What happens next?

[gcopter1]

Took and passed element 2 on September 9. The examiner said they would mail the results the following Monday . What I didn't hear very well was where they send the results, ARRL or the FCC. Reason I ask is because I thought I read somewhere that nowadays those results could be emailed, thus, accelerating the process. Is this true or I read wrong?


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[n5ims]

Your results will appear on the FCC ULS web site once the results have completed their processing. This may be very quick (perhaps 12 - 24 hours) or way too slow (a week or more) depending on several factors, such as exactly how your VE team is and what their process is, who the VEC they use is and what their process is, shipping delays, and finally the timing the information arrives at the FCC office (holidays, governmental shutdowns, etc., can delay it but often they're pretty quick to do their part). Also if there are any errors in the application (due to you, the VE team, the VEC team, etc.) there may be long delays while they work on correcting the error(s). The good news is that errors at that stage are pretty rare!

The link at the bottom of this post has detail on the process and near the bottom of that page has how you can find what your call sign is and print out your license! Be aware that the FCC will no longer mail (or even e-mail) your license unless you specifically ask them to. The issue is that until you first have a license, there's not a way to ask. The good thing is once your license info is on the FCC ULS web site, you're authorized to print and sign your license and can start using it!

The process is this:

1) You take the test under the VE's watchful eyes.
2) The VE team grades your test. A passing grade allows you to continue down this list.
3) The VE team will provide you a CSCE to certify your passing grade.
4) The VE team will send the test results (among other things) to the VEC (the coordinator for the VE's testing program, generally the ARRL or W5YI, but there are others).
5) The VEC will process the results and sent them off to the FCC for further processing.
6) The FCC will post the new or upgraded license information to their ULS system which will be made available on the FCC ULS system's web site FCC Universal Licensing System (ULS): ULS Home

A better description of the process, complete with web links is here --> FCC: Wireless Services: Amateur Radio Service: Amateur Licensing: Examinations

 

[n5ims]

More info on why the process may be very short at times and way too long others.

The shortest processing will be from the VE teams and VEC groups that have the ability to electronically send the results. This is by no means universal since first off, the VEC must have a process for doing so and the VE team be certified to use that process. Failing the ability to use electronic submissions, the results must be mailed, which adds days for the post office or other service to transport the paperwork from the VE and the VEC. Some allow the applications to be faxed, which saves the shipping time but still must be manually entered. There is also the added time for the VEC to process the paperwork into their system.

Most, if not all, VEC groups will submit the changes to the FCC system electronically. They all have their own checks and processes so it will take some time for them to process the applications, but often once it's in their system it flows pretty quickly. As you might expect, if they have a heavy load of applications it will take more time than if there's only a light load.

The FCC's process is pretty quick since it's mostly electronic. There is some hands-on processes so volume can delay it a bit, but generally not by very much. What will cause delays is those governmental shutdowns, where everything that's not essential stops dead in their tracks until the politicians stop fighting over whatever they're fighting about and get things moving again.

Errors are what can really stop things in their tracks. Most often it's something simple but many VE teams don't really have much of a process to check for rejected applications or only meet during testing periods so discovering that an application was rejected may take days. They then have to review the rejection and make the needed corrections and resubmit the application. Like I said earlier, errors are rare so don't worry too much about them. Often it's that the form wasn't filled out correctly with issues like the state was part of the city field, not in the state field or some such nonsense. Rarely it's something that they need to contact the applicant for (like a missing SSN) which should've been caught during the testing session, but this does happen.

 

[gcopter1]

From what I recall on test day, it seems it'll be a while before I get my call sign. I'd be surprised if it is on the database this Friday (crossing fingers). Didn't knew the VEC team had to send the results to ARRL, thought, I heard wrong when the VE said it, and in my mind I was like "NOOO!" another hurdle; snail mail +ARRL+FCC, yeah, my call sign is getting back to me on a slow boat from China.

n5ims, very informative reply, thank you very much!

 

[n5ims]

Just keep searching the ULS web site. It may be there when you least expect it! You should check at least once each evening since the FCC generally posts their final daily updates prior to the end of their business day.

 

[gcopter1]

Just keep searching the ULS web site. It may be there when you least expect it! You should check at least once each evening since the FCC generally posts their final daily updates prior to the end of their business day.

I did gave my email address, wouldn't the FCC notify me first when the call sign is in the data base?


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[SteveC0625]

I did gave my email address, wouldn't the FCC notify me first when the call sign is in the data base?

As much as that would seem to be the logical thing for the FCC to do, they don't. This whole system got built piece meal over the years and notifying the licensee was not one of the pieces!

Keep checking. Mine showed on the Monday after I tested, but examiners where I am send the results electronically the same night as the test so it only took a few days. And they don't process on Saturdays or Sundays which really slows things down.

Look at it this way, even if it takes a few extra days, you're not waiting 3 to 6 weeks for the printed copy to show up in the mail which was normal in years gone by. Be patient, grasshopper.

 

[AC2OY]

My VE team mailed my 605 in,I think it took less than two weeks for my call to be in the database?

 

[k6cpo]

As far as I know, all 14 VECs submit their results to the FCC in an electronic batch file. The bottle neck in the system is between the VE Team that actually administers the examination and their corresponding VEC. Some VE Teams have to send their results to their VEC via the US Postal Service while others, like mine, can send the results via e-mail. Another bottleneck can occur at the VEC level depending on the volume of items received and how many people actually work on it.

I have two Tech examinations to administer tomorrow, a normal scheduled weekend session with four registered candidates (although there might be walk-ins) in the morning and a class of 30 individuals in the evening. I will scan the results of both examinations and send pdf files to my VEC via e-mail. If the VEC gets the batch files completed and sent before the end of the weekend, the results of both examinations will be in the FCC ULS Monday morning.

 

[gcopter1]

Been checking ...no joy. Guess I will have it in time for my birthday next week. Thank you all for the replies.


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[AK9R]

...yeah, my call sign is getting back to me on a slow boat from China.

You young whipper-snappers.

I took my Technician test in mid-February 1991. Got my license, in the mail, in late-March 1991. Checking for your license online? Unheard of just 25 years ago.

I know. Times have changed. You don't want to hear about the old days. Our world moves faster now. Unfortunately, not all of our systems and process have caught up with the modern world.

Some VECs allow their teams to submit test results through a web interface to the VEC and the data is uploaded by the VEC to the FCC in a batch within a day or two. Some VECs want to see all the test paperwork from their VE teams before they upload to the FCC which means waiting for the paperwork to be mailed. I'm not going to comment on which way is better because they all have their pros and cons.

I bet you are going to use one of them transistorized radios to talk in FM on VHF. Yeah, that's a dig at generations older than mine.

 

[gcopter1]

You young whipper-snappers.

I took my Technician test in mid-February 1991. Got my license, in the mail, in late-March 1991. Checking for your license online? Unheard of just 25 years ago.

I know. Times have changed. You don't want to hear about the old days. Our world moves faster now. Unfortunately, not all of our systems and process have caught up with the modern world.

I bet you are going to use one of them transistorized radios to talk in FM on VHF. Yeah, that's a dig at generations older than mine.

If I wanted it this bad, I should've gotten off my lazy butt and tested years ago when I gotten my hands on the "now you're talking" book from Radio Shack. I was so sure I was going to that I bought a Yaesu hand held and programmed a bunch of frequencies and listened to tons of people talking. I don't remember what happened on why I didn't went to test.This was, I believe, back in the early 2000's.

I'm a 53 year old "whipper-snapper"

 

[gewecke]

If I wanted it this bad, I should've gotten off my lazy butt and tested years ago when I gotten my hands on the "now you're talking" book from Radio Shack. I was so sure I was going to that I bought a Yaesu hand held and programmed a bunch of frequencies and listened to tons of people talking. I don't remember what happened on why I didn't went to test.This was, I believe, back in the early 2000's.

I'm a 53 year old "whipper-snapper"

I'm 55. Welcome to the age of Procrastination! . 73, n9zas

 

[russellmaher]

Congrats to you gcopter1. I know how nerve wracking it is waiting to see your call sign appear on the FCC website, but be patient, it will show up.

I think I spent a lifetime (at least that's how it seemed) watching for it, and then it finally appeared.

My wife said I paced the floor like I was expecting another child. I don't remember that!

Russell

 

[gcopter1]

Congrats to you gcopter1. I know how nerve wracking it is waiting to see your call sign appear on the FCC website, but be patient, it will show up.



I think I spent a lifetime (at least that's how it seemed) watching for it, and then it finally appeared.



My wife said I paced the floor like I was expecting another child. I don't remember that!



Russell

Yes, indeed, lol!


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[gcopter1]

Got it today!!! KM4WSQ.

 

[KR3LC]

You young whipper-snappers.

I took my Technician test in mid-February 1991. Got my license, in the mail, in late-March 1991. Checking for your license online? Unheard of just 25 years ago.

I know. Times have changed. You don't want to hear about the old days. Our world moves faster now. Unfortunately, not all of our systems and process have caught up with the modern world.

Some VECs allow their teams to submit test results through a web interface to the VEC and the data is uploaded by the VEC to the FCC in a batch within a day or two. Some VECs want to see all the test paperwork from their VE teams before they upload to the FCC which means waiting for the paperwork to be mailed. I'm not going to comment on which way is better because they all have their pros and cons.

I bet you are going to use one of them transistorized radios to talk in FM on VHF. Yeah, that's a dig at generations older than mine.

For 1991 that seems pretty quick. I got my Technician license April 1992 after testing in January 1992. Man, that was a long wait. The VE team I volunteer with can usually see results in 36 hours from testing these days.

Rick-KR3LC

 

[N9JCQ]

Congrats!

 

[russellmaher]

Congratulations KM4WSQ!

Welcome to the world of ham radio.

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[gcopter1]

Congratulations KM4WSQ!

Welcome to the world of ham radio.

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Thanks! Haven't gotten my first QSO yet, but, hey, I'm just happy I've got my call sign. Been laboriously programming that into my radios and DMR id #.


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