Northern KentuckyIn coordination with the ARRL, the Northern Kentucky Amateur Radio Club is pleased to offer in-person license exams to anyone interested in earning their first license, and to existing license holders who wish to upgrade. Exams sessions are generally scheduled at 5:30 PM on the third Monday of each month. Candidates are welcome to stay for the NKARC general meeting at 7:00 PM. It's a great opportunity to meet other hams from the Tri-State area and to connect with elmers who can answer your questions, whether technical or non-technical.
Exam Location
Bethesda Community Church
989 East Mount Zion Road
Independence, KY 41051
Appointment Required
To attend an exam session you must make an appointment by contacting Mark Volstad at mvolstad@twc.com or 859-991-3906. Walk-ins are not accepted.
What to Bring
A list of what you should and should not bring to the exam session can be found at www.arrl.org/what-to-bring-to-an-exam-session. This information is very important -- make sure you read it! Of primary importance is an FCC Registration Number (FRN). If you do not have an FRN, you will not be able to take an exam. If you are upgrading, you must bring proof of your current license.
Fees
ARRL Exam Session Fee
The ARRL charges an exam session fee of $15, which NKARC collects on their behalf. This fee is reduced to $5 if the candidate is under 18 years of age.
Payment is made at the exam session by cash, check or money order. This fee is not refundable if the candidate fails to pass the exam.
FCC Application Fee
The FCC charges a $35 application fee to all first-time licensees. This fee is paid directly to the FCC. Upon receiving a license application
from the ARRL, the FCC will email a link with payment instructions directly to the candidate. The candidate will have 10 calendar days,
from the date of the application file number being issued, to pay. After the fee is paid, and the FCC has processed an application, examinees will receive a
second email from the FCC with a link to their official license. More information can be found here:
https://www.arrl.org/fcc-application-fee
The ARRL will cover the one-time $35 FCC application fee for new license candidates younger than 18 years of age for tests administered by NKARC. The $35 FCC application fee will be reimbursed after the new license has been issued by the FCC. The reimbursement check will be mailed by the ARRL directly to the fee payer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How can I prepare for the exam?
A. Click on About Amateur Radio on the menu on the left for information about available resources.
Q. Is there an age limit for taking an exam?
A. No.
Q. If I fail an exam, can I immediately re-take it?
A. This is at the discretion of the VE Team Lead. If time allows, re-takes are usually permitted, but the candidate will be required to pay
another $15 fee.
Q. If I pass an exam, can I immediately take the exam for the next highest license class?
A. This is at the discretion of the VE Team Lead. If time permits, and the candidate asserts that they have studied for the higher class license,
the request may be granted. No additional fee is required.
Q. How soon after passing the exam do my new privileges take effect?
A. Exam results are typically uploaded to the ARRL the same day the exam is passed. The ARRL usually takes one or two business days to process
the results before uploading to the FCC. The examinee's license data should appear in the FCC database
(https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/universal-licensing-system)
within a few hours after that. If you are a new licensee, you will first have to pay the FCC application fee (see "Fees" above).
Q. Can you accomodate my special needs?
A. The NKARC VE team endeavors to accomodate those with special needs. Please provide details in advance.
Q. Do you offer remote (Zoom) exams?
A. Not at the present time.
Q. Can I hold an amateur radio license if I have been convicted of a felony?
A. It depends. Be prepared to submit a statement explaining the circumstances to the FCC directly. They treat each case individually.
More information can be found at https://www.arrl.org/fcc-qualification-question.
Contact
If you have a question that is not covered above, please reeach out to the NKARC VE Team Lead, Mark Volstad, at mvolstad@twc.com or 859-991-3906.