• Classes And Exams (M)

    From Daryl Stout@432:1/101 to All on Sat Oct 7 00:04:11 2017
    (CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS MESSAGE)

    U.S. amateur radio callsigns are grouped by license class, starting
    with an A, K, N, or W...in the format of 1 or 2 letters, followed by
    a digit from 0 through 9...depending on the callsign district they
    were living in when they first got their license...followed by 1, 2,
    or 3 letters.

    Callsigns from Alaska begin with KL7, callsigns from Hawaii begin
    with KH6, callsigns from Puerto Rico begin with KP4, and callsigns from
    the U.S. Virgin Islands begin with KP2. If the amateur radio licensee
    from these areas is an Amateur Extra Class licensee, the first letter
    is likely an "A" instead of a "K".

    Callsigns for other U.S. territories may be a bit different per the
    license classes, noted below.

    Minimum License Class: Callsign Group: Callsign Examples:

    Novice 2 by 3 WA1BCD, KE2FGH
    Technician or General 1 by 3 K5IJK, N3LMN, W5OPQ
    Advanced 2 by 2 KA6RS, KK7TU
    Amateur Extra 1 by 2 or 2 by 1 K8VW, N9WX, W0YZ

    Since some of the sequential callsign groups have had all of the
    regular callsigns issued, the issued sequential calls fall to the
    lower license class. With a vanity callsign, you can apply for a
    callsign in this group, if you're of the appropriate license class.
    Callsigns that have been expired more than 2 years are returned to
    the "unused callsign pool", and they can be requested as a vanity
    callsign.

    The higher amateur radio license that you have, the more choices you
    have for a vanity callsign (i.e. Amateur Extra Class licensees can pick
    from any group...while General Class licensees are limited to either
    the 2 by 3 or 1 by 3 callsign group).

    Amateur Extra Calls usually begin with an A, but can also begin with
    either a K, an N, or a W. Advanced callsigns usually begin with a K,
    but they can also begin with an N or a W. Technician or General callsigns usually begin with an K, N, or a W...and Novice callsigns usually begin
    with either a K or a W.

    However, a callsign is NOT ALWAYS indicative of a ham radio operators
    actual license class. My first callsign, N5VLZ, issued in August, 1991,
    was one of the last "1 by 3" callsigns issued for Arkansas. I held that
    for 18 years, when I changed to the AE5WX callsign in June, 2009. Then,
    in December, 2012, I changed to the WX1DER callsign...which reflects the
    domain of my personal homepage, and of the BBS. Besides, I know several
    Amateur Extra Class ham radio operators who still have their Novice
    class callsign format.

    If you are already a licensed ham radio operator, and one of your
    family members, who was also a ham radio operator (parent, grandparent, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, etc.), dies (becomes a Silent Key), you
    may provide proof of their death (such as a death certificate) to the
    FCC, along with a vanity callsign application, and request that callsign anytime within 2 years after that ham radio operators death. After that
    2 year period, anyone can apply for it.

    You must hold the appropriate license class to request that vanity
    callsign. In other words, if the callsign of a deceased relative was
    from the Amateur Extra Class group, you will have to become an Amateur
    Extra Class licensee in order to request it.

    Note that once you receive your new callsign...either from the
    sequential or vanity callsign system...your old callsign is no
    longer valid. However, as long as your license is not expired, you
    keep the privileges you had before, but you're now using the new
    callsign.

    A list of the latest callsigns issued can be found in the ham
    radio bulletins door on The Thunderbolt BBS. The list is obtained
    from HamData.Com -- which gets its data from the FCC database.


    ---
    þ Synchronet þ The Thunderbolt BBS - wx1der.dyndns.org
    * Origin: Freeway BBS - freeway.apana.org.au (432:1/101)
  • From Daryl Stout@432:1/112 to All on Tue Sep 13 00:05:50 2022
    (CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS MESSAGE)

    Government Shutdowns And Licenses
    =================================

    Unfortunately, at times, a budgetary impasse within Congress, or if
    the President does not sign a budget into law (either via a Continuing Resolution (CR)), or a full budget prior to the government fiscal year
    that starts October 1, portions of the U.S. government "shut down".
    Work considered essential to the protection of life and property
    continues, but "non-essential" departments are shuttered, and their
    workers are sent home. Those who still work (such as with the TSA at
    airports, and the U.S. Coast Guard) do so without pay. Except for the government contractors, all will receive back pay when the government
    shutdown ends, and the agencies reopen.

    One of the agencies affected by the shutdown is the FCC. During this
    time, they will NOT process any applications for new, renewal, or
    upgraded amateur radio licenses, callsign changes, etc. The VE Teams
    can send the results to their particular VEC, but the VEC can't key
    the data to the FCC until the shutdown ends.

    Now, if ones license enters the 90 day window prior to expiration,
    they can file the renewal, and continue to operate, even if their
    license expires during the shutdown. However, if they wait until the
    shutdown ends to file the renewal, it'll have to get to the FCC within
    two (2) days, or the license will be expired. Once a license expires,
    the amateur radio operator is QRT (off the air). And, as noted above,
    if the license lapses (expires more than 2 years), they have to start
    all over, by passing the Technician Class exam, and getting a new ham
    radio callsign.

    (CONTINUED NEXT MESSAGE)
    --- SBBSecho 3.15-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (432:1/112)
  • From Daryl Stout@432:1/112 to All on Tue Dec 13 00:04:35 2022
    (CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS MESSAGE)

    Government Shutdowns And Licenses
    =================================

    Unfortunately, at times, a budgetary impasse within Congress, or if
    the President does not sign a budget into law (either via a Continuing Resolution (CR)), or a full budget prior to the government fiscal year
    that starts October 1, portions of the U.S. government "shut down".
    Work considered essential to the protection of life and property
    continues, but "non-essential" departments are shuttered, and their
    workers are sent home. Those who still work (such as with the TSA at
    airports, and the U.S. Coast Guard) do so without pay. Except for the government contractors, all will receive back pay when the government
    shutdown ends, and the agencies reopen.

    One of the agencies affected by the shutdown is the FCC. During this
    time, they will NOT process any applications for new, renewal, or
    upgraded amateur radio licenses, callsign changes, etc. The VE Teams
    can send the results to their particular VEC, but the VEC can't key
    the data to the FCC until the shutdown ends.

    Now, if ones license enters the 90 day window prior to expiration,
    they can file the renewal, and continue to operate, even if their
    license expires during the shutdown. However, if they wait until the
    shutdown ends to file the renewal, it'll have to get to the FCC within
    two (2) days, or the license will be expired. Once a license expires,
    the amateur radio operator is QRT (off the air). And, as noted above,
    if the license lapses (expires more than 2 years), they have to start
    all over, by passing the Technician Class exam, and getting a new ham
    radio callsign.

    (CONTINUED NEXT MESSAGE)
    --- SBBSecho 3.15-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (432:1/112)
  • From Daryl Stout@432:1/112 to All on Tue Dec 27 03:10:59 2022
    (CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS MESSAGE)

    License Terms
    =============

    Ham Radio licenses are good for ten (10) years, and they may be renewed ninety (90) days prior to expiration...NO SOONER. However, if you have a
    change of address due to a move, you may MODIFY your license in that
    regard AT ANY TIME. If the FCC is unable to deliver mail to you, your
    ham radio license, and operating privileges can be suspended and/or
    revoked until your address is corrected. Operation without a license
    can result in a stiff monetary forfeiture (a fine) and imprisonment,
    plus confiscation of your ham radio equipment...fines range from $7500
    to $10,000, if not more. There is NO CHARGE for changing the address on
    an amateur radio license...otherwise, any callsign or other changes now
    cost you $35 per transacation, as of April 19, 2022.

    However, if you did not renew, you may NOT operate on an EXPIRED ham
    radio license...whether it's during a government shutdown, or not. But,
    you have a two (2) year "grace period" if your ham radio license has
    expired, to reinstate your license. This "holds" your license class
    privileges and callsign, until your license is renewed. As noted above,
    the FCC will NOT process the renewal of an expired license during a
    government shutdown...only after it ends.

    But, if you do not renew your license before it expires, and do nothing during the 2 year grace period, both your license and callsign will be FORFEITED. At that point, you have NO AUTHORITY to operate on the ham
    radio bands, and it'll be as if you had NEVER taken a test!!

    To get back on the air with the previous license class that you held,
    you MUST take, AT MINIMUM, the Technician Class license, in order to get
    back into amateur radio.

    However, once an expired ham radio callsign passes the 2 year grace
    period, anyone can apply for it under the Vanity Callsign system. So,
    if you LOSE your current callsign, there is a chance that you may NOT
    get it back!!

    Also, if you upgrade your license to General or Amateur Extra, only the license class will change...the license expiration date will remain the
    same. Only new licensees, or those receiving a Vanity Callsign, get a
    fresh 10 year term...whether Technician, General, or Amateur Extra. I've
    known hams who walked into a test session without a license, and walked
    out with an Amateur Extra Class license...while not easy to do, it can be
    done.

    (CONTINUED NEXT MESSAGE)
    --- SBBSecho 3.15-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (432:1/112)
  • From Daryl Stout@432:1/112 to All on Mon Mar 13 00:05:14 2023
    (CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS MESSAGE)

    License Terms
    =============

    Ham Radio licenses are good for ten (10) years, and they may be renewed ninety (90) days prior to expiration...NO SOONER. However, if you have a
    change of address due to a move, you may MODIFY your license in that
    regard AT ANY TIME. If the FCC is unable to deliver mail to you, your
    ham radio license, and operating privileges can be suspended and/or
    revoked until your address is corrected. Operation without a license
    can result in a stiff monetary forfeiture (a fine) and imprisonment,
    plus confiscation of your ham radio equipment...fines range from $7500
    to $10,000, if not more. There is NO CHARGE for changing the address on
    an amateur radio license...otherwise, any callsign or other changes now
    cost you $35 per transacation, as of April 19, 2022.

    However, if you did not renew, you may NOT operate on an EXPIRED ham
    radio license...whether it's during a government shutdown, or not. But,
    you have a two (2) year "grace period" if your ham radio license has
    expired, to reinstate your license. This "holds" your license class
    privileges and callsign, until your license is renewed. As noted above,
    the FCC will NOT process the renewal of an expired license during a
    government shutdown...only after it ends.

    But, if you do not renew your license before it expires, and do nothing during the 2 year grace period, both your license and callsign will be FORFEITED. At that point, you have NO AUTHORITY to operate on the ham
    radio bands, and it'll be as if you had NEVER taken a test!!

    To get back on the air with the previous license class that you held,
    you MUST take, AT MINIMUM, the Technician Class license, in order to get
    back into amateur radio.

    However, once an expired ham radio callsign passes the 2 year grace
    period, anyone can apply for it under the Vanity Callsign system. So,
    if you LOSE your current callsign, there is a chance that you may NOT
    get it back!!

    Also, if you upgrade your license to General or Amateur Extra, only the license class will change...the license expiration date will remain the
    same. Only new licensees, or those receiving a Vanity Callsign, get a
    fresh 10 year term...whether Technician, General, or Amateur Extra. I've
    known hams who walked into a test session without a license, and walked
    out with an Amateur Extra Class license...while not easy to do, it can be
    done.

    (CONTINUED NEXT MESSAGE)
    --- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (432:1/112)