Free March and April issues of CQ magazine. For the price on an email. Not sure if there are any gotchas.
FreeIssues@cq-amateur-radio.com
FreeIssues@cq-amateur-radio.com
Anyone have a good summary of all digital formats? Pros, cons, etc.
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What's your call, OM?Don't you love being ahead of the curve?
http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/4623310#ixzz6GyaDCCSz
Too bad with the ongoing plague VE testing is being cancelled. Maybe the FCC will reconsider remote testing.
In our situation, it sounded like we were more at loss for a venue than being overly cautious about WuFlu....Too bad with the ongoing plague VE testing is being cancelled. Maybe the FCC will reconsider remote testing.
I sent a note over to our VEC for his opinion.On a sunny day, every one of those VEs, admins, and subjects could be 20 feet apart outside in the parking lot sitting on milk crates or car bumpers. Adapt! Glove up for paper handling, everything relayed through an empty table. It could be done.
In our situation, it sounded like we were more at loss for a venue than being overly cautious about WuFlu.
Since we are now limited to gatherings of 10 or less, maybe we could figure out a way to test a few at a time.
We have two admin - they could be in another area.
We need three graders, they could be in another area.
We need 3 observers with the candidates. One of these observers could give the initial briefing.
We need 1 person to courier exams from the candidates in the testing area to the graders.
We need 1 person to courier exams from the graders to the admin, then from admin back to the testing area courier.
This means 4 VEs in the testing area - could 6 candidates at a time be tested in such a way?
I have some office space with a front office area (admin), conference room (graders) and an adjacent outdoor area with a couple picnic tables for testing. Those waiting could wait in their vehicles.
Our VEC gave me some very good reasons to hold off and nixed the idea for now.I hesitated to post this and it was before Lawnchair Larry's last edict, but I heard on the repeater a couple of Friday's ago, a idea to do testing 5 at a time with 3 of the "healthiest" VE's. Since this was just an idea at the time I didn't disseminate it and now it's probably unlikely.
I did some more digging into remote testing and it appears that it was okayed some time ago by the FCC (I knew they did it in AK, but I thought that was a special exception). They left the means to the VEC so as to not rule any means out a priori. The way AK does it is to have a trusted agent, not necessarily a VE (teacher, LEO...) proctor the test with the others viewing remotely.
Our VEC gave me some very good reasons to hold off and nixed the idea for now.
One thing is keeping our test materials in condition KNOWN to be clean for after this blows through.
Another thing is that the proximity/exposure is over a duration and not just 'in passing'. IOW, the graders will sit in the same room together for several hours.
So, we are not going to be able to provide exam opportunities until we get further direction/advice from the powers that be.
I've read until my eyes started bleeding. ARRL has a ton of info, so much it makes it hard to find the actual beginning point of an online class. One link says I need ICS certification, then another says I need a SID number, then another says you don't need the SID.
I found one website that charges $10 for a class, another that says it's free. I prefer online classes and this D!@# virus stopped in-person classes. Can someone point me in the right direction?
Huh? You don't need any ID number or Cert. to take a class. Assuming you are starting at the beginning as a Technician Class licensee, you don't need a FCC FRN number as long as you're willing to give up your SSN. That's only for testing and licensing though, not a class.
Personally, I wouldn't pay for an on-line class. Many local clubs are now looking into doing virtual classes using freely available teleconferencing software (unfortunately some are looking at Zoom which comes with an FBI warning). Stay tuned.
In the mean time you could do self study. Most clubs use the ARRL manual but there are many out there. Some give a great amount of additional information, some are just a regurgitation of the question pool that you can get for free. The FAQ has links to on-line test tools that you can use to test your knowledge as you go along.
Thanks. I'll get the ARRL manual and start there.
I've read until my eyes started bleeding. ARRL has a ton of info, so much it makes it hard to find the actual beginning point of an online class. One link says I need ICS certification, then another says I need a SID number, then another says you don't need the SID. I found one website that charges $10 for a class, another that says it's free. I prefer online classes and this D!@# virus stopped in-person classes. Can someone point me in the right direction?
Don't just study to pass the test, study to learn it so you can get the most enjoyment and safety from this hobbby.