FCC turnaround time was pretty quick
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TailGator911
Silent Key/KF4ANC
Congrats and welcome to the world of amateur radio, where the fun begins and the spending never ends! 
n5ims
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It basically depends on the VEC group your VE is affiliated with. Some do things quite fast while others take the slow route. Several of the groups that do online testing (and once they go to in person testing will bring that technology along) have things where the testing is graded by the testing system (and independently verified by the 3 VEs that sign the 605) all required documents signed (electronically), collected, and saved for the testing session to be finished. Once everything is completed (and verified by the lead VE who electronically signs of on the session), it's packaged up and electronically filed with the VEC agency. That VEC will then verify that everything is there and correct and then file it electronically with the FCC. The FCC processes the batch and assuming that everything is good will quickly post the results into the ULS system and send out the emails to those that passed. Since the VEC accepts electronic filing of the session information, there's no delay depending on if they're in the office or working from home.
Other VECs take a different route. All paperwork must be assembled, checked, inventoried manually, packaged and then mailed (via USPS) to the VEC agency. Once the package arrives it is opened (perhaps after a 14 day quarantine period, but generally not) and the paperwork is manually checked and if everything looks good, the paperwork is manually entered into their system for an additional review. Once that further review is done and if things still look good, their system will electronically file the information with the FCC (now that the FCC requires applications be filed electronically, prior to that they would print out the documents and send them to the FCC via the USPS). At that point, things are fast with the FCC validating that all looks good and quickly post the results into the ULS and send out the emails to those that passed. With COVID protocols in place there may be additional delays while the mailed in packages are then forwarded to those working remotely from home so they can process the work and then forward it back for further processing (if process required).
Other VECs take a different route. All paperwork must be assembled, checked, inventoried manually, packaged and then mailed (via USPS) to the VEC agency. Once the package arrives it is opened (perhaps after a 14 day quarantine period, but generally not) and the paperwork is manually checked and if everything looks good, the paperwork is manually entered into their system for an additional review. Once that further review is done and if things still look good, their system will electronically file the information with the FCC (now that the FCC requires applications be filed electronically, prior to that they would print out the documents and send them to the FCC via the USPS). At that point, things are fast with the FCC validating that all looks good and quickly post the results into the ULS and send out the emails to those that passed. With COVID protocols in place there may be additional delays while the mailed in packages are then forwarded to those working remotely from home so they can process the work and then forward it back for further processing (if process required).
Congrats!
k6cpo
Member
Seven days is slow. With the electronic testing programs that are now available, there is no reason why a batch file shouldn't reach the FCC the same day the exam is administered. Assuming the FCC ULS is updating normally, the issuing of the license shouldn't take longer that a couple of days (over a weekend) or even the same day if the exam is given on a weekday and the file is submitted before the close of working hours at the FCC.
k6cpo
Member
Just stating the reality... In this age of instant communication, some VECs still insist on doing it the old way.
Some VECs insist on having paid staff members review the applications instead of pushing that task off on a cadre of un-paid volunteers.
I can see the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches. I haven't volunteered at an ARRL VE session in years. OTOH, I have volunteered at a few Laurel VEC sessions within the past year. With Laurel, it seems that the VE team leader spends a lot of time with his nose buried in the computer.
I can see the advantages and disadvantages of both approaches. I haven't volunteered at an ARRL VE session in years. OTOH, I have volunteered at a few Laurel VEC sessions within the past year. With Laurel, it seems that the VE team leader spends a lot of time with his nose buried in the computer.
Seven days is slow? My first license, in the old days, took about 8 weeks. No computer look ups. You could not transmit until you had the paper license in your hands.
Congratulations and welcome to amateur radio.
Congratulations and welcome to amateur radio.
n5ims
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I would say that 7 days is pretty slow now days. Like you, my first license took a very long time (and of course, it seamed even longer), about 3 - 4 months from taking the test to getting the license in the mail. My first upgrade also took about the same time (everything was postal mail and manual processing, although the license appeared to be printed on a mainframe computer). My next upgrade was much quicker, but still took a week and a half from doing the paperwork with the VE to the upgrade showing up on the FCC web site (the printed license arrived about a week after that). For my last upgrade, I tested at 6:15 PM and was done by 7 and the upgrade was posted on the FCC web site by 2 PM the next day (it may have been there earlier but that's the first time I checked). This last upgrade was several years ago when most groups still weren't doing electronic filing with the VEC groups. I was lucky to have the VE team that was one of the first certified to file electronically with the VEC. That VEC also was one of the first to do mostly electronic filing with the FCC but that was several years prior to my upgrade.
The VE team at our local hamfest made arrangements with their VEC group that had a booth at the hamfest to bring the paperwork to their booth every half hour on Friday when the FCC was open and they'd process it, file it, and print out the new licenses or upgrades for them to be picked up at the booth that very day (often 1 - 2 hours after passing their test). Any paperwork not delivered by the FCC's upload deadline wouldn't be processed by the FCC until the next business day. The VEC Group would continue to process and upload the paperwork even when the FCC office would no longer process the uploads so those testers would be first in line for processing.
I do concur with the congratulations and welcome to the original poster.
k6cpo
Member
Yeah, we all know about the old days, but technology has changed. Some people just refuse to embrace it.
MTS2000des
5B2_BEE00 Czar
I get a chuckle when people refer to turnaround time being "so long" for a new license application taking a couple of weeks. In 1986, my novice license too SIX MONTHS to get after taking (and passing) the exam. Granted, the VE system was pretty new. But back then, the FCC did everything on paper and it took sweet time.
There were quite a few surprised Technicians and Generals who took their exams Friday and Saturday mornings while at the Dayton Hamvention in Zenia, OH several years ago. Had their callsigns by 1500 EST the same day!
KB2GOM
Active Member
The problem with instant gratification is that it is not good enough anymore.
(unrelated) The problem with doing nothing is you don't know when you're done. (just sayin')
(unrelated) The problem with doing nothing is you don't know when you're done. (just sayin')
MTS2000des
5B2_BEE00 Czar
Yep. Part of the process is respecting the process. Today folks are so accustomed (and indoctrinated) to believe that tapping a screen and something magically appears is the way it's supposed to be and has always been. Problem is it that's not how the world really works.
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