In checking the National Conference Of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC) as of Jan. 23, 2020 -- I have discovered that the NEW 2020-2024
Amateur Extra Class Question Pool, for use on exams as of July 1, 2020,
have been RELEASED into the public domain.

The following links are available for download:

1) 2020-2024 Extra Class Pool (in Microsoft Word (DOCX) format)
2) 2020-2024 Extra Class Pool (in ASCII text format)
3) 2020-2024 Extra Class Schematic Diagrams (in PDF format)
4) 2020-2024 Extra Class Schematic Diagrams (in JPEG format, in one
ZIP file)

You can obtain these at:

http://www.ncvec.org/page.php?id=356

The main site for the NCVEC is www.ncvec.org -- check there for any
updates.

For the above files:

A) OpenOffice, LibreOffice, or Microsoft Word, is required to view the Microsoft Word document.

B) A regular ascii editor, such as Windows Notepad, is required to view
the ASCII text file. Clicking on it in your browser will open it for
viewing (I personally use Mozilla Firefox under Windows 10).

C) The Adobe Acrobat Reader is required to view the PDF file.

D) An archiver, such as WinZip or WinRAR is required, to extract the
JPEG files within the ZIP file -- and a graphics viewer is required to
view the JPEG files.

The Question Pool Committee (QPC) is comprised of the following
members:

Roland Sanders, K3RA - Anchorage VEC (Chairman)
Maria Somma, AB1FM - ARRL VEC
Michael Maston, N6OPH - SANDARC VEC
Larry Pollock, NB5X - W5YI VEC
Ralph Roberts, W5VE - WCARS VEC

You can submit feedback or questions to the QPC by email to:

qpcinput at ncvec dot org

There will likely be several changes and corrections for questions
that are vague, have errors, etc., but a final release should be done
by Hamvention in Xenia, Ohio, in mid-May, 2020...so new study guides
can be prepared.

You should study these ONLY if you plan to take the Amateur Extra
exam between July 1, 2020 and June 30, 2024. I would wait until "the
final release" before you begin "serious study", but this will give
you an idea of the new pool.

As of July 1, 2020, the 2016-2020 Amateur Extra Class exams, books,
study guides, etc., will no longer be valid. You should study these
ONLY if you plan to take the Amateur Extra exam on or before June 30,
2020.

I have had numerous examinees in the 12+ years that I've been a VE,
come into an exam session, having studied the WRONG material...some
more than 1 pool cycle out of date!! So, VE Teams need to admonish
prospective examinees to be studying the CORRECT Question Pool...or
they'll be in for a RUDE AWAKENING on exam day...and they will likely
fail the exam.

The current Question Pools and dates are as follows:

Technician: July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2022

General: July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2023

Extra: July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2020 -- the NEW pool takes
effect on July 1, 2020. VE Teams should be sure that the 2016-2020
books are discarded/destroyed as of July 1, 2020.

Note that there will NOT be a Question Pool Update in 2021...but
the cycle will start again in 2022, with Technician...then 2023 for
the General...then 2024 for the Amateur Extra. Then, the pools take
2025 off, and start over in 2026.

Daryl Stout, WX4QZ, UALR Ham Radio Club VE Team Liaison
--- SBBSecho 3.10-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (801:1/2)

ARRL VE Newsletter - January 2020

========================================================================

Inside this E-Newsletter:

New Amateur Extra class (Element 4) pool will take effect on July 1, 2020
Exam Session Registrations and Supplies

========================================================================

New Amateur Extra class (Element 4) pool will take effect on July 1, 2020
will be valid until June 30, 2024

The new Amateur Extra class question pool was released to the public by
the NCVEC question pool committee and is available on the NCVEC website
at 2020 - 2024 Extra class pool.

This pool will take effect for all Element 4 Extra class license written examinations on July 1, 2020. Current ARRL VEC supplied Extra class exam booklet versions (4-1-2016, 4-2-2016, 4-3-2016 4-4-2016, and 4-5-2016)
are valid until midnight June 30, 2020.

Current ARRL VEC printed exam booklets are listed on our web site at www.arrl.org/vec-exam-booklets. Field stocked VEs should check this page periodically to make sure they have the valid exam designs.

As a reminder, if you are not officially field stocked (box of supplies)
by the VEC, the team must return all unused exams and supplies after
each session to ensure the most up to date materials are being used.

Candidates that are given obsolete exams unfortunately cannot be granted
a license until they retest with current exam designs and any exam
session irregularities must be reported to FCC.

With the Extra class exams changing July 1st, new test designs must be
created and used effective that day. ARRL VEC will be supplying all its
(near 1,000) field stocked VE teams with new exam booklets about the
3rd week in June. VE Exam Maker software will also be updated with the
new pool around that time.

Do not destroy the 2016 versions of the Extra exams until June 30!

========================================================================

Additional Information about the Amateur Extra Question Pool Release

The new Amateur Extra class license examination question pool, effective
from July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2024, has been released and is
available at the National Conference of Volunteer Coordinators (NCVEC)
website.

The 2020 - 2024 Extra class pool incorporates significant changes
compared to the current 2016 - 2020 question pool, which expires on
June 30. The number of questions in the pool was reduced from 712 to
622. The result was 239 modified questions, 49 new questions, and 139
questions removed due to changes in what was felt to be an abundance
of outdated questions, while areas of new technology and subjects were
added.

In addition, an effort was made to balance the difficulty level,
removing or replacing some questions deemed too easy or too difficult
compared to the rest of the pool. The 2020 pool has 10 diagrams, which
have been renumbered because the new Question Pool has two fewer than
the 2016 Question Pool.

========================================================================

Exam Session Registrations and Supplies

Please continue to send in your session dates for 2020 using the
interactive ARRL Exam Session Registration Form or via email to vetests@arrl.org.

Remember to schedule your yearly listings [specific date(s) and
location(s)] with us near the beginning of every year. This ensures
we have the most up to date information posted in our database
and on the ARRL VEC Exam Session Search web page.

Under normal situations, the team should try to register 3 to 4 weeks
in advance of the session. This way, we can make certain the materials requested reach the team in a timely and cost-effective manner.

Field Stocked teams should be especially vigilant about keeping us
informed of who has possession of the exam supplies. Notify us
immediately when the teams Field Stock changes hands, to ensure that
any exam updates will be mailed to, and received by the proper person. Periodically check your supplies to make sure they are current and that
the quantities are sufficient.

We thank you for your ongoing exam session support!

========================================================================

The ARRL VEC Staff is Ready to Serve You!

As always, the dedicated VEC staff are here to answer any questions you
may have.

ARRL Voice Number (8am to 5pm Eastern Time, M-F) (860) 594-0300
Address: ARRL VEC, 225 Main St, Newington CT 06111
Email: VEC@arrl.org
Web: www.arrl.org/volunteer-examiners
ARRL VEC Fax: 860-594-0339

Maria Somma, AB1FM, Manager
Amanda Grimaldi, N1NHL, Assistant Manager
Stephanie Borden W2MAU, Service Representative
Ann Brinius, Service Representative
Lisa Riendeau, Service Representative
Joshua Nance, Service Representative

We thank you for your efforts and interest in the ARRL VEC program.

========================================================================

ARRL VEC VE Newsletter is published by the
American Radio Relay League, Inc. - the national association for
Amateur Radio (R).

Material from the ARRL VE E-Newsletter may be republished or reproduced
in whole or in part in any form without additional permission. Credit
must be given to The American Radio Relay League VEC.

ARRL VEC
225 Main Street
Newington CT 06111 USA

Sincerely,
Maria Somma, AB1FM - VEC Manager / Editor
ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio (R)
225 Main Street
Newington, CT 06111 USA
msomma@arrl.org
--- SBBSecho 3.10-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (801:1/2)

ARRL VEC Issues Statement on Video-Supervised Online Exam Sessions
04/13/2020

Very few ARRL Volunteer Examiner teams have successfully conducted
in-person exam sessions (following social distancing guidelines)
and video-supervised exam sessions using fillable PDF exams and
documents.

So far, we have found that both types of sessions take volunteer teams
two to three times longer to conduct and accommodate fewer candidates
than sessions conducted prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. So far, the
video sessions have included only one examinee per session.

We ask the community to be patient with our volunteer teams as they
navigate uncharted territory. Please remember with the introduction
of significant new processes such as these, that there should be
proof of concept, establishment of protocols and procedures, and beta
testing before expanding to a larger audience. Video-supervised exam
sessions require a different skillset than in-person exam
administration. Not all teams will be equipped to deliver video
exams right away.

The ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC) has been investigating
options for an online examination system.

Fillable PDFs are cumbersome within a video-supervised exam session
process. We recognize that online testing would represent a large-scale solution for our thousands of VEs, and would make session procedures
easier for our teams, but this will not happen overnight.

The ARRL VEC will continue to adapt and respond to the evolving crisis
as we search for viable and easy-to-use online examination system
solutions and conduct exam sessions in innovative ways.
--- SBBSecho 3.10-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (801:1/2)

From the ARRL website, April 16, 2020:

Remotely Administered Amateur Exam Systems Showing Promise

Facing a growing demand for amateur radio exam sessions in a time of
social distancing and stay-at-home orders, sponsors of some Volunteer
Examiner (VE) teams have risen to the challenge, and are developing
systems to remotely proctor test sessions.

"Many of our VEs and VE Teams have been working on remotely proctored
exam session ideas, employing both video, and in-person components,
following social distancing protocols," ARRL Volunteer Examiner
Coordinator (VEC) Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM, said. "We have been
receiving interesting and innovative suggestions, and we appreciate
the dedication and ingenuity our examiners have shown."

The Spalding County Amateur Radio Club in Georgia is among those that
have come up with plans to remotely administer amateur exams, while
complying with ARRL VEC testing standards during COVID-19 stay-home
mandates, and social distancing guidelines. Current systems leverage
Zoom video-teleconferencing technology, the "Fill And Sign" feature
of Adobe PDFs, reliable email, appropriate computer equipment, and
internet connection, and no volunteer examiners (VEs) present at
individual remote test sites. The Georgia club collaborated and
shared ideas with the Emergency Amateur Radio Club (EARC) in Hawaii,
which has successfully conducted sessions since 2011 with its own
remote testing system, initially with paper exams with a proctor on
site and now with fillable PDFs, with no on-site proctor.

The Georgia club obtained ARRL VEC approval to administer
video-supervised exams. The club's David Robinson, K4WVZ, said the
first exam session took place this week, with another set for next
week, and "many more in the pipeline" going forward.

"We have started with testing just one candidate at a time, but are
planning to ramp up to multiple candidates - probably two or three - simultaneously," Robinson told ARRL. "Before we do that, we want a
few more single sessions under our belt, and a few more Video VEs
trained. It also gives us an opportunity to garner lessons learned
from each test session, and upgrade our procedures accordingly."

Robinson said this week's session went "exceedingly well," and the
candidate passed the test.

The club's procedures entail a pre-exam video interview with candidates
to ensure they understand all the requirements and procedures. "This
also allows us to test the candidate's ability to work with the video
and computer technology before the actual exam," Robinson explained.
"Training sessions were conducted for VEs to make sure they understood
their role and how to use the technology."

Following the exam, the VEs score the test, and sign off on the
paperwork, with the VE Team Leader submitting the application online
and by mail, per ARRL VEC instructions. Application and successful
exam are first accepted and then submitted to the FCC for processing.

New England Amateur Radio Inc (NE1AR), an affiliate of New England
Sci-Tech, (NESciTech), has taken it one step further, Somma said.
It got the approval of ARRL VEC to begin trials of what it describes
as "completely online testing with strict rules and protocols for
maintaining the integrity of the testing environment." NE1AR is
limiting candidates to one exam per candidate, due to the current
candidate backlog and the "difficulty of administering exams online." Candidates must agree to a list of protocols, which include no visitors
(or pets) in the exam room, and a cell-phone camera scan of the entire
room and exam area "to show that there are no materials or people [in
the room] that could aid in taking the exam." If the VE team suspects
the possibility of cheating, the exam may be terminated, and the
candidate barred from future online exam sessions.

"We began a series of trials on April 1 under ARRL VEC review, and
have now been asked to help train more VE Teams on the process,"
NE1AR President Bob Phinney, K5TEC, told ARRL. "We have now tested
12 applicants, and are still working on streamlining the process.
We are working with the software developer of the exam delivery
system to help them adapt the system for video-supervised testing."
At present, Phinney said, only one person at a time can be tested.
Another time-related issue is how long it takes a candidate to go
through the NE1AR security protocol. "Sometimes, the setup and
follow-up for an exam take far longer than the exam itself, in order
that we provide complete integrity of the exam session," he said.

With pressure continuing to build to provide testing compatible with
COVID-19 guidelines and stay-home orders, ARRL VEC Manager Maria Somma,
AB1FM, has asked the amateur radio community to be patient. "Please
remember that with the introduction of significant new processes such
as these, that there should be proof of concept, establishment of
protocols and procedures, and beta testing, before expanding to a
larger audience," she said this week. Somma said video-supervised
exam sessions require a different skillset than in-person exam
administration, and not all teams will be equipped to deliver video
exams right away.

"ARRL is pleased to be one of the leaders in providing an opportunity,
although limited initially, for video-supervised exams in this time of
social distancing and isolation required by the current health situation," Somma said.
--- SBBSecho 3.10-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (801:1/2)

ARRL VE Newsletter June 2020 - EXTRA EXAMS

========================================================================

Inside this VE E-Newsletter:

New Extra Exams take effect July 1

Field Stocked Teams

VEC Exam Maker Software

Plastic Grading Templates - REMINDER

Our Sincere Thank You

========================================================================

New Extra Class Element 4 Exams will take effect for exam sessions
beginning Wednesday July 1, 2020

The newly revised pool, released in January 2020 (updated and re-released
in February and March 2020) by the Question Pool Committee (QPC) of the National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC), must be
in use starting July 1. There are ten graphics required for this pool.

With the Extra class exam questions changing July 1, new test designs
must be used effective that day. Previous ARRL VEC supplied Extra class
exam booklet versions (2016 series) and computer-generated Extra class
exams created from the 2016 question pool are only valid until midnight
June 30, 2020. At that time, VE Team leaders should destroy or throw
away the old versions of the Extra exams (do not return them to VEC).
To avoid a mix-up at the session, do not save old exam versions.

========================================================================

Field Stocked Team Leaders

For ARRL VE teams who are officially Field Stocked by the ARRL VEC, new
Extra class exam design booklets were shipped out via first class mail
this week (June 15 - 18) to nearly 1,000 teams. Field Stocked VE Team
leaders should have the package in their hands well in advance of July
1. When you receive the package, please check the content to make sure
all quantities have been received. Again, please do not use the new
exam until July 1st. The existing Extra class exam booklets (2016
series) can be discarded on or after Midnight, June 30, 2020, as they
will no longer be valid.

An updated package will not be provided to field stocked teams that no
longer meet the field stock requirements, to teams that have not
conducted a session in the past year, and to non-field stocked teams
that have been keeping supplies without qualifying through the VEC.
Non-stocked VE teams should be returning their exam packages and
supplies to ARRL VEC after each session is completed.

Officially stocked VE Teams receive their exam supplies in a padded
FedEx Pak with a green colored field stocked instruction document.
The packet is usually a year's supply, depending on the team's
activity levels. To see if your team qualifies to be field stocked
with a bulk quantity of our test materials visit http://www.arrl.org/field-stocked-ve-teams.

Field Stocked teams should be especially vigilant about keeping us
informed of who has possession of the exam supplies. Notify us
immediately when your address changes or the team's Field Stock
changes hands, to ensure that any exam updates will be mailed to,
and received by the proper person. Periodically check your supplies
to make sure they are current, and that the quantities are sufficient.
Current exam booklets are listed on our web site at www.arrl.org/vec-exam-booklets. Field Stocked VEs should check this
page periodically to make sure they have the proper exam designs.

========================================================================

VEC Exam Maker Software Update

The new Element 4 Extra class question pool is available in the VE
Exam Maker exam generating software.

Exam Maker Instructions

Exam Maker should automatically prompt users to check for Software
updates.

If not, select "Update" and then "Check for Software Updates" from the
menu.

Check YES to update to Exam Maker version V 1.51.

In Exam Maker from the menu bar, select "Update", and then "Update
Exam Data". A log-in area will appear on screen.

Next, type your call sign in the "ARRL/VEC Username" box AND in the
"Password" box.

Then click the "Execute" button. It will only take several seconds
for all the question pool files to download.

The screen must read "Exam Database Initialized" when the task is
complete for the question pools to be revised to the most up-to-date
pools for exam generation.

The New Extra class question pool (2020-2024) will be available for
use for exams starting July 1.

The current Extra question pool (2016-2020) will be available only
until June 30.

========================================================================

Plastic Grading Templates - REMINDER

Officially Field Stocked teams must keep your supply of the BLUE
plastic overlay grading templates used to grade the exams. The
plastic templates should never be thrown away, or destroyed when
new exam versions are introduced and shipped.

A New KEY For Templates (paper instructions) for the plastic grading
templates has been updated, and shipped with your new Extra exams,
to let you know how to match up the plastic templates with the new
exam designs.

========================================================================

Our Sincere Thanks

In the last few months, we've all had to navigate unprecedented
challenges that we never imagined we'd be facing. Your understanding, flexibility, and loyalty, have filled the ARRL VEC, with immense
gratitude.

We thank you for your flexibility in embracing a new way to remotely
deliver examinations to the public, and are grateful for your
understanding, and your adjustment to these changes quickly.

As we are grappling with an issue of enormous scale and human impact,
we want to assure you that we are here offering support every step of
the way.

========================================================================

The ARRL VEC Staff is Ready to Serve You

As always, the dedicated VEC staff are here to answer any questions
you may have.

ARRL VEc: (860) 594-0300 (leave message after regular business hours)
Address: ARRL VEC, 225 Main St, Newington CT 06111
Email: VEC@arrl.org
Web: www.arrl.org/volunteer-examiners
ARRL VEC Fax: 860-594-0339

Maria Somma, AB1FM, Manager
Amanda Grimaldi, N1NHL, Assistant Manager
Stephanie Borden W2MAU, Service Representative
Ann Brinius, Service Representative
Lisa Riendeau, Service Representative
Joshua Nance, Service Representative

We thank you for your efforts and interest in the ARRL VEC program.

========================================================================

ARRL VEC VE Newsletter is published by the
American Radio Relay League, Inc. - the national association for Amateur
Radio (R).

Material from the ARRL VE E-Newsletter may be republished or reproduced
in whole or in part in any form without additional permission. Credit
must be given to The American Radio Relay League VEC.

ARRL VEC
225 Main Street
Newington CT 06111 USA

Sincerely,
Maria Somma, AB1FM - VEC Manager / Editor
ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio ®
225 Main Street
Newington, CT 06111 USA
msomma@arrl.org

========================================================================
--- SBBSecho 3.11-Win32
* Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - tbolt.synchro.net (801:1/2)