Jacksonville Laurel VE Team

Exam Information

APPLICATION FEE
While the exam is free, the FCC charges a $35 Application Fee for new licenses, renewals, and vanity call signs. Upgrades do not have a fee. After you pass your exam, we will submit your application to the FCC. The application will get assigned an application number and you will get an e-mail requesting payment. You must pay within 10 calendar days or your application will be dismissed.

To pay your fee go to https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/html/coresintermediate.html

FCC REGISTRATION NUMBER (FRN)
The FCC requires that you identify yourself on the Amateur Radio license application “Form 605” for your Amateur Radio license with an FCC Registration Number (FRN). Please obtain an FRN BEFORE testing.
If you have an Amateur or GMRS license you will already have an FRN. You can find it on your license or at http://wireless2.fcc.gov/.../searchLicense.jsp

If you don't have an FRN, you can obtain one at https://apps.fcc.gov/.../regEntityType.do

Once you have your FRN we ask that you preregister at https://hamstudy.org/sessions/ . This is the same form you will fill if you walk in.

EXPIRED LICENSE
If you have let your license expire you should still have an FRN number in the database, unless it has been more than 10 years. Before applying for a new FRN check https://apps.fcc.gov/.../advancedSearch.do . If it has been less than 2 years you will get your old call sign reissued. If it has been more than 2 years you will get a new call sign in the sequence issued. If you had a General or Extra class license that you let expire, you only need to take the Technician test and proof of your previous class and you will get your previous class license re-issued. You can apply for your previous call sign as a vanity request if it is still available.

IF YOU ARE UPGRADING
If your current license class is shown in the FCC database you do NOT need to bring a copy of your license. If you have taken an upgrade and your upgrade is NOT in the FCC database bring the original Certificate of Successful Completion of Exam (CSCE) AND a copy.

VANITY CALL SIGN
If you have a vanity call sign application pending at the time of your test you MUST check the database before testing. Your application will be rejected if there is a call sign mismatch.

IDENTIFICATION VERIFICATION
The Volunteer Examiner (VE) Team is required to validate your identity and be satisfied that the person taking the test is the applicant. This is usually done with a photo ID, such as a driver's license, passport, or School ID. Non-photo IDs such as a school ID, library card, or report card may be used. If you have any questions on this please email info@jaxlaurel.com BEFORE coming to the test.

WHAT TO BRING
Bring a pencil and eraser. You may bring a calculator - you are NOT allowed to use calculators on your phone. Calculators must be factory reset in front of a VE.

If your current license is not in the FCC database, bring a copy of your Certificate of Successful Completion (CSCE)

COSTS
There are NO fees for taking an exam. The FCC charges an application fee after you have passed the exam. We do not accept donations.

ACCOMMODATIONS
If you need an accommodation, such as a large print exam or the exam read to you, please check the appropriate box in our online registration. If you forget to do so, please email us and let us know so we can make sure we have arrangements in place. If your young child is testing make sure they are comfortable with correctly marking an answer sheet (i.e., don't transpose letters when reading from a question and can mark the correct answer number to the question number). If they have trouble with this but are able to provide the correct answer when reading the question let us know ahead of time and we can accommodate.

TAKING THE TESTS
You may take the tests in any order. If you fail, you may take the test again if you miss Technician or General by 3 or Extra by 5. This is also dependent on the availability of the room. If you fail, you are permitted to review the exam and any questions you missed. When you retest you will be given a different exam.
After you complete taking the exam(s), you must wait for them to be graded. You will have to sign paperwork once you pass.

YOUR NEW LICENSE OR UPGRADE
We submit an electronic file directly to the FCC database (unlike most other VE groups who submit by mail) and therefore new call signs are usually issued the within one business day. You may get on the air as soon as your call sign is in the database. We will send an email out to you when we see it in there and/or when we get a confirmation file back from the FCC.
If you are upgrading you may use your new privileges immediately. If operating on frequencies permitted by your new license you will need to add "/AG" (for a new General) or /AE" (for a new Extra) until your new license appears in the FCC database.

CALL SIGNS
Your new call sign will be issued sequentially. If you pass Technician and/or General, you will get a 2x3 (2 letters, the number 4 and 3 letters), i.e., KO4ABC. If you pass the all three or pass Extra and request a new call sign, you will get a 2x2 (2 letters, the number 4, and 2 letters), i.e., KX4AB

VANITY CALL SIGNS
You may apply for a vanity call sign (one where you choose the letters) as long as it is authorized for your class of license. Technician and General holders can get a 1x3 or 2x3 call Extra holders can get a 1x2, 2x1, or a 2x2.

HAM RADIO NETS
There are nets many nights of the week on repeaters and simplex. Some local ones are the Wacky Wing Dings, ARES, Sky Warn, and Saturday Night Net. There are regional ones such as National Traffic System and Hurricane Nets.

HAM RADIO CLUBS
We encourage you to join a club. Some local ones are Beaches Amateur Radio Society, Jacksonville RANGE Association, North Florida Amateur Radio Society, Orange Park Radio Club, RANGE, Clay Amateur Radio Emergency Service(ARES), and Duval Amateur Radio Emergency Service(ARES)

Welcome to the hobby and we look forward to catching you on the air.

STUDYING FOR THE EXAMS

Flash cards and other study material including sample/practice tests:
https://www.hamstudy.org (our favorite)
https://www.hamtestonline.com (Money Back Guarantee)
https://hamradioprep.com
http://www.hamradioschool.com/
http://www.nc4fb.org/wordpress/ (free study material for Technician, General & Extra)
http://www.vhfclub.org/ click on training links (free study material for Technician, General & Extra)
http://wb5qng.org/index.php/class-files/
http://www.hamwhisperer.com/p/ham-courses.html
http://dcasler.com/ham-radio/

FOR THE TECHNICIAN
Gordon West Technician study https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gljU__v09Hs
VIDEO CLASSES for ALL THE TESTS By David Casler (these are very good) https://www.youtube.com/user/davecasler

BOOKS etc
KB6NU's No-Nonsense Study Guides. FREE for Technician and paid for the Genral and Extra
http://www.kb6nu.com/study-guides/ http://www.w5yi.org/catalog.php?sort=5 (books, audio & video material)
http://www.arrl.org/studying-for-a-technician-license (books)
Some people have said that W5YI materials are easier if you don't have a technical background

Android Apps
Ham Study (our favorite)
Ham Test Prep
Ham Boss
HamRadioExam

iOS Apps
Ham Study (our favorite)
Amateur Radio Technician, General, Extra
Ham Radio Exam

Personal Recommendations
http://hamstudy.org/ is great and is free online or paid for the app. It gives explanations for all the answers. If are you logged in, it shows questions you miss more often and the ones you get right less often. Use both the flash card and read questions modes. In flash card mode, work on individual elements like T1, T2, etc.

The Ham Test Prep App is great to study individual subsections. If you have a few minutes of free time during the day, go through an individual subsection like T1A, T1B, etc. They are usually around 10-15 questions. It also keeps track of how many times you got the question right. If you see that you got a question right a few times, you might feel comfortable skipping it and going to the next question in the subsection.

The Technician and General have 35 questions from 35 subsections. The Extra has 50 questions from 50 subsections.

Jacksonville Area Ham Radio Clubs

We encourage you to be a guest at any of the monthly meetings at any club. Visit each club to see what matches your interests.

Beaches Amateur Radio Society (BARS)

Website
Facebook


North Florida Amateur Radio Society (NOFARS)

Website
Facebook


Orange Park Amateur Radio Club (OPARC)

Website


Jacksonville RANGE Association (RANGE)

Website
Facebook


Duval Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES)

Website
Facebook


Clay Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES)

Website
Facebook

Jacksonville Area Repeaters

A list of repeaters is maintained by Jim Keeley W1JJK on QRZ. This includes a printable list and a CHIRP file to program your radio. Please visit https://www.qrz.com/db/w1jjk for more information.

Jacksonville Area Ham Radio Nets

The following are ham radio nets in the Jacksonville area. Some are accessible worldwide through EchoLink.

Name	Day and Time	Frequency
Clay ARES	Sundays 7:30 PM	146.925*
BARS Net	Mondays 7:30 PM	145.350*
Wacky Wing Ding (10m)	Mondays 7:00 PM	28.390
Wacky Wing Ding (2m)	Mondays 8:00 PM	146.700*
Nassau Fun Net	Mondays 8:00 PM	147.000*
Ladies Net	3rd Tuesday 8:00PM	146.700*
Trivia Traders Net	Tuesdays 8:00 PM	144.225 USB
Duval ARES	Wednesdays 7:30 PM	146.700*
Nassau ARES	Thursdays 7:30 PM	147.000*
Thursday Night Get Together	Thursdays 7:30 PM	146.550 Simplex
Georgia Tech Net	Fridays 8:00 PM	146.700*
Saturday Night Net	Saturdays 7:30 PM	146.460 Simplex

*Accessible through EchoLink

Welcome to Ham Radio Handout

A handout is given at exams with information for new hams which includes local clubs, repeaters, and nets. This is maintained by Jim Keeley W1JJK on QRZ. Please visit https://www.qrz.com/db/w1jjk to view the handout.