Information & Registration
Amateur Radio License and Emergency Communications Test !
Briarpatch Amateur Radio Club
Briarpatch Amateur Radio Club
Twin County Regional Hospital
200 Hospital Drive
Galax, Virginia 24333
Briarpatch Amateur Radio Club VE testing is now on a quarterly schedule. Our next test session is scheduled for Thursday July 7th, 2010 at 7:00 pm. In order for the test to be given we need the registration of persons on this site to insure there will be a need for testing.
This site will post information on testing date, time and location. Normally we test at the Twin County Regional Hospital. We also give tests at special sites when classes for licensing have been completed. Click the registration tab above to signup for a test session
This page was last updated: July 6, 2010
Our test sessions are two fold in nature. They are both a license exams as well as offering testing for certification for ARRL Emergency Communications Courses. Currently this is a three tier course, offering a level one, two and three. It is now in review and will become a two level course for basic and advanced emergency communications. Among our VE team we have members that are certified examiners for the Emergency Communications Courses as well as a certified instructor. The fee for testing is $15.00 for license exams or Emergency Communications Course testing. Two IDs are required for license exams and a copy of your current license.
Over the past several months, ARRL staff have been reviewing the Amateur Radio Emergency Communications online course program <http://www.arrl.org/cep/> and have decided to combine two of the three Emergency Communications courses. According to ARRL Education Services Manager Debra Johnson, K1DMJ, the review included a critical examination of the course content, as well as methods of course delivery and
interrelationships with government organizations. Johnson said that the decision was made to revise the Level 3 course to become a new Advanced Emergency Communications Course; this, she said, will replace both the
current Level 2 and Level 3 courses. The new advanced course is set to be released during the last quarter of 2009.
"Our aim is to develop professional level courses which are widely accepted by other organizations for the emergency communication component of Amateur Radio," she said. "We are investigating requirements that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is currently putting in place for approved courses, as well as other possibilities to develop emergency communications training that meets the emerging training needs surrounding emergency communications."
Students who have previously taken the Level 2 course will need to have the new advanced course to complete the current Amateur Radio Emergency Communications training program, Johnson explained. "Those who have
completed the Level 1 course may progress directly to the advanced course when it is made available; this new course contains content formerly included in the former Level 2 and 3 courses." Johnson said that there are no current plans to change the Basic Level 1 course and that that course will continue to be offered in its current format.
With the combining of the Level 2 and 3 courses, Johnson said that anyone who had signed up for the Level 2 course set to begin April 17 may apply for a refund. Any scheduled field instruction of the Level 2 content, as well as Level 2 exam sessions, will also be suspended. "We will honor exam sessions that have been previously scheduled and award Level 2 certificates for any exams successfully completed up to May 31," she said.
"Our training program mandate is to provide the training that ham radio communicators need to be prepared to serve our communities in time of communications emergencies," Johnson explained. "This consolidation of
program content will streamline the delivery of the training and apply volunteer and administrative support resources more effectively."
If you have questions contact the VE Coordinator here.
Providing testing under the administration of the ARRL/VEC
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