The FCC is considering a petition by the Anchorage Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC) to grant lifetime credit for exam elements passed in earning licenses that subsequently expired and were not renewed during the two-year grace period. According to Newsline, the petition asks that the FCC permit volunteer examiners to give former holders of Technician, General, Advanced, and Extra Class licenses appropriate element credit so that they can obtain new licenses without retaking the examinations. The Anchorage VEC says this is in the public interest because it would result in the immediate expansion of the pool of experienced operators who would be available in times of emergency. Currently, FCC rules permit lifetime credit for Element 3 (the General exam) only to holders of Technician licenses that expired prior to March 21, 1987. The comment period on the petition closed on August 19.
News and information of interest to ham radio operators from CQ Amateur Radio magazine, the world's leading independent ham radio magazine.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
FCC Considers Petition for Lifetime Exam Credit
The FCC is considering a petition by the Anchorage Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC) to grant lifetime credit for exam elements passed in earning licenses that subsequently expired and were not renewed during the two-year grace period. According to Newsline, the petition asks that the FCC permit volunteer examiners to give former holders of Technician, General, Advanced, and Extra Class licenses appropriate element credit so that they can obtain new licenses without retaking the examinations. The Anchorage VEC says this is in the public interest because it would result in the immediate expansion of the pool of experienced operators who would be available in times of emergency. Currently, FCC rules permit lifetime credit for Element 3 (the General exam) only to holders of Technician licenses that expired prior to March 21, 1987. The comment period on the petition closed on August 19.