WHEN: Typically before each regular club meeting (except May/November for auction meetings) -- check the club calendar here for dates TIME: 6:00pm - 7:00pm WHERE: Norman P Murray Community Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Mission Viejo COST: $15 per attempt
Pre-registration is not required and you don’t need to be a SOARA member to take the test.
What to Bring to an Exam Session
1. A government issued photo ID (driver’s license, passport, etc).
2. When no photo ID is available, two forms of identification must be presented: non-photo ID/driver’s license, birth certificate (must have the appropriate seal), social security card, library card, or utility bill, bank statement or other business correspondence that specifically names the person; or a postmarked envelope addressed to the person at his or her current mailing address as it appears on the Form 605.
3. Minors may bring any of the above items and/or a school ID, minor’s work permit, report card, or a legal guardian may present a photo ID.
4. If applicable, bring either the original and a photocopy of your current Amateur Radio license, or the original(s) and photocopy(s) of any Certificates of Successful Completion of Examination (CSCE) you may hold from previous exam sessions. If your license has already been issued by FCC, the CSCE showing license credit is not needed. The photocopy(s) will not be returned. You may also Email them to K6UVR@SOARA.ORG along with your FRN and name (as enrolled with the your FRN).
5. A calculator with the memory erased and formulas cleared is allowed. Slide rules and logarithmic tables are acceptable, as long as they’re free of notes and formulas. Cell phone must be silenced or turned off during the exam session and the phones’ calculator function may not be used. In addition, iPhones, iPads, Android tablets, smartphones, Blackberry devices and all similar electronic devices with a calculator capability, may not be used. No written notes or calculations may be brought into the exam session.
HOW DO I TAKE AN EXAM?
1. THIS LINK has shortcuts for registering with the FCC, paying the ARRL exam fee, and taking your exam.
2. Register on the FCC’s Universal Licensing System to create your FCC Registration Number (FRN) and have this information handy. The FRN identifies you uniquely to the FCC, and is used on the exam paperwork. We are required by the FCC to submit either your FRN(Preferred), with SSN as backup with your license application form. For instructions on how to register your SSN with the FCC and receive a FRN, visit the FCC’s registration instructions page
3. Pay ARRL exam testing fee of $15 per attempt in advance using the link in step 6 after registering for the exam session
4. Once you have your FRN, and have paid the test fee, search HERE for a test session and sign up as early as possible, as sessions are now limited to how many can test at the same time.
5. The FCC now offers partial credit for expired General, Advanced or Extra Amateur Radio licenses. A license that has expired and gone beyond the two year grace period will be canceled in the FCC system. The licensee will not automatically qualify for a new license. Previous license holders must take the current 35-question Technician exam (Element 2) at an exam session to return to Amateur Radio. The FCC will issue a new call sign and a new license when the Technician exam is passed. The FCC also offers partial credit for pre-1987 Technician licenses. For rules and instructions on proof required for the partial credit program click here.
HOW DO I TAKE AN EXAM?
Exams are now administered using the ExamTools system, regardless of whether an online or in-person session he held. We have a supply of tablets for testees to use when taking their exams, and also usually have a contactless card reader if you prefer to pay the test fees in person vs. online. If you have further questions after reading this page or would like to do a courtesy registration, please feel free to fill out the contact form below.
Page Last Updated: PT