Subj : Local License Exam Update To : All From : Daryl Stout Date : Thu Aug 01 2019 12:21 pm Even though the weather may not be ideal (thunderstorms), I am still planning on conducting a license exam this Saturday, August 3, at 10am, at the Amy Sanders Library, at 10200 Johnson Drive in Sherwood. Johnson Drive is the 3rd traffic light north of the intersection of Kiehl Avenue (Highway 176) and JFK Blvd. (Highway 107). At Johnson Drive, there will be a Mapco Gas Station on your right. Turn right at the light, and go past the gas station. The next left enters the library parking lot. The library itself opens at 9:30am. I have one candidate so far, and 2 additional Extra Class, and 1 General Class VE signed up to assist...so we should be able to do all the exams (Technician, General, and Amateur Extra). If you would still like to come take a test, or serve as a VE (ARRL/VEC), please let me via email to wx1der at gmail dot com -- or call my voice mail at 501-476-2545 -- although email is PREFERRED, as it is the fastest way to reach me. Since I do have examiners and examinees committed to attend, I will accept walk-ins until 10:30am...but it's best that you contact me beforehand, to advise that you are attending...so I can be sure to have plenty of supplies. If you are testing, you need to be sure the study guides for the respective licenses are the 2018 Technician, the 2019 General, and the 2016 Amateur Extra (it will change on July 1, 2020). If your study guides are older than those dates, discard them, as they are worthless. Apparently, the FCC is now going to REQUIRE applicants to have a Federal Registration Number (FRN) *PRIOR* to attending an exam session. If you don't have one, a video on how you can obtain one is located at https://www.fcc.gov/rofrn -- you will need to supply your Social Security Number (protected by the Privacy Act of 1974, and required by the Debt Collection Act of 1996) to obtain an FRN. Having the FRN will also help you get your license faster, providing you pass the exam, and the FCC determines you "do not have a character issue" if you answer YES to "The Felony Question" (on whether you've been convicted of a felony in state or federal court). Note that a YES answer is NOT an automatic disqualification...it all depends upon the circumstances surrounding the conviction. Handouts will be available at the session with more information, along with pens, pencils, scratch paper, and necessary paperwork. So, effective with the remainder of my test sessions, examinees will need to have an FRN before coming to the session. Once you have an FRN, it's yours for life...even if your amateur radio license expires or lapses (expired more than 2 years). If the latter occurs, you will need to take the Technician exam to get back into amateur radio, with a new callsign. For what to bring to the license exam session, go to: http://www.arrl.org/what-to-bring-to-an-exam-session There will also be testing at the Shreveport, Louisiana hamfest next weekend...at the Huntsville, Alabama hamfest the following weekend...and at the Mena Hamfest the weekend after Labor Day. After the August 3 session, my next session is set for Saturday, September 14, at 10am, at the UALR Benon Center, 410 River Street, next to the former Lewis Stadium. Then, I'll do one final session in 2019 at the Amy Sanders Library on Saturday, November 2, at 10am. I can not book 2020 exam dates until December, 2019. Daryl Stout, WX4QZ, UALR Ham Radio Club VE Team Liaison --- SBBSecho 3.07-Win32 * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (801:1/2) þ Synchronet þ Temple of Doom BBS - tod.eothnet.com .