From time to time, we are faced with test candidates who may have a set of unusual circumstances that will likely be, or require, some exception to the usual processes involved in obtaining an Amateur Radio license. We will discuss the most common of those special circumstances on this page, as follows:
- answering YES to the Basic Qualification Question on the application form;
- qualifying for a “paper upgrade”;
- possession of an unexpired CSCE;
- having a license that is expired beyond the two-year grace period; and
- having disabilities that preclude traveling to the test site.
Answering YES to the Basic Qualification Question
Occasionally, a test candidate must respond to the so-called Basic Qualification Question with an affirmative answer, indicating that the candidate has a felony record in his/her history. While it is essential that this question be answered honestly, do not look at an affirmative response being an automatically disqualifying response. While the FCC does call this a basic qualification”, each and every case is handled on its own merits. It is recognized that not all felonious actions are created equal and are therefore not all disqualifying when it comes to FCC licensure. The specific nature of the felony and the overall candidate background is considered by the FCC during the review process. As a matter of fact, criminal background checks are routinely run on a certain number of applicants, whether the Basic Qualification Question was answered with a “YES” or a “NO”.
It is true, however, that investigation of a candidate’s admitted criminal history will most likely slow down the application processing period to a noticeable extent. Don’t panic — just provide any additional information that may be requested as promptly as is possible. The fact that the FCC is asking for further information is a good indication that the application was not denied right off the bat. Be honest, be quick to reply, and be patient.
Qualifying for a “paper upgrade”
Under the current FCC regulations, specifically as found at 47 CFR §97.505(a), the GCARC VE Team must give credit as follows for exam candidates holding certain license grants:
| Amateur Operator License Class | Unexpired (or expired but within grace period) | Expired and beyond grace period |
| Amateur Extra | Not Applicable | Elements 3 and 4 |
| Advanced, general, or Technician granted before March 21, 1987 | Elements 2 and 3 | Element 3 |
| Technician Plus or technician granted on or after March 21, 1987 | Element 2 | No Credit |
As described in the table above, candidates who can show evidence of holding or having held licenses of given classes will qualify for credit to be issued for the Elements listed. What this would mean, for example, is that a Technician-class operator with a license granted prior to 21 March 1987 can apply for and be granted a general-class license simply by completing the application and paying any associated VEC processing fee. As a team operating under the auspices of the ARRL VEC, the GCARC VE Team would be required to collect the fifteen-dollar ($15.00) exam fee from such a candidate.
Possession of an unexpired CSCE
Any exam candidate who presents a current (unexpired) Certificate of Successful Completion of Examination (CSCE) must be assigned the appropriate Element credit upon application to an authorized VEC. This is prvided for at 47 CFR §97.505(b). Some conditions do a[pply, however, as follows:
- the CSCE must have been issued by an authorized VEC;
- the CSCE must have been issued within the previous 365 days; and
- the applicable Element credit has not yet been assigned and is not currently under application.
Under these circumstances, the exam candidate must complete and submit an application and pay any associated VEC processing fee. As a team operating under the auspices of the ARRL VEC, the GCARC VE Team would be required to collect the fifteen-dollar ($15.00) exam fee from such a candidate.
Under the current FCC/VEC license application process, the most likely reason for such a CSCE to exist and to be held by an exam candidate would be that the candidate previously failed to pay the thirty=five-dollar ($35.00) FCC license application fee within the requisite ten-calendar-day time frame. Failing to make timely payment would cause the processing of the license application to be suspended pending resubmission to the FCC by an authorized VEC.
Submission of such an unexpired CSCE may be made concurrently with a new CSCE for an exam that has been taken and passed since the issuance of the previous unexpired CSCE. Thus, a candidate who previously passed an Element 2 exam but failed to have the Element credit assigned can submit for assignment of that credit at the same time that an Element 3 exam credit is submitted for credit assignment and license issuance, at which time the candidate would receive a General-class license grant.
Having a license that is expired beyond the two-year grace period
In the unfortunate circumstance where a licensed operator has let his/her Amateur Radio license expire and has failed to renew that license within the two-year grace period, that candidate can easily regain licensure. The requirement for becoming licensed again after such an expiration calls for the individual to take and pass the current Element 2 exam. Successful completion of the Element 2 exam will restore the operator’s license to the same level as that which was previously held. However, it must be understood that in most cases, a new sequential system-issued call sign will be assigned and that any vanity call sign previously held would most likely be lost. It may be possible for the operator to then re-apply for the previous vanity call sign if it has not already been claimed by another operator, depending upon the FCC release status of that call sign.
The formerly-licensed operator must provide evidence of the previously-held license grant at the time of examination and re-application. Usually, this is provided in the form of a copy of the previously-held license document, submitted together with the new application.
Having disabilities that preclude traveling to the test site
It occasionally happens that an exam candidate is a disabled person who cannot physically appear at the GCARC Clubhouse to sit for an FCC license exam. Under such circumstances, it may be feasible for the GCARC VE Team to accommodate that individual by appearing at the candidate’s place of residence and to proctor the exam(s) then and there. This would require advance arrangements to be made so that the Team can provide the minimum of three Volunteer Examiners required for holding an exam session. In all other aspects, the exam session would be run in the same manner as a session at the regular test site. The applicant would need to register for a special exam session set up specifically for the candidate, and the pre-payment of the exam fee would be done in the normal manner. The only difference would be the physical location of the exam site.
It would be up to the candidate to ensure that a quiet and undisturbed exam environment is available, and in most cases that Internet access is available to the Team. In the event that the candidate’s disability involves the ability to read the written word, specifically from a computer screen, arrangements can be made for the exam to be read to the candidate, and a non-visual (i.e., no exam graphics) exam can be generated.
It is the intent of the GCARC VE Team to be as inclusive as possible in its offering of FCC exams to the body of exam candidates served by the Team. As such, all reasonable efforts will be made to provide an accessible test experience for each and every candidate. At the same time, the candidate must be sure to do what is needed to meet the minimal requirements of the team is setting up a private exam session and to comply with the FCC and VEC conditions for license testing.