stumbling block. It need
not be. It merely requires the discipline to practice code for a
couple of weeks to be able to learn enough Morse to pass the 5
word-per-minute (WPM) Novice code exam. There is no additional
code requirement for the Technician class license, which gives
you access to all the VHF frequencies and privileges. This
includes the popular 2-meter FM band that so many hams use to
make phone calls from their cars or small portable units. You
must pass a 13-WPM exam to advance from the Technician to General
Class and a 20-WPM one to obtain the Amateur Extra Class license.
These licenses provide increasingly more frequencies and
privileges on the HF bands.
Besides listening to on-the-air conversations and code-
practice transmissions, you can use numerous tapes, computer
programs and electronic devices that provide you with code
practice. In large part, they are all effective learning tools.
You may find that certain features of one program are more
attractive than those of another. It is a matter of personal
preference.
One factor that is not a matter of preference, though, is how
you learn the characters. Morse code is an aural code, and that
is how you should learn it. Attempting to learn the code by
staring at dots and dashes on the printed page is the worst
course of action possible. If you adopt this approach, you are
almost certainly undermining your ability to learn Morse code
and, later, to increase your speed in order to upgrade.
All modern code-teaching courses and programs teach you the
sound of each character. When you learn code the right way, you
will find that its reputation as a difficult skill to master is
grossly overstated. Do it right, and the code is easy.
When you sit for the exam, the examiners will send you five
minutes of a simulated on-the-air conversation. You will then be
given a test of 10 questions relating to the transmission. A
score of 70% on this code test is passing. Should you pass the
code and fail the theory (or vice versa) when taking the
Technician or higher exam, you will be given a certificate of
successful completion for the portion that you passed. You will
then have a year to pass the remaining element of the exam
without retesting on what you already passed.
Theory and Regulations
The written examinations cover amateur radio regulations,
operating procedures and electronic principles. You do not have
to be technically oriented to pass the examinations. All of the
questions and answers that make up the various question pools are
widely published. Each of the five examinations draws from
questions on nine topics. Each topic is designated by a letter.
There are from 25 to 50 questions in each of examination element
that are taken from a pool of hundreds of possibilities.
Licensing requirements are cumulative. That is, if you want to
start with the Technician class as your first license, you must
first pass the Novice-theory exam element. You could take all the
examination elements at one testing session and walk out with an
Amateur Extra Class license. See Table I.
The purpose of the exams is to demonstrate that you can
operate a transmitter safely and legally-=not design one. Anyway,
real knowledge comes with practical experience, which usually
comes after you have your license, not before. So there's nothing
wrong with using mnemonic devices to recall answers to questions.
Novice Exam: The Novice examination is made up of the 5- WPM
code test (Element 1A) and a 30-question (Element 2)
multiple-choice written examination. The questions are selected
from the Novice level question bank. To pass the Element 2 test,
22 or more correct answers are needed
To conduct the examinations requires two volunteer examiners
(VEs) to administer the tests. They need not be accredited, as
they must be for the higher-level tests. But they must be at
least 18 years of age and hold a General-class or higher-level
license. Also, they must have a clean radio record to conduct the
examination. The Volunteer Examiners (VEs) also should not be
engaged in the amateur radio equipment, distribution or license-
preparation material business, nor should they be related to the
applicant. The VEs will mail the application (Form 610) to the
FCC in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, for Novice license issuance if
the applicant passes both examination parts. If only one element
is passed, an applicant has a year to complete the remaining test
element.
Since March 21, 1987, Novice privileges are better than ever!
As an incentive to attract new participants to the amateur radio
hobby, the FCC relaxed its regulations to allow entry level ham
radio operators to immediately join the mainstream of amateur
radio. No longer are they restricted to just the Morse code.
Beginners can now talk around the world using SSB on the popular
10-meter HF band, too. They can also communicate through 220-MHz
FM repeaters, even linking their radio to the telephone or a
personal computer.
Upgrading: And that is not all. The FCC has made it easier
than ever to upgrade. The next step up the ladder, the Technician
Class (which lets you talk on the popular two-meter band, the
ham's traditional social party line), now is more than twice as
easy to attain. To become a Technician class amateur, you simply
must pass its 25-question multiple-choice examination as compared
to the earlier 50-question combined Technician/General exam.
(Code speed alone previously distinguished between the two
levels.) Upgrading test sessions are more formal than their
Novice counterparts. They are normally held at schools or other
public halls. The rules require that accredited VEs publicly
announce locations and times of all examination sessions. Ham
radio equipment outlets and amateur radio operators in your area
will know who is administering amateur radio operator
examinations locally. You may also take a Novice examination at a
Volunteer Exam Coordinator (VEC) System test session without
cost.
Upgrading above Technician is also easy, particularly when you
take it one step at a time. To go from Technician to General
requires passing a 13-WPM code test and an additional 25-question
multiple-choice test. To go from General to Advanced, you must
pass a 50-question multiple-choice exam. Finally, to take the
last step to Amateur Extra, you must pass a 20-WPM code test and
a 40-question multiple-choice exam.
With respect to the theory/regulations written exam, at least
ten times as many questions appear in each of the question banks
as will be needed in any one examination. VECs or VEs (it can be
either) prepare the written examination by selecting a specified
number of questions from each of the nine topics. (See Table II.)
VE teams administer the written examinations using the exact
questions and multiple-choice answers that appear in the question
pools. VEs are not allowed to deviate from the questions.
Applicants can be assured that the questions and answers they
studied are the same ones that will appear word-for-word on their
examination. Test candidates should be certain, however, that
they have obtained the current study material. The cutoff date
should be stated in the license preparation material.
There is no longer a waiting period to retake failed
examinations. Some VE teams will even re-administer you the
failed examination at the same session, although you will
probably have to pay another test fee if the examination is at
the Technician or higher class level. The test fee, which is
adjusted annually for changes in the Department of Labor's
Consumer Price Index, is currently $4.55 per examinee.
A new maximum test fee is implemented each January. The test
fees go to finance the cost of the VEC System testing program.
You only pay one fee as long as you continue to pass administered
examinations during any one testing session. You can even take
all examinations right up through the Extra Class level at one
sitting. There is no charge, however, if you only take the Novice
examination.
The FCC has determined that anyone who can receive code at a
given speed can also send at that speed or greater. Thus, the FCC
will assume your ability to send if you can demonstrate an
ability to receive. What this means is that you will not be given
a sending test.
History of Amateur Testing
Volunteer amateur self-testing started to take shape during
the early 1980s when the FCC began abolishing most of its
commercial radiotelephone licensing program. The government
eventually turned their engineering/technician licensing program
over to industry groups. A general trend towards
``privatization'' of many government functions developed.
In 1981 legislation was enacted to legally allow the public to
voluntarily assist the government. The Novice examination, which
had been administered by volunteers for decades, had been
determined to be illegal since federal rules forbid volunteer
help from the public. As a tax saving measure, Senator Barry
Goldwater introduced legislation that laid the groundwork for all
testing of amateur radio operators to be conducted by volunteers.
Public Law 97.259, signed by President Reagan on September 13,
1982, carried Goldwater's amendment authorizing legal volunteer
amateur radio operator test preparation and administration. The
United States became the first nation to authorize amateur radio
operators to verify their own qualifications. Previously the FCC
had developed and administered all amateur radio operator code
and theory examinations. Now the entire program would be carried
on by the amateur community.
During 1983 the FCC developed the guidelines for its
Technician and higher class amateur self-testing system. The
Novice testing program was basically already in place. Prior to
1984, the examination questions on FCC administered amateur radio
operator tests were supposedly known only to FCC personnel. Word
had a way of getting around, however. At least one amateur made a
career of researching and publishing the exact questions and
answers to all amateur radio operator examinations. At any given
time, there were only one or two test versions for each license
level. Amateur radio operator test questions and answers were
pretty well available to anyone that wanted to purchase them. It
didn't take much effort to memorize enough material to pass any
of the exams.
The FCC decided to try a different system. With help from the
amateur community, the government developed and then released to
the public all possible verbatim questions that could be asked of
amateur operators. The FCC came up with ten times as many
questions as would be needed in any one amateur radio operator
examination. These lists, known as question pools, were released
to the public in the form of PR (for Private Radio) 1035
Bulletins. PR-1035A contained the Novice questions, PR-1035B
covered the Technician class and so on.
Once the question pools were in place, the FCC began a search
for a testing system administrator who would recruit examiners
and further develop a program to test amateur radio operator
applicants. The Commission also said that 1984 would be the last
year that they would examine amateur radio operators. Initially,
most observers thought that the American Radio Relay League
(ARRL) would be the sole amateur testing administrator.
The League still had not accepted the position, however, six
months later. It began to appear that amateur testing
opportunities might be very limited or even non-existent in the
future. When it became apparent that the ARRL was undecided and
apprehensive about agreeing to handle amateur radio operator
testing on a national basis, the FCC elected to go with smaller
regional groups. They called these administrators Volunteer
Examiner Coordinators (VECs).
The primary duty of a VEC is to select examiners and provide
them with examination materials and testing guidelines. It was
obvious that Goldwater envisioned that all amateur radio
examinations would be handled similar to the Novice program by
individual amateurs that would certify the qualifications of
others. As a safeguard against cheating, however, the FCC elected
to require testing teams rather than a single volunteer examiner
(VE).
Several organizations applied to become a VEC all on a
regional basis. Our program was the first to apply to become a
National Volunteer Examiner Coordinator. We set up a program
which shifted many expenses to the volunteer examiners. Amateurs,
interested in helping the service grow, had always volunteered
their services to conduct Novice examinations. We figured they
would come through for all other license classes as well. We were
right! Once a provision was made for reimbursement of testing
expenses, the ARRL also applied to become a VEC in all regions. A
current listing of VECs for each region can be found in Table 3.
The early days of volunteer testing saw different answers to
examination questions. The FCC released the questions but not the
answers. It was left to the individual VECs to develop the
answers and different VECs had different answers to the same
questions! We solved the answer problem by filing a FOIA (Freedom
of Information Act) request for the answers that the FCC had in
their possession. Once received, we circulated them to other VECs
and license preparation publishers. It was our first attempt at
standardizing the answers. Once the ARRL became a VEC, their
answers to the examination emerged as the de facto standard which
most (but not all) VECs adopted and provided their volunteer
examiners. At least one VEC used true/false answer formats to the
written examinations.
VECs Agree to Standardize
The first VEC Conference was held at the FCC's licensing
facility in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. While the main objective of
the conference was to observe the license issuance function, most
VECs wanted to work towards further standardization of amateur
testing. The VEC Conference in 1986 was held at the FCC in
Washington, DC. Progress and cooperation among all VECs has now
resulted in every VEC adopting the same answer format to
examination questions. The rules now require that VECs agree on a
single common question pool. At one point, different question
pools among the VECs were envisioned by the FCC. Thus an
applicant can now be assured that no matter where amateur radio
operator examinations are held, the questions and answers will be
the same.
The Extra Class written examination changed to a new updated
version on November 1, 1988. The VEC Question Pool Committee is
currently considering newly submitted questions to the Element 2
(Novice) and 3A (Technician) examinations which will be revised
and implemented on November 1, 1989. Barring changes in the rules
and regulations that directly affect a particular question, there
will be no other changes to the question pools until 1990.
All commercially published license preparation study guides
support the same testing material. You can be assured that any
current study material will be appropriate for any exam from any
VEC. If you are going for the Extra, keep in mind the cut-over
date for the new exams this fall. Selecting study material and
aids should be based on personal preference. Selecting a testing
session to attend should will probably be based on convenience.
Amateur testing has never been more convenient.
Call Signs
Amateur radio call signs are of supreme importance to a ham
operator. It becomes their name on the air-=frequently for life.
Hams know each other by call sign and often never know the last
name of those they may communicate with on a daily basis.
Amateur radio stations are issued their own station call signs
primarily as an aid to enforcement of the radio rules. With a few
exceptions, transmitting stations throughout the world are
required to identify themselves at established intervals when
they are in operation. By international agreement, the prefix
letters of a station's call sign indicates the country from which
the call sign was issued. On the DX airwaves, hams can readily
identify the origin of the signal they hear by the call sign
prefix.
The amateur radio prefixes allocated to the United States are
AA through AL, K, N and W, each followed by one numeral. With the
exception of the AA-AL block, the prefix can be a single letter
(K, N or W) followed by a digit, or it can consist of two letters
and a digit. Occasionally, special prefixes have been authorized
that deviate from these formats. The number indicates the
geographic area for the bona fide mailing address at the time the
call sign was first issued. See Table 4 for details.
The suffix consists of up to three letters which are issued by
the government in strict sequential order. Not only does the FCC
issue amateur call signs in keeping with international law and
geographic considerations but also according to license class.
All newly issued call signs are assigned according to operator
class. The prefix letter combinations are referred to as "prefix
blocks." When all suffix letters within a call sign area have
been assigned for any given prefix block, the FCC issues call
signs from the next lower block. Table 5 contains a listing of
the prefix blocks assigned to each license class.
Call sign letter combinations and the format from within a
call sign group are always selected by the FCC. Issuance of ham
radio call signs is governed by Section 97.51 of the Amateur
Radio Service regulations. Basically two guidelines apply: first,
call signs must be assigned systematically, and, second, the FCC
will not grant a request for a specific call sign.
The Commission has not issued a specific call sign of an
amateur's choosing in over ten years. The FCC is, however,
working on a system where private groups may do just that. A
Special Call Sign Coordinator (SCSC) may be able to issue you
another (called a "secondary") call sign of your choice. The
primary call sign will still be issued by the FCC's licensing
facility in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. In fact, the new system may
be approved by the time you read this.
Once the initial primary call sign is assigned by the FCC, a
call sign will not be changed unless the licensee specifically
requests and is eligible for a change. The licensee always has
the option to keep the current call sign upon license renewal,
upgrade, change of station location, change of mailing address or
change of name. To request a call sign change, an amateur merely
checks the "Change Call Sign" box on application form FCC Form
610.
Licensees (including Novice) who change their mailing address
to a different call sign area must make a choice of whether they
want to keep their present call sign or apply for a call sign
applicable to their new geographic area. If your amateur radio
license lapses, you may retain your same call sign if reactivated
within a two year "grace" period otherwise you must accept a new
call sign appropriate for your license class and mailing address.
The FCC issues a monthly list of call signs issued so amateurs
will have some idea of the call sign they will receive. Table No.
6 is the list that was issued by the FCC on June 1, 1988.
Summary
Joining the fun on the ham bands is as simple as passing a
test and purchasing some modest equipment-=or not so modest if
your budget permits. Passing the test is a lot easier than you
may have supposed.
First, you are going to have to master the Morse code to one
degree or another. It is the law. When approached properly
(aurally), learning the code is far easier than most people
think. You should be able to learn enough to pass the Novice 5-
WPM test in a couple of weeks. Daily practice and the proper
mental attitude can boost that speed to the 20-WPM level in a
matter of a few months.
You will also be tested on theory and regulations. Although
there is a technical aspect to this hobby, you do not need a
strong technical background to pass these exams. The exact
questions and answers are available from a number of sources in
several different formats. You can simply memorize the answers to
the questions that you do not understand. Regardless of your
background, the real education comes after you get your license
and get on the air.
As a result of the new VEC/VE system of testing, it has never
been easier or more convenient to find a testing session. In most
metropolitan areas, tests are conducted regularly, perhaps once a
month or more often. Most of these sessions are on weekends or in
the evenings, which is convenient for people who work regular
business hours or attend school.
When you take an exam, you will get credit for any portion of
it that you pass. The credit is good for a year. You can retake
exams as often as you like until you pass. All it takes is a
little effort and persistence.
Once you have your license and call sign, you can get on the
air anytime you like. You'll make new friends, and some of them
may be well known celebrities. Take a look at the Callbook. That
KA6 with the familiar sounding voice that you worked this
morning. His name is strangely similar to the reclusive movie
star who . . .
Table I
WRITTEN EXAMINATION TOPICS
Topic Sub-element
Letter Description
A FCC Rules for the Amateur Radio Service
B Amateur station operating procedures
C Radio wave propagation characteristics of amateur frequency bands
D Amateur radio practices
E Electrical principles as applied to amateur station equipment
F Amateur station equipment circuit components
G Practical circuits employed in amateur station equipment
H Signals and emissions transmitted by amateur stations
I Amateur station feedlines and antennas
Table II
Element 2 Element3A Element3B Element4A Element4B
Novice Tech General Advanced Extra
Topic in to in to in to in to in to
Letter pool select pool select pool select pool select pool sel.
A 95 9 58 5 46 4 66 6 117 8
B 2 3834 2 38 3 35 3 10 1 214
C 17 2 30 3 30 3 20 2 12 2
D 21 4 41 4 50 5 40 4 27 4
E 33 3 35 2 41 2 100 10 65 6
F 10 2 18 2 11 1 60 6 36 5
G 17 2 11 2 10 1 100 10 69 4
H 26 2 21 2 22 2 63 6 44 4
I 28 3 36 3 41 4 48 5 50 4
TOTAL 302 30 288 25 286 25 507 50 441 40
NXT REV 11/1/89 11/1/89 11/1/90 11/1/90 11/1/91
Table indicates the actual makeup of each of the five examinations. The number
of pool questions in each sub-element is indicated along with number to be
selected for the actual examination. The Novice examination contains 30
questions, Technician and General: 25 questions, Advanced: 50 questions and
Extra Class: 40 questions
Table IV
Numeral in Call Sign Determined by Bona Fide Mailing Address
Call District Area (Contiguous 48 States)
1 Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island,
Connecticut
2 New York, New Jersey
3 Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia
4 Virginia, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama,
Tennessee, Kentucky
5 Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico
6 California
7 Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, ARizona, Nevada, Utah
8 Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia
9 Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana
0 Colorado, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa,
Missouri
U.S. Island Possessions Outside the Continental United States
receive the following call sign locators.
1 Baker, Canton, Enderbury, Howland, Navassa Islands
2 Guam
3 Johnston Island, Rancador Key, Quita Sueno Bank, Serrana Bank,
Serranilla Bank
4 Midway Island, Puerto Rico
5 Kingman Reef, Palmyra, Jarvis Island
6 Hawaii
7 Alaska, Kure Island
8 American Samoa
9 Wake, Wilkes, Peale Islands
Table V
CALL SIGN FORMATS FOR THE VARIOUS AMATEUR LICENSE CLASSES
LICENSE CALL SIGN PREFIX SUFFIX
CLASS GROUPING BLOCKS LETTERS
Novice Group D KA-KZ, NA-NZ, WA-WZ 3 letters
Tech Group C K, N, W 3 letters
General Group C K, N, W 3 letters
Advanced Group B KA-KZ, NA-NZ, WA-WZ 2 letters
Extra Group A K, N, W 2 letters
Group A AA-AK, KA-KZ, NA-NZ, WA-WZ 1 letter
Group A AA-AK 2 letters
Note: Prefixes AH, AL, KH, KL, KP, NH, NL, NP, WH, WL, WP are reserved for
amateurs with mailing addresses outside of the 48 contiguous United States. WC,
WK, WM, WR and WT call sign prefixes are reserved for RACES (Radio Amateur Civil
Emergency Service), Clubs, Military recreation, repeaters and Temporary licenses
but their issuance has never been implemented.
- - - - -
Table III
Volunteer Examiner Coordinators With Amateur Radio Operator Testing Programs by
Call District
NATIONAL VEC's
W5YI-VEC
P.O. Box 565101
Dallas, TExas 75356-5101
Tel: Days (817) 548-9594 (10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. CDT)
Evenings/Weekends: (817) 461-6443
DeVry Amateur Radio Society-VEC
330 N. Campbell Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60618
Tel: (800) 327-2444 (Outside Illinois)
(312) 929-8500 (Illinois only)
American Radio Relay League-VEC
225 Main Street
Newington, Connecticut 06111
Tel: (203) 66-1541
VECS, Call Sign Region 1
Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
National VECs only
VECs, CALL SIGN REGION 2
New Jersey, New York
National VECs, only
VECs, CALL SIGN REGION 3
Delaware, District of Columbia, Pennsylvania
National VECs, plus:
Laurel Amateur Radio Club, Inc.
P.O. Box #3039
Laurel, Maryland 20708
Tel: (301) 953-1065
Mountain Amateur Radio Club
P.O. Box #234
Cumberland, Maryland 21502
Tel: (304) 289-3576
VECs, CALL SIGN REGION 4
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee
National VECs, plus:
Central Alabama VEC, Inc.
606 Tremont Street
Selma, Alabama 36701
Tel: (205) 872-1166
Charolotte VEC
227 Bennett Lane
Charolotte, North Carolina 28213
Tel: (704) 596-2168
Triad Emergency Radio Club-VEC
3504 Stonehurst Place
High Point, North Carolina 27260
Tel: (919) 869-6637
Western Carolina Amateur Radio Society-VEC
5833 Clinton Highway, Suite #203
Knoxville, Tennessee 37912
Tel: (615) 688-7771
VECs, CALL SIGN REGION 5
Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
National VECs, plus:
Jefferson Amateur Radio Club-VEC
P.O. Box #73665
Metairie, Louisiana 70033
VECs, CALL SIGN REGION 6
California
National VECs, plus:
Golden Empire Amateur RAdio Society-VEC
P.O. Box 508
Chico, California 95927
Greater L.A. Amateur Radio Group-VEC
9737 Noble Avenue
Sepulveda, California 91343
Tel: (818) 892-2068
SANDARC-VEC
P.O. Box #5023
LaMesa, California 92041
Tel: (619) 465-3926
Sunnyvale VEC Amateur Radio Club
P.O. Box #60142
Sunnyvale, California 94088
Tel: (408) 255-9000
VEC's, CALL SIGN REGION 7
Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming
National VECs, plus:
Sunnyvale VEC Amateur Radio Club
P.O. Box #60142
Sunnyvale, California 94088
Tel: (408) 255-9000
VECs, CALL SIGN REGION 8
Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia
National VECs only
VECs, CALL SIGN REGION 9
Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin
National VECs, plus:
Milwaukee Amateur Radio Club, Inc.-VEC
N50 W16328 Pin Oak Court
Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin 53051
VECs, CALL SIGN REGION 10
Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, South
Dakota
National VECs, plus:
PHd Amateur Radio Association, Inc.-VEC
P.O. Box #11
Liberty, Missouri 64068
Tel: (816) 781-7313 (7-9 p.m.)
VEC's, VEC REGION NO. 11
Alaska
National VEC's, plus:
Anchorage Amateur Radio Club-VEC
2628 Turnagain Parkway
Anchorage, Alaska 99517
Tel: (907) 243-2221
(907) 344-5401
Sunnyvale VEC Amateur Radio Club-VEC
P.O. Box #60142
Sunnyvale, California 94088
Tel: (408) 255-9000
VEC's, VEC REGION NO. 12
Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands
National VEC's only
VEC's, VEC REGION No. 13
Hawaii, South Pacific island possessions
Koolau Amateur Radio Club-VEC
45-529 Nakulual Street
Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744
Sunnyvale VEC Amateur Radio Club
P. O. Box 60142
Sunnyvale, California 94088
Tel: (408) 255-9000
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