WEBVTT NOTE The Volunteer Examiner System, From the Inside 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.663 The two roles. 2 00:00:01.663 --> 00:00:07.127 Question. What is a Volunteer Examiner Coordinator? 3 00:00:08.027 --> 00:00:20.361 Answer. An organization that has entered into an agreement with the FCC to coordinate, prepare, and administer amateur operator license examinations. 4 00:00:20.961 --> 00:00:31.881 Question. Who is tasked by Part 97 with maintaining the pools of questions for all US amateur license examinations? 5 00:00:32.781 --> 00:00:35.780 Answer. The VECs. 6 00:00:36.380 --> 00:00:45.103 The VECs write the question pool, the very document these lessons are built from. It is not written by the FCC. 7 00:00:45.103 --> 00:01:03.807 That is why the pools are revised on their own four-year cycle, published in advance, and released for anyone to use: an examination whose questions are public, with the answers, and which still works because there are 400 to 600 of them. 8 00:01:03.807 --> 00:01:09.780 A VEC is the organisation; a VE is an individual examiner accredited by one. 9 00:01:09.780 --> 00:01:15.496 Question. What is required to be accredited as a Volunteer Examiner? 10 00:01:16.396 --> 00:01:25.756 Answer. A VEC must confirm that the VE applicant meets FCC requirements to serve as an examiner. 11 00:01:26.356 --> 00:01:34.076 Accreditation runs through the VEC, not the FCC directly. Running an examination. 12 00:01:34.076 --> 00:01:43.716 Question. Who is responsible for the proper conduct and necessary supervision during an amateur operator license examination session? 13 00:01:44.616 --> 00:01:48.616 Answer. Each administering VE. 14 00:01:49.216 --> 00:01:58.071 Note each, responsibility is not delegated to a session leader. Every VE in the room is accountable. 15 00:01:58.071 --> 00:02:08.388 Question. What should a VE do if a candidate fails to comply with the examiner's instructions during an amateur operator license examination? 16 00:02:09.288 --> 00:02:14.431 Answer. Immediately terminate the candidate's examination. 17 00:02:15.031 --> 00:02:19.511 Immediately. Not a warning, not a discussion. 18 00:02:19.511 --> 00:02:26.556 Question. To which of the following examinees may a VE not administer an examination? 19 00:02:27.456 --> 00:02:33.921 Answer. Relatives of the VE as listed in the FCC rules. 20 00:02:34.521 --> 00:03:03.531 A conflict-of-interest rule, spelled out in the regulations rather than left to judgement: spouse, child, grandchild, stepchild, parent, grandparent, stepparent, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, and in-laws of those relationships. 21 00:03:03.531 --> 00:03:05.921 After the examination. 22 00:03:05.921 --> 00:03:14.521 Question. What must the VE team do with the application form if the examinee does not pass the exam? 23 00:03:15.421 --> 00:03:20.581 Answer. Return the application document to the examinee. 24 00:03:21.181 --> 00:03:33.367 Question. What must the VE team do if an examinee scores a passing grade on all examination elements needed for an upgrade or new license? 25 00:03:34.267 --> 00:03:46.021 Answer. Three VEs must certify that the examinee is qualified for the license grant and that they have complied with the administering VE requirements. 26 00:03:46.621 --> 00:03:56.901 Question. What must the administering VEs do after the administration of a successful examination for an amateur operator license? 27 00:03:57.801 --> 00:04:07.226 Answer. They must submit the application document to the coordinating VEC according to the coordinating VEC instructions. 28 00:04:07.826 --> 00:04:25.765 Fail → the paperwork goes back to the candidate. Pass → three VEs certify, and the document goes to the VEC, never directly to the FCC. The VEC forwards it, which is what "coordinating" means. 29 00:04:25.765 --> 00:04:35.108 Three is the number throughout: three accredited VEs must be present, and three must certify. Money. 30 00:04:35.108 --> 00:04:45.908 Question. For which types of out-of-pocket expenses do the Part 97 rules state that VEs and VECs may be reimbursed? 31 00:04:46.808 --> 00:04:58.408 Answer. Preparing, processing, administering, and coordinating an examination for an amateur radio operator license. 32 00:04:59.008 --> 00:05:03.704 Reimbursement covers the examination itself and nothing else. 33 00:05:03.704 --> 00:05:16.408 Not teaching a preparation course, not producing study materials, those are separate commercial activities, and a VE cannot be paid for them out of examination fees. 34 00:05:16.408 --> 00:05:24.609 Question. What may be the penalty for a VE who fraudulently administers or certifies an examination? 35 00:05:25.509 --> 00:05:35.589 Answer. Revocation of the VE's amateur station license grant and the suspension of the VE's amateur operator license grant. 36 00:05:36.189 --> 00:05:46.050 The volunteer system works entirely on trust, so the penalty for abusing it takes your licence. Why this is on the Extra exam. 37 00:05:46.050 --> 00:05:57.164 Extra class operators are the only ones who may examine at every level, so the syllabus covers the system you are about to be eligible to run. 38 00:05:57.164 --> 00:06:11.330 If you sit the Extra exam and then volunteer, which is how the system sustains itself, this becomes the part of the rules you use most. Check yourself. A candidate passes Element 4. 39 00:06:11.330 --> 00:06:22.991 Who certifies, and where does the paperwork go? Your nephew wants to test at your session. May you administer his exam? Who writes the question pool? 40 00:06:28.991 --> 00:06:45.950 Three VEs certify that the examinee is qualified and that the administering requirements were met, and the application goes to the coordinating VEC, not the FCC. No. 41 00:06:45.950 --> 00:06:57.154 A nephew is on the FCC's list of relatives a VE may not examine. The VECs, as tasked by Part 97, not the FCC.