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Contact Us:
Our Examiners are all volunteers, not employees. This is not a business, so we do not provide instant responses via email or phone. To reach us, please email the address provided at the bottom of each page. Given that our volunteers have regular jobs, responses may take up to 24 hours, excluding holidays or system outages.
Please refrain from contacting us or the FCC about your license status until ten business days have passed. For quick answers, refer to our FAQ section. Additionally, some of our retired members actively monitor our Facebook Group and can assist with questions there. Use the Facebook button on the Home Page to join the group.
Radio Exam Protocol
The Exam Manager will read the PROTOCOL for ONLINE Exams:
- Protocol for Online Exams: (Read this now. The Exam Manager will read it to you again at the start of the exam.) (*Parent or guardian of a child candidate must be present for the rules and answer questions.)
- You must complete the test without any interruptions that would raise suspicion about the integrity of the testing environment.
- You are asked to complete the exam within your assigned 15-minute time block, which is more than enough time for most candidates.
- You agree to keep attention on your computer screen at all times. Eyes may not wander to other parts of the room and you may not leave your seat during the exam session.
- You are not allowed to read the questions or answers out-loud. You cannot talk to yourself. Mouthing the words even if no sound is coming out, is talking to yourself.
- Please remove any drinks, snacks, or anything else from around your testing area that might distract you.
- You may not have visitors or pets in the room during the exam and after exam, so please close and lock the doors.
- You will use your cell phone camera to scan the room to show that there is nothing that could aid in taking the exam.
- Then you will place your cell phone, so it views you, your keyboard, and both hands during the exam.
- You will NOT be able to use scrap paper, manual calculators, or any other kind of assistance, however, if you wish, you may pre-load an on-screen calculator app. Do you want to use a calculator app? Make sure you have closed all of your browsers, email, and notes (THEY MUST BE QUIT COMPLETELY), the only thing that should be open now, is your calculator app and the zoom app!
- You must agree to share your entire screen with the exam team, not just the browser. Do you agree to share your screen?
- You must agree that the exam session will be recorded and stored for up to 30 days in case of any question about a possible breach of exam protocol. Do you agree to be recorded?
- You must agree that if the Exam Team suspects a possibility of cheating, the exam may be terminated and the exam fee forfeited, and you would be barred from taking future online exams. Do you agree?
At this point the Exam Manager will follow this procedure:
- The Exam Manager will ask you to show your picture ID, front and back, in the camera until every examiner can verify your identity.
- The Exam Manager will now turn on the recorder to record your screen, your web cam, and your phone camera view.
- The Exam Manager will ask you to use your phone camera and step back to show the computer and workspace, scan around the room, including walls and floor, under table and chair, under laptop and keyboard, with a closeup of the computer, keyboard, hands, and arms.
- The Exam Manager will ask you to leave the phone on and propped up at a distance aimed toward the computer, so that it can view you, your hands, and the computer.
- The Exam Manager will ask you to share via Zoom your full desktop, not just a browser window. You do this by selecting the green “SHARE SCREEN” button at the bottom center of the screen followed by selecting the blue “SHARE” button in the bottom right corner of the pop-up window.
- The Exam Manager will ask you to load and arrange a browser window in the middle of the screen (the exam questions are only 4 inches wide) and optionally position a calculator app next to it, and show that the calculator memory is clear.
- The Exam Manager will ask you to open your “Display Settings” to verify that there is only one video session running.
- The Exam Manager will ask you to type in the browser address field an address to load the exam engine. The Exam Manager will ask you to click on “JOIN EXAM SESSION”.
- The Exam Manager will ask you to enter the session manager’s call sign and your 4-digit exam code. The Session Callsign is KJ4PJE.
- The Exam Manager will remotely give credentials to access an exam session. Please verify your name, address, and phone number at this point. After the exam, any changes will result in voiding the exam. Changes can only be made at this point.
- Please verify your name, address, and phone number at this point. After the exam, any changes will result in voiding the exam. Changes can be made only at this point.
- The Exam Manager will tell you that when you finish the exam to press the Grade Exam button at the bottom of the page or the top right corner.
- The Exam Manager will ask you to keep your attention on the screen and keep your camera and microphone on.
- All Exam Team members now shut off their video and microphones. The exam will now begin. You can shortcut to the next question by pressing the RIGHT ARROW KEY on your keyboard.
- When you finish, press the Grade Exam button, and your score will show. We are unable to show which specific questions you missed.
- Now the Exam Manager will ask you to click Finish and Sign Forms button, then verify your name and address on the screen, then electronically sign your name at the bottom to complete your exam application and CSCE.
- You will now click the Finish Session button.
- Then click the LOGOUT button.
- The Exam Manager now turns OFF the recorder and releases your shared screen.
- The Exam Manager will email you the Certificate of Successful Completion of Exam (CSCE) within 48 hours.
- The Exam Manager will explain that your exam application and scores will be uploaded electronically this evening, so your license will appear in the FCC database within about 5-7 working days.
- The Exam Manager will encourage you to join a local radio club for further learning opportunities.
- The Exam Manager will encourage you to join the American Radio Relay League, ARRL.ORG, for further learning opportunities and to support amateur radio on the national level.
- The Exam Manager will explain how to reach out to PARC or AUARC for any questions regarding exams and additional training. We strongly recommend certain types of training and are willing to offer options upon request. There are many courses offered in person and online and not all are the same. For online, we highly recommend New England Sci-Tec and can provide a referral if needed.
- You are now free to leave the session. Click the red button in the bottom right corner of your screen that displays the word, “LEAVE”. (The Exam Manager may disconnect the candidate from the session.)
Contact Us:
Our Examiners are all volunteers, not employees. This is not a business, so we do not provide instant responses via email or phone. To reach us, please email the address provided at the bottom of each page. Given that our volunteers have regular jobs, responses may take up to 24 hours, excluding holidays or system outages.
Please refrain from contacting us or the FCC about your license status until ten business days have passed. For quick answers, refer to our FAQ section. Additionally, some of our retired members actively monitor our Facebook Group and can assist with questions there. Use the Facebook button on the Home Page to join the group.