Subj : ARRL/VEC VE Newsletter To : All From : Daryl Stout Date : Fri Jul 05 2019 11:07 am ARRL VE Newsletter June 2019 - GENERAL EXAMS ======================================================================== Inside this VE E-Newsletter: New General Exams Field Stocked Teams VEC Exam Maker Software Update Available Plastic Grading Templates - REMINDER ======================================================================== New General Class Element 3 Exams will take effect for exam sessions beginning Monday, July 1, 2019. The newly revised pool, released in January 2019 (updated and re-released March 2019) by the Question Pool Committee (QPC) of the National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC), must be in use starting July 1. There is one graphic required for this pool. With the General class exam questions changing July 1, new test designs must be used effective that day. Previous ARRL VEC supplied General class exam booklet versions (2015 series) and computer-generated General class exams created from the 2015 question pool are only valid until midnight June 30, 2019. At that time, VE Team leaders should destroy, or throw away the old versions of the General exams (do not return them to VEC). To avoid a mix-up at the session, do not save old exam versions! ======================================================================== Field Stocked Team Leaders For ARRL VE teams who are officially Field Stocked by the ARRL VEC, new General class exam design booklets were shipped out via first class mail the second week of June to nearly 1,000 teams. Field Stocked VE Team leaders should already have the package in their hands well in advance of July 1. When you receive the package, please check the content to make sure all quantities have been received. Again, please do not use the new exam until July 1st. The existing General class exam booklets (2015 series) can be discarded on or after Midnight, June 30, 2019, as they will no longer be valid. An updated package will not be provided to field stocked teams that no longer meet the field stock requirements, to teams that have not conducted a session in the past year, and to non-field stocked teams that have been keeping supplies without qualifying through the VEC. Non-stocked VE teams should be returning their exam packages and supplies to ARRL VEC after each session is completed. The officially stocked VE Teams receive their exam supplies in a large box which is usually a year' supply depending on the team's activity levels. To see if your team qualifies to be field stocked with a bulk quantity of our test materials, visit http://www.arrl.org/field-stocked-ve-teams. Field Stocked teams should be especially vigilant about keeping us informed of who has possession of the exam supplies. Notify us immediately when your address changes, or the team's Field Stock changes hands, to ensure that any exam updates will be mailed to, and received by, the proper person. Periodically check your supplies to make sure they are current, and that the quantities are sufficient. Current exam booklets are listed on our web site at www.arrl.org/vec-exam-booklets. Field Stocked VEs should check this page periodically to make sure they have the proper exam designs. ======================================================================== VEC Exam Maker Software Update Available The new Element 3 General class question pool is now available in the VE Exam Maker (version 1.4) exam generating software. Thank you for your patience! CURRENT USERS that already have the ARRL VE Exam Maker installed on a computer must manually update the Exam Data Database within the program to upload the new General Pool. The software should not need to be re-installed. To manually update the Exam Data Database in the program: ! In Exam Maker from the menu bar, select "Update" and then "Update Exam Data". A log-in area will appear on screen. ! Next, type your call sign in the "ARRL/VEC Username" box AND in the "Password" box. ! Then click the "Execute" button. It will only take several seconds for all the question pool files to download. ! The screen must read "Exam Database Initialized" when the task is complete for the question pools to be revised to the most up-to-date pools for exam generation. ! If the user's question pool database contains the current information or if there are no recent pool changes, the screen will read "Exam Database is up-to-date". ! Exam software is ready to use with the new 2019-2023 General Question Pool. IMPORTANT: You must have a recent version of Adobe Flash Player installed and enabled in your Web browser. The installer WILL NOT work in Firefox. Additional information is on the VE Exam Maker Software web page www.arrl.org/ve-exam-maker-software. NEW USERS: Use the "Download and Install" instructions on the VE Exam Maker Software web page www.arrl.org/ve-exam-maker-software. ======================================================================== Plastic Grading Templates - REMINDER Officially Field Stocked teams must keep your supply of the BLUE plastic overlay grading templates used to grade the exams. The plastic templates should never be thrown away or destroyed, when new exam versions are introduced and shipped. A New KEY For Templates (paper instructions) for the plastic grading templates has been updated and shipped with your new General exams, to let you know how to match up the plastic templates with the new exam designs. ======================================================================== The ARRL VEC Staff is Ready to Serve You! As always, the dedicated VEC staff are here to answer any questions you may have. ARRL VE Number: (860) 594-0300 (toll free number for VE's not noted here) Address: ARRL VEC, 225 Main St, Newington CT 06111 Email: VEC@arrl.org Web: www.arrl.org/volunteer-examiners ARRL VEC Fax: 860-594-0339 Maria Somma, AB1FM, Manager Amanda Grimaldi, N1NHL, Assistant Manager Stephanie Borden W2MAU, Service Representative Ann Brinius, Service Representative Lisa Riendeau, Service Representative Joshua Nance, Service Representative Howard Schwartz, KC1AMJ, Service Representative We thank you for your efforts and interest in the ARRL VEC program. ========================================================================== ARRL VEC VE Newsletter is published by the American Radio Relay League, Inc. - the national association for Amateur Radio®. Material from the ARRL VE E-Newsletter may be republished or reproduced in whole or in part in any form without additional permission. Credit must be given to The American Radio Relay League VEC. ARRL VEC 225 Main Street Newington CT 06111 USA Sincerely, Maria Somma, AB1FM - VEC Manager / Editor ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio ® 225 Main Street Newington, CT 06111 USA msomma@arrl.org ========================================================================== --- SBBSecho 3.07-Win32 * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (801:1/2) þ Synchronet þ Temple of Doom BBS - tod.eothnet.com .