Licensing Education & Training

Nashua Area Radio Society to Hold Online Ham Bootcamp on May 14th

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Ham Bootcamp QST

Are you a newly licensed Technician, or a General or Extra and have never been on the air or built a station?  Are you a prospective ham but would like to learn more about Amateur Radio activities?  Are you an experienced Ham who would like to help your club enhance its mentoring programs?  The Nashua Area Radio Society will be holding another online Ham Bootcamp on Saturday, May 14th, 2022 from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm Eastern time. Ham Bootcamp will be held via Zoom web conferencing.

The morning sessions will be focused on VHF and UHF activities for all license classes and the afternoon sessions will focus on building and operating an HF station.

Registration is required for this program.  More information including the agenda and the registration link can be found at https://www.n1fd.org/ham-bootcamp/.

 

Four-Week, In-Person Technician Course Offered by Nashoba Valley (MA) ARC Beginning May 16, 2022

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Nashoba Valley ARC logoBruce Blain, K1BG, writes:

Please share this with friends and family members who are interested in getting an Amateur Radio License.

The Nashoba Valley Amateur Radio Club (NVARC) is offering a free amateur radio licensing course beginning on May 16th. The eight night course will prepare students for the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Technician licensing exam that will be offered at the completion of the course. The Technician level radio operator’s license is the first of three amateur licenses offered by the FCC. Each license has increased levels of operator privileges.

The course consists of twice weekly sessions beginning on Monday, May 16th, and meeting on Mondays and Wednesdays for four weeks (May 16th through June 8th ). The course will be held at the Pepperell Community Center, 4 Hollis Street, Pepperell, MA 01463. Sessions will start at 7 PM and last for 2 hours. An FCC license exam will be scheduled for the end of the sessions. The course is free, but there will be an FCC required $15 testing fee if you take the exam. The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual, Level 1, Technician, 4th ed, will be the study guide used for the class. A limited number of study guides may be purchased from the instructor for $20 or online from the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) or Amazon.

This course is open to all, there are no age limits. Pre-registration is required, no walk-ins will be allowed. To register you must contact the instructor, Bruce Blain at (508) 341-5124 or via email at bruce.blain@charter.net.  

W1SJ Live Technician Video Class, April 16, 2022

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Mitch Stern, W1SJ, will offer his live Technician video class on Saturday, April 16 from 10 AM – 3 PM. This is a full live Zoom class with lecture, demonstrations and review.

Students should pre-study on the web site ahead of the class, but those in the process of studying would be good candidates.  According to Mitch, “If you don’t do this class, it will cost you $35 more after this weekend!”

W1SJ will also be conducting a General class course on April 23, 2022. He indicates that attendees of the General course will also be exempt from the $35 fee. 

Visit http://www.hamclass.net for additional information and to enroll.

New Videos Posted on Mentoring and Ham Development Page

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Anita Kemmerer, AB1QB, writes on ne-ham-dev:

The following Tech Night videos have been published to the Mentoring and Ham Development page on the nediv.arrl.org website from the Nashua Area Radio Society.

  • Simple Wire Antennas
  • Popular Loggers: Ham Radio Deluxe and DXLab Suite
  • WSJT-X Setup and Use

If you have any similar videos that you would like to make available to new hams via the nediv.arrl.org Mentoring and Ham Development page, you can use the form at https://nediv.arrl.org/mentoring-input/#Training_Program_Recording to submit them or send me an email at ab1qb@nediv.arrl.org

 

WMA Train and Test Group On-Line General License Class

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Ray Lajoie, AA1SE, writes on the WMA ARRL Members list:

Hello everyone, I am pleased to announce that the WMA Train and Test Group will be conducting a General License Class starting on May 3rd on Zoom. The classes will run for 6 weeks on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-9 PM with a live VE session in Gardner, MA afterwards.

We are also looking for volunteers who would like to join our group and teach part of the classes.

Any questions can email me at ray.aa1se@gmail.com

Thank you
Ray-AA1SE

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ARRL Western Massachusetts Section
Section Manager: Raymond P Lajoie, AA1SE
aa1se@arrl.org
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Important Message from ARRL VEC

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ARRL logoImportant Message from ARRL VEC

By Maria Somma, AB1FM, ARRL VEC Manager

The FCC released a Public Notice on March 23, 2022, stating that the amateur radio application fees, including those associated with Form 605 application filings, would become effective on April 19, 2022. The Federal Communications Commission’s authority to impose and collect fees is mandated by Congress.

The $35 application fee, when it becomes effective on April 19, will apply to new, renewal, and modification applications that request a new vanity call sign. The fee will be per application.

Administrative updates, such as a change of name, mailing or email address, and modification applications to upgrade an amateur radio licensee’s operator class*, will be exempt from fees. (*this new information was just confirmed by FCC staff on Tuesday, March 29.)

VECs and Volunteer Examiner (VE) teams will not have to collect the $35 fee at exam sessions.

Once the FCC application fee takes effect, new applicants will pay the $15 exam session fee to the ARRL VE team as usual and pay the $35 application fee directly to the FCC by using the CORES FRN Registration system. VEC and VE team licensing procedures will not change.

When the FCC receives the examination information from the VEC, it will email a link with payment instructions to each qualifying candidate. The candidate will have 10 calendar days, from the date of the application file number being issued, to pay. After the fee is paid, and the FCC has processed an application, examinees will receive a second email from the FCC with a link to their official license or, in very rare instances, an explanation for why the application was dismissed or denied. The link will be valid for 30 days.

Per usual procedures, examinees that pass multiple exams at one session, will have one application transmitted to the FCC reflecting the highest-level license class earned. Again, our procedures will not change. The new license candidates will have an extra step before the license is issued. VE teams can point candidates to our FCC Application Fee webpage. Our new ARRL VEC CSCEs also include information about the application fee and points candidates to the webpage. The FCC rule pertaining to CSCEs will not change. CSCE credit will continue to be valid for 365 days, starting from the date of issuance.

For VE teams holding exam sessions the weekend before April 19, the FCC advised that applications not received by the FCC before April 19 will be subjected to the fee. The ARRL VEC urges teams to upload sessions via our documents upload page to get your sessions to us as quickly as possible. Assuming the FCC electronic batch filing (EBF) system is functioning properly on Monday, April 18, the VEC staff will work to get these to the FCC before April 19. Email the VEC department at VEC@arrl.org for the upload instructions.

Additionally, the FCC stated that the fee for applications processed and dismissed will not be refundable. This includes vanity requests where the applicant does not receive the requested call sign. However, returned applications that are missing information will not require an additional fee, if the missing information is submitted to the FCC within the proper amount of time.

Youth Licensing Grant Program

Anticipating the implementation of the fee in 2022, the ARRL Board of Directors, approved the ARRL Youth Licensing Grant Program in July 2021. Under the program, ARRL will cover a one-time $35 application fee for license candidates younger than 18-years old for tests administered under the auspices of the ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (ARRL VEC). Qualified candidates also would pay a reduced exam session fee of $5 to the ARRL VEC. ARRL is finalizing details for administering the program.

Further news and instructions will follow as the FCC releases them. Details for the ARRL Youth Licensing Grant Program will be posted when available. For additional information, visit the resources below.

ARRL VEC Application Fees webpage:

arrl.org/fcc-application-fee

ARRL News Story: arrl.org/news/new-amateur-radio-license-applications-fee-to-become-effective-april-19-2022

FCC CORES Video Tutorials: fcc.gov/licensing-databases/fcc-registration-system-cores/commission-registration-system-video-tutorials

FCC Registration Help: apps.fcc.gov/cores/publicHome.do?help=true

ARRL Teachers Institute to Offer Four Sessions this Summer

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ARRL Teachers Institute of Wireless Technology logoFrom ARRL Web:

ARRL will offer four sessions of the Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology in June and July as part of its educational outreach to schools through the Education & Technology Program. The Teachers Institute (TI) is an expenses-paid professional development program intended to provide teachers with tools and strategies to introduce their students to basic electronics, the science of radio, space technology and satellite communications, weather science, microcontrollers, robotics, and amateur radio. The curriculum is designed for motivated teachers and other school staff who want to learn more about wireless technology, gain hands-on experience, and bring that knowledge to their students. Class sizes are limited to 12 teachers. The deadline to apply is May 1, 2022.

“I invite you to apply and to share this incredible opportunity with schools and teachers,” ARRL Education and Learning Manager Steve Goodgame, K5ATA, said. Goodgame said to contact him via email with any questions.

Sessions this summer will be held in Newington, Connecticut, and in Dayton, Ohio. There are two levels — TI-1 Introduction to Wireless Technology, and TI-2 Remote Sensing and Data Analysis. TI-1 is a prerequisite for TI-2.

TI-2 focuses on the basic electronics of sensors (temperature, pressure, position, humidity, etc.), converting analog sensor data to a digital format, programming the microcontroller to read and interpret the data, and using radio to send the sensor data to the user. After learning the basics of remote sensing, teachers assemble a sensor package to collect environmental data remotely.

Program Location Dates
TI-1 Newington, Connecticut June 27 – July 1
TI-2 Newington, Connecticut July 11 – July 15
TI-1 Dayton, Ohio July 18 – July 22
TI-1 Newington, Connecticut July 25 – July 29

 

A 2022 brochure is available from the Teachers Institute on Wireless Technology web page. An explanatory video is also available.

The ARRL Teachers Institute recognizes that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) instruction must focus on the connection among these fields. Because it is the teacher’s role to make these connections for students, teachers need to know the science and math content and understand, in sufficient detail, the technologies used in order to make the connections for their students.

The Teachers Institute is only the beginning of a participant’s exploration of wireless technology. The goal of the TI program is to equip each schoolteacher with necessary foundational knowledge and, through hands-on learning, generate the inspiration for teachers to continue to explore wireless technology and adapt relevant content into their classroom instruction.

This training serves as an excellent foundation for schoolteachers interested in including classroom learning about radio communications and wireless technology as part of student preparation for participation in the Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) program.

This in-service training program is supported entirely by generous philanthropic donations. TI opportunities are virtually free for participants. The grant to attend a TI covers transportation; hotel; a modest per diem to cover meals; instructional resources for the electronics, microcontroller, and robotics segments of the course, and a resource library of relevant ARRL publications. The primary out-of-pocket expense is a $100 enrollment fee.

Graduate credits are available through Fresno Pacific University upon completion of the TI-1 or TI-2 programs. These credits can be used to satisfy professional growth requirements to maintain teaching credentials. The class is self-contained, and participants are expected to be able to complete all requirements during the class time.

Qualified applicants must be active teachers at an elementary, middle, or high school, at a college or university, or in a leadership or enrichment instruction role in an after-school or collective homeschool program. An amateur radio license is not required for the introductory workshop (TI-1) but is required for the advanced TI-2 program.

License Classes Available in April from Newport County (RI) Radio Club

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Newport Co. RC logoBob Beaudet, W1YRC, writes on the Rhode Island ARRL Members List:

Upgrade Opportunity!

Newport County Radio Club will be offering online (Zoom) upgrade classes the week of April 18th.  Many hams have successfully upgraded to General or Extra after taking the class in the past.  For General and Extra, your classes begin at 6:30 PM on Friday April 22. 

If you happen to have a family member or friend interested in becoming a ham we also have a Technician class that beings on Tuesday April 19th at 6:00 PM.

All classes are free.  There will be a total of six classes with about 15 hours of live instruction time.  There will be a VE exam session the following week as well in Middletown, but you could take your exam anywhere.  Pre registration is required.  Click a link below to Register:

Technician 6:00 PM Starting April 19th
https://forms.gle/yyBU7DWSxvLhBnLGA

General/Extra 6:30 PM Starting April 22nd   
https://forms.gle/xYDkYjiuSX5vgTwH8

Hope to see you online!

73, Paul K1YBE & Bob WB4SON

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ARRL Rhode Island Section
Section Manager: Robert G Beaudet, W1YRC
w1yrc@arrl.org
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New England Mentoring & New Ham Development Meeting, March 15, 2022, Zoom Recording Available

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Assistant Director Anita Kemmerer, AB1QB, writes on the Mentoring and New Ham Development mailing list:

Thanks to all who attended the kickoff meeting.  It was a great start to our working group!

The meeting recording is available at https://nediv.arrl.org/mentoring-and-new-ham-development/

We had some great presentations by Dan Norman, N0HF,  Bob Beaudet, W1YRC, and Bob Phinney, K5TEC, about their Mentoring programs.

We discussed some quick wins including providing the following resources for new hams on our website:

  • Information on mentoring programs provided by clubs across New England 
  • Information on licensing classes in New England
  • Links to recorded training programs provided by New England clubs
  • A listing of clubs that provide membership offers to new hams

Sections have been added to  https://nediv.arrl.org/mentoring-and-new-ham-development/ to showcase this information.  We are looking for your input to populate the page.  Please email me at ab1qb@nediv.arrl.org with your information. 

We also had a productive brainstorming session for projects or presentations for the working group including the following:

  • Support for the Ham Radio Display at the Big E
  • Promotion of mentoring programs
  • Nets to help new hams build confidence on repeaters
  • Making licensing and mentoring resources available to clubs in isolated areas in New England
  • Developing volunteers in your club to teach or mentor
  • Providing resources for clubs to teach classes
  • Roadmap for engaging schools interested in ham radio

We will be holding these meetings monthly and I’m looking for presenters for the April meeting.  If you would like to share your mentoring program with a presentation at a future meeting, please email me with information about your presentation at ab1qb@nediv.arrl.org.