RARS Wrapped Up Its Third License Class Since COVID

The Raleigh Amateur Radio Society teaches in-person licensing classes several times a year. Following on the successes of our Technician licensing classes in 2024, RARS offered another class for the entry-level amateur radio license starting at the end of January 2025.

Classes ran from 8:30 am to 12:35 pm on three consecutive Saturdays—January 25, February 1, and February 8—at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 7000 Creedmoor Road, Raleigh. Instruction was based on the material in the ARRL Ham Radio License Manual, 5th Edition, available from the American Radio Relay League (you don't need to be a member to buy from the ARRL).

Keep an eye on this page for announcements of future classes. Please contact Denny Oestreich, the RARS Education Director, OestreichD@AOL.com, if you are interested in attending. And as always, you do NOT need to be a member of RARS to take our classes or attend our testing sessions.

Exams Conducted by the RARS VE Team

Amateur radio licenses in the United States are issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), but the examinations are administered by teams of licensed amateur radio operators who have been accredited as Volunteer Examiners (VEs) by a Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (VEC). The RARS Volunteer Examiners are accredited through the Laurel VEC.

The RARS VE Team conducts exams on the fourth Tuesday of even–numbered months (February, April, June, August, October, and December) prior to the RARS Gathering at the Ridge Road Baptist Church, 2011 Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC 27607. You do not need to be a RARS member to test with us.

• If The Gathering is canceled for any reason, such as a conflict with a holiday, there won't be an exam session, either.
• Pre-registration is strongly encouraged and may be done on this page. Make sure you are selecting the 6:00 PM–7:30 PM session on the date of The Gathering. Note that the location listed for the February 25, 2025, testing session is incorrect. The correct location for all pre-Gathering testing sessions is the Ridge Road Baptist Church, 2011 Ridge Road, Raleigh, NC 27607.
• Exams begin at 6:00 PM so exam applicants may attend the RARS Gathering after they complete their exams.
• If you have any questions, messagethe RARS VE Chair.

The RARS VE Team also conducts exams at the annual RARSfest and Cary Swapfest events. For hamfest exam sessions, see the appropriate hamfest webpage, flier, or other publicity information for information about the test session.

FCC Requirements

Fees

License exams administered by Laurel VEC examiners, including RARS, are free. However, once you pass a test that results in the grant of a new license, you are required to pay a $35 fee to the U.S. Department of the Treasury before the license will be issued. Information on how to pay this fee will be given to successful applicants at the test session and will also be sent by email from the FCC to directly to the applicant. (Note that changes to an existing license, including upgrades and changes of address, do not result in a new license being granted, so no fee is charged.)

FRN

You must have a FCC Registration Number (FRN) before you can take any license examination. If you are already licensed, you already have a FRN; it's on your copy of your license. If you do not have a FRN, you must apply for one on-line, directly from the FCC. This page explains how to obtain a FRN. While you may apply for a FRN at the test session, it is highly advisable to obtain it in advance of the session, as the FCC website is often down for maintenance during non-business hours and on weekends, which is when we administer most of our exams.

Other Required Information

In addition to the FRN and your name, address, and call sign (if any), you must provide your email address and daytime phone number. All correspondence with the FCC, including issuing licenses and disseminating information on collection of fees, is done via email. Also, problems with processing your application can be expedited by contacting you by phone using the number you provide.

Other Exam Sessions Given in the Area

There are several other VE teams operating in the area, so exam opportunities are available throughout the year. To locate exam sessions that are convenient for your location and schedule, go to the ARRL's license exam search page. There you will find sessions being conducted by both RARS and other VE teams.