SWLARC - Fast, Friendly and Experienced Testing. Everyone Welcome!!

Hello there and welcome to this session! We are excited for you to get licensed and/or upgraded! Please check out the session information below. Do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or requests! KC5JMJ@swlarc.com

Exam registration

• Available for anyone who wishes to take a US FCC Amateur Radio exam.
• All license classes (Technician, General, and Amateur Extra) are available to anyone from any state or country.
• Please make sure you have studied sufficiently for any levels you wish to test for. This is not a place to “try” taking the exam without adequate preparation.

ARRL VEC fees

• We will send you an invoice for the $15.00 exam fee a few days before the session. We will also send you an email with information on how to join the session and information on paying the invoice.
• Please pay as soon as you can after receiving the email.
• Multiple exams are available for the same fee. However, we have to charge $15.00 for anyone who wishes to retest.

FCC application processing fee

• The FCC charges a $35.00 fee for new amateur radio licenses (Technician exams), renewals, and vanity call sign requests. This fee is in addition to the VEC $15.00 testing fee.
• After successful completion of your exam, ARRLG and the FCC will process your license application and the FCC will issue a file number. After that, you will have 10 days to pay the processing fee online.
• After the FCC issues the file number, you will receive an email from the FCC with instructions on how to pay the fee. This will involve making an account on the FCC CORES system.
• We understand that this additional fee might not be the news you want to hear. The FCC has changed the fee structure across several radio license types. Amateur radio is still a wonderful hobby and we hope this will only be a small hurdle. Please let us know if you have any questions or need assistance!

Session participation

• We prefer you have the Zoom application installed rather than joining on a web browser. You do not need to pay for or have a Zoom account. Joining the session is free and does not require an account. You should have a stable internet connection, video, and sound.
• We prefer that you have a working laptop or desktop computer with sound and video. If you only have a tablet or some other device, please contact me and we will be happy to work with you.
• You may use a phone or tablet as a secondary device to show us your environment if your main device is not moveable or does not have sufficient camera quality.
• Have a testing environment that helps you focus on taking your exam. It should be clear of study materials and clutter as well as not interrupted by people, pets, or noise. Some great examples include a porch, bathroom, patio, spare bedroom, or any other clean and private spaces. Get creative!
• If you or anyone you are registering for this session is under the age of 13, please fill out the COPPA Parental Consent Form and email it to coppa@examtools.org and kc5jmj@swlarc.com