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);

(c) 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.

(c) 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.

(c) 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.

(c) 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.

(c) 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.

(c) 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.

(c) 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;

(c) 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.)

(c) 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.