You can stop looking for Advanced, the class was eliminated and licenses grandfathered to Extra years ago.
Question -- for eveyone.
- Thread starter KC0KM
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IowaGuy1603
Member
Nope...........not correct
Look up WA9ENA----he is an ADVANCED..................
The class was not eliminated....any Advanced Class operators remained Advanced Class and can renew as an Advanced Class.
The Class is just closed for NEW licenses.
That restructuring happened in 2000-------------Dale WA9ENA renewed his Advanced license in 2003
KCØLGB
Technician 2001
General 2011
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KC0KM
Member
Agreed -- as a matter of fact, one of the members of my radio club was Advanced, until he took the Extra test (three more are still Advanced). However -- many of the Tech+ where grandfathered in to General. If an (current) Advanced wanted to get a Vanity they could only get (besides 2x3, and 1x3) a 2x2, and not a 1x2 or 2x1 call.
IowaGuy1603
Member
Yes---the Advanced operator I noted is a member of my club...............actually we have probably 10 Advanced Class operators in my COUNTY.
I don't know if they were able to automatic upgrades in 2000----but obviously many did not
KR4BD
Member
The ONLY WAY an Advanced Class amateur could become an Extra Class was to take AND pass the Extra Class written test. I was an Advanced Class in April of 2000 when the rule changed. I had to pass the Extra Written test to move up. NO Advanced hams were merely grandfathered up to Extra Class even though there were many of them asking the FCC to permit this. It was never approved by the FCC.
To this day, I know several operators who proudly retain their Advanced Class licenses. Why? They all passed the 13 WPM code test. EVERY ADVANCED licensee has passed the old 13 WPM code test.
Now that there is no code requirement, Today's Extras can be of FOUR types code wise: No Code, 5WPM, 13 WPM or the ORIGINAL Extra with 20 WPM....
To this day, I know several operators who proudly retain their Advanced Class licenses. Why? They all passed the 13 WPM code test. EVERY ADVANCED licensee has passed the old 13 WPM code test.
Now that there is no code requirement, Today's Extras can be of FOUR types code wise: No Code, 5WPM, 13 WPM or the ORIGINAL Extra with 20 WPM....
Tech - 1991
General - 1995
Extra - 2005
Currently studying for FCC GROL ... just because!
General - 1995
Extra - 2005
Currently studying for FCC GROL ... just because!
w2xq
Mentor
Lobstah_Guy
Member
Novice 1969
Tech 1971
General 1977
Advanced 1981
Extra 1986
Tech 1971
General 1977
Advanced 1981
Extra 1986
I'm quite certain that there was a short period of time, several months maybe, where an Advanced could upgrade merely by filing an application - no retesting necessary. I had several friends who upgraded that way. There was a definite deadline, and those who missed the deadline had to take the written test, but obviously no code test at that point.
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jhooten
Member
Nope. I would have done it. I heard the rumors, watched for the announcement. and had the paperwork ready to file. Never happened.
KR4BD
Member
NOPE! This did NOT happen LEGALLY, anyway. When the rules changed, Advanced operators COULD become an EXTRA only IF they had a valid CSCE for passing the written EXTRA CLASS test. That means they would have had to have PASSED the EXTRA written element within a year before April 15, 2000 when the rules were changed. There were NO auto upgrades from Advanced to Extra without having that CSCE OR passing the new element 4 test when the rules changed.
I do agree that many Advanced ops thought they should be upgraded without passing the Extra written test, but the FCC said no to this. If any VE teams DID upgrade anyone who did not have the proper CSCE or who did not pass the Extra written test, they did so improperly.
I have been a VE since 1993 and was very aware of what the new rules stated.
Hmmm... I'd sure like a second opinion on that. I distinctly recall that the FCC had a brief provision for Advanced amateurs to upgrade without any sort of additional test. It was for a very brief time, and I know a few people who took advantage of it. I don't recall that they went through a VEC, either, but filed directly with the FCC.
Of course, this makes sense... so, what the heck is it I'm remembering about all those folks just sending in paper to upgrade, and it HAD to be done prior to a specific date?
My recollection was, this didn't require VEC intervention.
I understand... and I'm not intending to argue. I just have a very vivid memory of a specific set of circumstances, and you're not helping! :lol:
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KR4BD
Member
What you MAY be thinking of was the fact that any Technicians licensed before 1987, and who could prove it, could become General Class licensees by merely filling out a 605 Form and paying the VEC to process the automatic upgrade. The was done because prior to 1987, Technicians AND Generals had to take the same written test. Generals had to also pass a 13 WPM code test and Techs (prior to 1987) only had to pass a 5 WPM code test. When the code requirement was dropped to 5 WPM for Extras and totally eliminated for other classes in April, 2000, it was only fair that the old (or grandfathered) Techs had passed equally difficult exam elements as the Generals. You see, beginning in 1987, the Tech and General tests were separated. Before that, BOTH classes took the same test.
I know it is confusing. Here's a illustration of this: My wife was originally licensed in 1979 as a Tech. She had to pass the SAME written test as Generals back then AND pass 5 WPM of code at that time. As a result of the code requirements being eliminated (and reduced for Extras) in April 2000, she now had previously passed the same requirements that Generals were required to pass. Thusly, she became a General in 2000 after merely filing a 605 form and paying the $10 fee to the VEC.
The 5 wpm code was later dropped for Extra around 2006 or so...making all licenses "No Code".
I hope this helps explain this.
I know it is confusing. Here's a illustration of this: My wife was originally licensed in 1979 as a Tech. She had to pass the SAME written test as Generals back then AND pass 5 WPM of code at that time. As a result of the code requirements being eliminated (and reduced for Extras) in April 2000, she now had previously passed the same requirements that Generals were required to pass. Thusly, she became a General in 2000 after merely filing a 605 form and paying the $10 fee to the VEC.
The 5 wpm code was later dropped for Extra around 2006 or so...making all licenses "No Code".
I hope this helps explain this.
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It may have been a combination of that and this:
http://www.finitesite.com/wetnoodle/4152000.html
I have no clue what that website is, but read #9. Apparently, the deal was that you could take 1 test element from the old style test, and upgrade. After the deadline, it was the new test and, I guess, the whole thing.
It's not what people were talking about at the time, but it's all I can find, and the timing is right.
KR4BD
Member
If you read item 9 carefully, you will see that you had a brief chance to take the "old" version of the Extra written test before all the rules changed in 2000. If you passed it before April 15, 2000, you would receive a CSCE (proof of passing certificate) for passing the (old) Extra written test which could be turned in on April 15, 2000 to a VEC for an Extra license. You also had to pay the VEC fee when you did this. So, to recap....You still had to Pass an Extra written test to get the Extra license if you were an Advanced class. After April 15, 2000 a New Extra test was implemented.
There were NEVER, EVER any "automatic" upgrades from Advanced to Extra without testing.
There were NEVER, EVER any "automatic" upgrades from Advanced to Extra without testing.
bob-the-scanner-man
Member
I became a Tech on 8/12/2011. Hoping to test for my General at about the same time this year, so August 2012.
w8mkh
Member
Novice 1980
worked up to Extra some years ago
worked up to Extra some years ago
brumey
CFO (Chief Fix-It Officer)
1979 - Tech equivalent in UK (G1MOH)
1991 - Tech
2008 - General
2009 - Extral
Unfortunatelly no code but might look into the GROL.
Kevin
1991 - Tech
2008 - General
2009 - Extral
Unfortunatelly no code but might look into the GROL.
Kevin
W2IBC
Member
tech in 2000
general in 2011
not sure if ill ever upgrade to extra. i just happened to have the $15 to do the upgrade test in 2011.
general in 2011
not sure if ill ever upgrade to extra. i just happened to have the $15 to do the upgrade test in 2011.
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