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 Previous: FCC Amateur Radio Enforcement Letters for the Period Ending July 18, 2006 |  Next: The Amateur Radio Crossword Puzzler |
 NCVEC Chairman Tom Fuszard, KB9PU, moderated the 2006 meeting. |
NEWINGTON, CT, Jul 20, 2006--Representatives of 11 of the nation's 14 volunteer examiner coordinators (VECs) met July 14 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, for the annual National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC) conference. NCVEC Chairman Tom Fuszard, KB9PU, presided. The session each year offers an opportunity for VECs to discuss issues facing the volunteer examination program and question pools and to meet face-to-face with FCC staff members.
"Good news from Riley Hollingsworth was that for the second year in a row there have been no new cases of examination irregularity brought to his attention," said ARRL First Vice President Kay Craigie, N3KN. "The VECs represented at the conference were certainly not of a single mind about each and every point relating to licensing requirements, but all agreed that Amateur Radio has a bright future."
Joining Craigie as part of the League's delegation to the gathering were ARRL VEC Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM, Assistant Manager Perry Green, WY1O, and ARRL Affiliated Clubs/Mentor Program Manager Norm Fusaro, W3IZ.
Examination Improprieties No Longer a Major Issue
 FCC Special Counsel in the Spectrum Enforcement Division Riley Hollingsworth (at podium) addresses the 2006 NCVEC conference. |
 ARRL Delegation (L-R): ARRL-VEC Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM, ARRL First Vice President Kay Craigie, N3KN, ARRL Affiliated Clubs/Mentor Program Manager Norm Fusaro, W3IZ, and ARRL-VEC Assistant Manager Perry Green, WY1O. [Larry Pollock, NB5X, Photo] |
 The FCC's Riley Hollingsworth, K4ZDH (left), and Michael Wilhelm, WS6BR. |
 Tracy Simmons of the FCC Wireless Telecommunications Bureau pointed out that many Amateur Radio license applications are dismissed or delayed due to name-change errors. The FCC's Riley Hollingsworth is at the left. |
 (L-R): Gordon Girton, W6NW, Sunnyvale VEC; "Smitty" Smith, W6RZA, Greater Los Angeles ARG; and Billy Stewart, WA4PVI, and Carolyn Stewart, WA4LPN, W4VEC Volunteer Examiners Club of America. [Perry Green, WY1O, photos, except as noted] |
In his remarks Hollingsworth, -- FCC Special Counsel in the Spectrum Enforcement Division and the point man for Amateur Radio enforcement -- noted that he has not required any license applicants to retake an examination since last year, when several individuals were called in for retesting following alleged improprieties at examination sessions in Yucaipa, California, a few years earlier. He credited the VECs for doing a better job in preventing exam fraud.
That assessment contrasted sharply with Hollingsworth's remarks at the 2004 NCVEC gathering, when he expressed his annoyance at still having to deal with enforcement issues resulting from several 1999 examination sessions in Yucaipa, "where VEs apparently sold licenses" because "VEC management was asleep at the wheel."
"I reminded them that the FCC was still very enforcement oriented, and they should avoid getting on our radar screen," Hollingsworth told ARRL this week. He also urged the VECs and the wider amateur community to not only invite the younger generation into Amateur Radio but retirees as well.
Self-Regulation Working
Addressing an NCVEC conference for the first time was Michael Wilhelm, WS6BR, chief of the Public Safety and Critical Infrastructure Division in the FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB). Wilhelm contrasted an FCC-administered examination session he'd attended years earlier with a VEC-administered test session, and he gave high praise to the VEC session.
Wilhelm said that of all the services WTB administers, Amateur Radio is the only one that's self regulated. He said Amateur Radio's best strategy for the future is to continue serving in disasters and emergencies and to "Elmer" new hams. He also lauded the ARRL's Amateur Radio Emergency Communications courses.
Rule Changes Still Pending
Some discussion involved the work of the Question Pool Committee, especially in light of anticipated changes in licensing requirements still pending within the FCC. Craigie says FCC personnel were unable to predict when the Commission would act on various Amateur Radio-related rulemaking proceedings now before it.
"We were assured that these proceedings 'are not on the back burner,' but that was it," she said.
The Amateur Radio community is awaiting an FCC Report and Order on its proposal (in WT Docket 05-235) to drop the Morse code requirement for all Amateur Radio license classes. A Report and Order dealing with other Amateur Radio Service rule changes (in WT Docket 04-140) is still in the wings, and the FCC has indicated it will act on that proceeding before it releases a Report and Order on the Morse code question.
Few Changes Anticipated in General Pool
QPC Chairman Jim Wiley, KL7CC, told the gathering he plans to continue a system of appointed associate members he'd put in place to provide additional input. Wiley also said the QPC needs more recommendations from VECs during the question pool revision process.
The new Technician question pool that became effective July 1 has received both praise and criticism, Wiley reported, and that the General class question pool, due to go into effect next year, is next in line for review and possible revision. After learning that the FCC could give no definitive prediction on when new rules might go into effect, Wiley said the QPC has decided to make few changes to the General class question pool at this point. He invited comments and suggestions from the VECs as to how the QPC should proceed.
Rules Reporter Named
The NCVEC unanimously voted to create a new position of Rules Reporter to keep members up to date on pending FCC rule making proceedings. Fred Maia, W5YI, was named to assume that role. Maia previously had chaired the Rules Committee, which the NCVEC disbanded last year.
Elections
The NCVEC representatives re-elected Fuszard to a fourth term as chairman. Larry Pollock, NB5X, will continue as vice chairman. Michele Cimbala, WK3X, will be the new secretary, succeeding Steve Sternitzke, NS5I, who declined another term. Ray Adams, W4CPA, will remain as treasurer.
Wiley will continue as QPC chairman. Committee members are Larry Pollock, NB5X, Roland Anders, K3RA, and Perry Green, WY1O.
NCVEC delegates discussed the possibility of meeting in
2007 via teleconference, but ultimately agreed to convene in person. The 2007
conference tentatively is set to take place July 27.
| Previous: FCC Amateur Radio Enforcement Letters for the Period Ending July 18, 2006 | Next: The Amateur Radio Crossword Puzzler |
