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Subpart F - Qualifying Examination Systems
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Subpart F -- Qualifying Examination Systems
S 97.501 Qualifying for an amateur operator license.
An applicant must successfully pass an examination for the
issuance of a new amateur operator license and for each change in
operator class. Each applicant for the class of operator license
specified below must pass, or otherwise receive examination
credit for, the following examination elements:
(a) Amateur Extra Class operator: Elements 1(C), 2, 3(A),
3(B), 4(A), and 4(B);
(b) Advanced Class operator: Elements 1(B) or 1(C), 2, 3(A),
3(B), and 4(A);
© General Class operator: Elements 1(B) or 1(C), 2, 3(A),
and 3(B);
(d) Technician Class operator: Elements 1(A) or 1(B) or
1(C), 2, and 3(A);
(e) Novice Class operator: Elements 1(A) or 1(B) or 1(C),
and 2.
S 97.503 Element standards.
(a) A telegraphy examination must be sufficient to prove
that the examinee has the ability to send correctly by hand and
to receive correctly by ear texts in the international Morse code
at not less than the prescribed speed, using all the letters of
the alphabet, numerals 0-9, period, comma, question mark, slant
mark and prosigns ar, bt and sk.
(1) Element 1(A): 5 words per minute;
(2) Element 1(B): 13 words per minute;
(3) Element 1(C): 20 words per minute.
(b) A written examination must be such as to prove that the
examinee possesses the operational and technical qualifications
required to perform properly the duties of an amateur service
licensee. Each written examination must be comprised of a
question set as follows:
(1) Element 2: 30 questions concerning the privileges of a
Novice Class operator license. The minimum passing score is 22
questions answered correctly.
(2) Element 3(A): 25 questions concerning the additional
privileges of a Technician Class operator license. The minimum
passing score is 19 questions answered correctly.
(3) Element 3(B): 25 questions concerning the additional
privileges of a General Class operator license. The minimum
passing score is 19 questions answered correctly.
(4) Element 4(A): 50 questions concerning the additional
privileges of an Advanced Class operator license. The minimum
passing score is 37 questions answered correctly.
(5) Element 4(B): 40 questions concerning the additional
privileges of an Amateur Extra Class operator license. The
minimum passing score is 30 questions answered correctly.
© The topics and number of questions required in each
question set are listed below for the appropriate examination
element:
Topics Element: 2 3(A) 3(B) 4(A) 4(B)
(1) FCC rules for the
amateur radio services 10 5 4 6 8
(2) Amateur station operating
procedures 2 3 3 1 4
(3) Radio wave propagation
characteristics of amateur service
frequency bands 1 3 3 2 2
(4) Amateur radio practices 4 4 5 4 4
(5) Electrical principles as applied
to amateur station equipment 4 2 2 10 6
(6) Amateur station equipment
circuit components 2 2 1 6 4
(7) Practical circuits employed
in amateur station equipment 2 1 1 10 4
(8) Signals and emissions
transmitted by amateur stations 2 2 2 6 4
(9) Amateur station antennas
and feed lines 3 3 4 5 4
S 97.505 Element credit.
(a) The administering VEs must give credit as specified
below to an examinee holding any of the following documents:
(1) An unexpired (or within the grace period) 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).
(2) A CSCE: Each element the CSCE indicates the examinee
passed within the previous 365 days.
(3) A photocopy of a FCC Form 610 which was submitted to the
FCC indicating the examinee qualified for a Novice Class operator
license within the previous 365 days: Elements 1(A) and 2.
(4) An unexpired (or expired less than 5 years) FCC-issued
commercial radiotelegraph operator license or permit: Element
1(C).
(b) No examination credit, except as herein provided, shall
be allowed on the basis of holding or having held any other
license.
S 97.508 Preparing an examination.
(a) Each telegraphy message and each written question set
administered to an examinee must be prepared by a VE holding an
FCC-issued Amateur Extra Class operator license. A telegraphy
message or written question set, however, may also be prepared
for the following elements by a VE holding an FCC-issued operator
license of the Class indicated:
(1) Element 3(B): Advanced Class operator.
(2) Elements 1(A) and 3(A): Advanced or General Class
operator.
(3) Element 2: Advanced, General or Technician Class
operator.
(b) Each question set administered to an examinee must
utilize questions taken from the applicable question pool.
© Each telegraphy message and each written question set
administered to an examinee for a Technician, General, Advanced,
or Amateur Extra Class operator license must be prepared, or
obtained from a supplier, by the administering VEs according to
instructions from the coordinating VEC.
(d) The preparation of each telegraphy message and each
written question set administered to an examinee for a Novice
Class operator license is the responsibility of the administering
VEs. The telegraphy message and written question set may be
obtained by the administering VEs from a supplier.
(e) A telegraphy examination must consist of a message sent
in the international Morse code at no less than the prescribed
speed for a minimum of 5 minutes. The message must contain each
required telegraphy character at least once. No message known to
the examinee may be administered in a telegraphy examination.
Each 5 letters of the alphabet must be counted as 1 word. Each
numeral, punctuation mark and prosign must be counted as 2
letters of the alphabet.
S 97.509 Administering an examination.
(a) Each examination for an amateur operator license must be
administered at a location and a time specified by the
administering VEs. Each administering VE must be present and
observe the examinee throughout the entire examination. The
administering VEs are responsible for the proper conduct and
necessary supervision of each examination. The administering VEs
must immediately terminate the examination upon failure of the
examinee to comply with their instructions.
(b) Each examinee must comply with the instructions given by
the administering VEs.
© No examination that has been compromised shall be
administered to any examinee. Neither the same telegraphy message
nor the same question set may be readministered to the same
examinee.
(d) Passing a telegraphy receiving examination is adequate
proof of an examinee's ability to both send and receive
telegraphy. The administering VEs, however, may also include a
sending segment in a telegraphy examination.
(e) Upon completion of each examination element, the
administering VEs must immediately grade the examinee's answers.
The administering VEs are responsible for determining the
correctness of the examinee's answers.
(f) When the examinee is credited for all examination
elements required for the operator license sought, the
administering VEs must certify on the examinee's application form
that the applicant is qualified for the license and report the
basis for the qualification.
(g) When the examinee does not score a passing grade on an
examination element, the administering VEs must return the
application form to the examinee and inform the examinee of the
grade.
(h) The administering VEs must accommodate an examinee whose
physical disabilities require a special examination procedure.
The administering VEs may require a physician's certification
indicating the nature of the disability before determining which,
if any, special procedures must be used.
(i) The FCC may:
(a) Administer any examination element itself;
(2) Readminister any examination element previously
administered by VEs, either itself or under the supervision of
VEs designated by the FCC; or
(3) Cancel the operator and station licenses of any licensee
who fails to appear for readministration of an examination when
directed by the FCC, or who does not successfully complete any
required element which is readministered. In an instance of such
cancellation, the person will be issued operator and station
licenses consistent with completed examination elements that have
not been invalidated by not appearing for, or by failing, the
examination upon readministration.
S 97.511 Technician, General, Advanced and Amateur Extra
Class operator license examination.
(a) Each session where an examination for a Technician,
General, Advanced or Amateur Extra Class operator license is
administered must be coordinated by a VEC. Each administering VE
must be accredited by the coordinating VEC.
(b) Each examination for a Technician Class operator license
must be administered by 3 administering VEs, each of whom must
hold an FCC-issued Amateur Extra or Advanced Class operator
license.
© Each examination for a General, Advanced or Amateur
Extra Class operator license must be administered by 3
administering VEs, each of whom must hold an FCC-issued Amateur
Extra Class operator license.
(d) The administering VEs must make a public announcement
before administering an examination for Technician, General,
Advanced or Amateur Extra Class operator license. The number of
candidates at any examination may be limited.
(e) The administering VEs must issue a CSCE to an examinee
who scores a passing grade on an examination element.
(f) Within 10 days of the administration of a successful
examination for the Technician, General, Advanced or Amateur
Extra Class operator license, the administering VEs must submit
the application to the coordinating VEC.
S 97.513 Novice Class operator license examination.
(a) Each examination for a Novice Class operator license
must be administered by 2 VEs. The VEs do not have to be
accredited by a VEC. Each administering VE must hold a current
FCC-issued Amateur Extra, Advanced or General Class operator
license.
(b) Within 10 days of the administration of a successful
examination for a Novice Class operator license, the
administering VEs must submit the application to: FCC, P.O. Box
1020, Gettysburg, PA 17326.
S 97.515 Volunteer examiner requirements.
(a) Each administering VE must be at least 18 years of age.
(b) Any person who owns a significant interest in, or is an
employee of, any company or other entity that is engaged in the
manufacture or distribution of equipment used in connection with
amateur station transmissions, or in the preparation or
distribution of any publication used in preparation for obtaining
amateur licenses, is ineligible to be an administering VE. An
employee who does not normally communicate with that part of an
entity engaged in the manufacture or distribution of such
equipment, or in the preparation or distribution of any
publication used in preparation for obtaining amateur operator
licenses, is eligible to be an administering VE.
© No person may be a VE if that person's amateur station
license or amateur operator license has ever been revoked or
suspended.
(d) No VE may administer an examination to that VE's spouse,
children, grandchildren, stepchildren, parents, grandparents,
stepparents, brothers, sisters, stepbrothers, stepsisters, aunts,
uncles, nieces, nephews, and in-laws.
S 97.517 Volunteer examiner conduct.
No VE may administer or certify any examination by
fraudulent means or for monetary or other consideration including
reimbursement in any amount in excess of that permitted.
Violation of this provision may result in the revocation of the
VE's amateur station license and the suspension of the VE's
amateur operator license.
S 97.519 Coordinating examination sessions.
(a) A VEC must coordinate the efforts of VEs in preparing
and administering examinations.
(b) At the completion of each examination session
coordinated, the coordinating VEC must collect the applications
and test results from the administering VEs. The coordinating VEC
must screen and forward all applications for qualified examinees
within 10 days of their receipt from the administering VEs to:
FCC, P.O. Box 1020, Gettysburg, PA 17326.
© Each VEC must make any examination records available to
the FCC, upon request.
S 97.521 VEC qualifications.
No organization may serve as a VEC unless it has entered
into a written agreement with the FCC. The VEC must abide by the
terms of the agreement. In order to be eligible to be a VEC, the
entity must:
(a) Be an organization that exists for the purpose of
furthering the amateur service;
(b) Be capable of serving as a VEC in at least the VEC
region (see Appendix 2) proposed;
© Agree to coordinate examinations for Technician,
General, Advanced, and Amateur Extra Class operator licenses;
(d) Agree to assure that, for any examination, every
examinee qualified under these rules is registered without regard
to race, sex, religion, national origin or membership (or lack
thereof) in any amateur service organization;
(e) Not be engaged in the manufacture or distribution of
equipment used in connection with amateur station transmissions,
or in the preparation or distribution of any publication used in
preparation for obtaining amateur licenses, unless a persuasive
showing is made to the FCC that preventive measures have been
taken to preclude any possible conflict of interest.
S 97.523 Question pools.
All VECs must cooperate in maintaining one question pool for
each written examination element. Each question pool must contain
at least 10 times the number of questions required for a single
examination. Each question pool must be published and made
available to the public prior to its use for making a question
set. Each question on each VEC question pool must be prepared by
a VE holding the required FCC-issued operator license, See
S97.507(a) of this Part.
S 97.525 Accrediting VEs.
(a) No VEC may accredit a person as a VE if:
(a) The person does not meet minimum VE statutory
qualifications or minimum qualifications as prescribed by this
Part;
(2) The FCC does not accept the voluntary and uncompensated
services of the person;
(3) The VEC determines that the person is not competent to
perform the VE functions; or
(4) The VEC determines that questions of the person's
integrity or honesty could compromise the examinations.
(b) Each VEC must seek a broad representation of amateur
operators to be VEs. No VEC may discriminate in accrediting VEs
on the basis of race, sex, religion or national origin; nor on
the basis of membership (or lack thereof) in an amateur service
organization; nor on the basis of the person accepting or
declining to accept reimbursement.
S 97.527 Reimbursement for expenses.
(a) VEs and VECs may be reimbursed by examinees for out-of-
pocket expenses incurred in preparing, processing, administering,
or coordinating an examination for a Technician, general,
Advanced, or Amateur Extra operator license.
(b) The maximum amount of reimbursement from any one
examinee for any one examination at a particular session
regardless of the number of examination elements taken must not
exceed that announced by the FCC in a Public Notice. (The basis
for the maximum fee is $4.00 for 1984, adjusted annually each
January 1 thereafter for changes in the Department of Labor
Consumer Price Index.)
© No reimbursement may be accepted by any VE for
preparing, processing, or administering an examination for a
Novice operator license.
(d) Each VE and each VEC accepting reimbursement must
maintain records of out-of-pocket expenses and reimbursements for
each examination session. Written certifications must be filed
with the FCC each year that all expenses for the period from
January 1 to December 31 of the preceding year for which
reimbursement was obtained were necessarily and prudently
incurred.
(e) The expense and reimbursement records must be retained
by each VE and each VEC for 3 years and be made available to the
FCC upon request.
(f) Each VE must forward the certification by January 15 of
each year to the coordinating VEC for the examinations for which
reimbursement was received. Each VEC must forward all such
certifications and its own certification to the FCC on or before
January 31 of each year.
(g) Each VEC must disaccredit any VE failing to provide the
certification. The VEC must advise the FCC on January 31 of each
year of any VE that it has disaccredited for this reason.
Appendix 1 -- Places where the amateur service is regulated
by the FCC.
In ITU Region 2, the amateur service is regulated by the FCC
within the territorial limits of the 50 United States, District
of Columbia, Caribbean Insular areas [Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, United States Virgin Islands (50 islets and cays) and
Navassa Island], and Johnston Island (Islets East, Johnston,
North and Sand) and Midway Island (Islets Eastern and Sand) in
the Pacific Insular areas.
In ITU Region 3, the amateur service is regulated by the FCC
within the Pacific Insular territorial limits of American Samoa
(seven islands), Baker Island, Commonwealth of Northern Mariannas
Islands, Guam Island, Howland Island, Jarvis Island, Kingman
Reef, Palmyra Island (more than 50 islets) and Wake Island
(Islets Peale, Wake and Wilkes).
Appendix 2 -- VEC Regions.
1. Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode
Island and Vermont.
2. New Jersey and New York.
3. Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland and
Pennsylvania.
4. Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina,
South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.
5. Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oklahoma
and Texas.
6. California.
7. Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington
and Wyoming.
8. Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia.
9. Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.
10. Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska,
North Dakota and South Dakota.
11. Alaska
12. Caribbean Insular areas.
13. Hawaii and Pacific Insular areas.
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