For those who are active VEs, is it generally worthwhile?
Becoming a VE
- Thread starter GlobalNorth
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I am not active. But, it is very satisfying to watch someone come into a test session apprehensive about the test and then leave with a smile on their face and a signed-off CSCE.
Being a VE is all about paying it forward.
Being a VE is all about paying it forward.
nd5y
Member
Only you can decide that.
I became a VE with the local W5YI team when I got my Extra Class in 1988 then quit a few years later because of some issues that started happening at the time.
ka1njl
Member
I thoroughly enjoyed my seven years as a VE and I have many fond memories of seeing people leaving with a simile on their face because they passed their exam. When I had a conflict with an unreasonable VEC it was time to stop.
When I retired I took the ARRL VE exam...only to find out the ARRL is not the most prominent VE program. Sadly I've never functioned as a VE and now with online testing the norm I may never! But the folks who do it, love it! The XYL of a fellow I Elmered has tested several hundred folks in the past year or so...
I am an ARRL, W5YI, and Laurel VE. I thoroughly enjoy each and every VE session that I participate in. It's my way of giving back to the Ham Radio Community for the 53 years that I have been a Ham Radio Operator. I'm still on cloud nine happy and proud that I passed my Amateur Extra Class license two years ago. Is it worth it? YOU BET IT IS! I love Ham Radio, and especially being involved with seven radio clubs and keep busy assisting with VE testing in numerous clubs and venues.
W5GX
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I enjoy it. Gives me a chance to give back to the hobby, as I don't get as active as I'd like in Field Day, ARES, etc.
While I don't see as many upgrades as I'd like to, it's good to see some continued interest from the new comers.
Even if you never use it, not a bad "credential".
While I don't see as many upgrades as I'd like to, it's good to see some continued interest from the new comers.
Even if you never use it, not a bad "credential".
Thanks to those who responded.
As I hypothesized, some got shafted by those who treat volunteers as serfs deserving of abuse, some were 'run over' and screwed by the bureaucracy, and some are enthusiastic that they found their place in Amateur radio helping others.
Volunteering these days is a calling and shouldn't be taken for granted by the VECs.
As I hypothesized, some got shafted by those who treat volunteers as serfs deserving of abuse, some were 'run over' and screwed by the bureaucracy, and some are enthusiastic that they found their place in Amateur radio helping others.
Volunteering these days is a calling and shouldn't be taken for granted by the VECs.
I initially went in as an ARRL VE because the group that I planned to volunteer with was an ARRL VE team. However, I have since gotten hooked up with a Laurel VE team. They accepted my ARRL VE credentials without question.
k6cpo
Member
The VE system is evolving. With the massive increase in remote testing because of the pandemic, more and more electronic processing of exams is occurring. The Exam Tools web application is a sea change in the way amateur radio exams hare handled. It reduces the paper workload for everyone involved, from the individual VEs all the way up to each individual VEC.
The problem is that some VEs are unwilling to embrace the change and still insist doing things "the way we've always done it." Those VEs are going to be left behind wondering what happened. I'm running into this in my own experience as I use Exam Tools more and more. It's time for the VE system to move into the 21st century.
The problem is that some VEs are unwilling to embrace the change and still insist doing things "the way we've always done it." Those VEs are going to be left behind wondering what happened. I'm running into this in my own experience as I use Exam Tools more and more. It's time for the VE system to move into the 21st century.
I also wish they would allow anyone who’s a licensed ham at any level to proctor exams (after taking the training to proctor them). I can’t think of any reason why you would need to be a general or extra to proctor those exams.
I would think they would not want you to have access to the answer keys for the exam you would be taking in the future.
True, I never thought of it like that.
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You do know that the question pool is public and the actual (several different) tests are drawn from that pool? And study guides show the entire pool and answers.
Yes I do
But there are only so many test so all someone would have to do is memorize the answer pattern and they could ace the test without ever seeing the questions. Now this could be resolved with randomly generated test/key for each person, either in printer form or on a computer.
k6cpo
Member
You'll have to ask the FCC about that, because it's laid out in the part 97 regulations. It's not something that's come from the NCVEC or the individual VECs.
Consider that at any given test session the VE/VEC will generate at least three sets of questions picked from the entire question pool. The idea is that in an in-person exam no one is sitting near anyone with the same set of questions. Of course if one is taking an on-line test there's no one to 'copy from' so the issue of cheating is moot.
The FCC requires that the VE's be at least General Class and the VEC must be an Extra Class.
W5GX
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Speaking from experience as an ARRL VE - even though the answers are available, the test questions are organized to fit the grading templates as indicated on the booklets. If you have access to the templates, it's not impossible to cheat. That said, though, the same templates are used for all three license class tests; so if you're a general class VE, you have access to the "pool" of templates for extra, too.
I wouldn't argue that answer key access would really be a probable "use case" to argue for the class "minimums" for being a VE.
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