ARLA/CLUSTER: Exames para radioamadores continuam nos E. U. A. apesar do encerramento parcial dos serviços públicos

[João Costa > CT1FBF]

Ham radio exams continue despite partial Fed shutdown

The Cleveland Daily Banner newspaper reports amateur radio license
examinations are to continue during the partial Federal Government
shutdown

The story says:

Amateur Radio license examinations given by the Cleveland Amateur
Radio Club will resume as scheduled on Saturday, despite the current
federal government shutdown.

That announcement was made jointly by CARC President Steve Weber
KA4ELN and Jack McCarty WA5CHJ, who oversees the club’s license
testing program.

The Federal Communications Commission on Dec. 31 announced a stoppage
of most functions effective at midday on Jan. 3. Employees that
process amateur radio licenses are among those furloughed.

Weber said “the normal process is for our team of volunteer examiners
to submit test papers to the American Radio Relay League. They forward
details of those successful in a test session to the FCC.”

The ARRL is one of 16 volunteer examiner coordinators designated by
the FCC to conduct license examinations in the U.S. Test sessions are
administered by amateurs in their local communities under the guidance
of a VEC.

Until the federal government has Congressional funding restored
paperwork from testing sessions will be submitted to the ARRL VEC but
cannot be processed beyond that point.

On the ARRL’s website, VEC Manager Maria Somma said in such
situations, the FCC website goes offline, which includes the Universal
Licensing System and the registration system known as CORES.

“This means all electronic license transactions would stop,” Somma
said. “FRN registrations would be unavailable and even the search
engines would be unavailable.”

Weber said anyone passing the examination for a new license will have
to wait until things are back to normal for the FCC to assign their
call sign. During the interim they would not be able to use
frequencies assigned to the amateur radio service.

Read the full story at
http://clevelandbanner.com/stories/amateur-radio-license-examinations-to-continue-during-government-shutdown,92594