VEC's difference in OPs

[N6JSX]

This is not a VE Program bash but an observence of some operating differences between VEC programs.

W5YI VEC - [I've been a 5YI VE for +15 yrs, just upgraded from Adv to Extra.] $6 for new life-long badge/certificate. Badges are good for life - stating an effectivity date. No additonal VE test required. Web site VE info source.

ARRL VEC - requires an additonal VE test unless you are already a VE with a different VEC. Free badge has an experation date tied to my license experation. My license expires Oct 2007, ARRL will need to make/update/re-issue another badge this October when I renew my 10 yr license. Waste of money and staff effort. Web site VE info source.

Laurel VEC (Dayton HAMvention group) FREE testing. Uknown VE qualificaitons. No badge, no certificate (to date). Unknown how VE's are ID'ed at test sessions. Web site VE info source.

One item that I've not seen with VEC's is a searchable database "by call sign" of who is a valid VE of their group.

[N8UZE]

Quote[/b] (N6JSX @ July 01 2007,11:40)]This is not a VE Program bash but an observence of some operating differences between VEC programs.

W5YI VEC - [I've been a 5YI VE for +15 yrs, just upgraded from Adv to Extra.] $6 for new life-long badge/certificate. Badges are good for life - stating an effectivity date. #No additonal VE test required. Web site VE info source.

ARRL VEC - requires an additonal VE test unless you are already a VE with a different VEC. Free badge has an experation date tied to my license experation. My license expires Oct 2007, ARRL will need to make/update/re-issue another badge this October when I renew my 10 yr license. Waste of money and staff effort. Web site VE info source.

Laurel VEC (Dayton HAMvention group) FREE testing. Uknown VE qualificaitons. No badge, no certificate (to date). Unknown how VE's are ID'ed at test sessions. Web site VE info source.

One item that I've not seen with VEC's is a searchable database "by call sign" of who is a valid VE of their group.
W5YI - You either have to have a signoff that you helped at a VE session or credentials with another group to get acreditation.

ARRL - It's an open book test. You don't have to get your badge updated if you don't want to. So long as you are current in their records, you are good.

[kn4ds]

W5YI also wants another, existing W5YI VE to "sponsor" you... at least, that's what they emailed back to me.

[N2RJ]

Quote[/b] (KE4UWL @ July 01 2007,11:15)]W5YI also wants another, existing W5YI VE to "sponsor" you... at least, that's what they emailed back to me.
That's new. I didn't have to do that when I became a W5YI VE.

I'm also an ARRL VE.

[NN4RH]

The rules governing VE and VEC are in Part 97, Subpart F. The Laurel VEC and all of their VE teams meet those requirements. And yes they manage to do it without a test fee, and the VEs do it without compensation.

[kn4ds]

Quote[/b] (N2RJ @ July 01 2007,11:17)]Quote[/b] (KE4UWL @ July 01 2007,11:15)]W5YI also wants another, existing W5YI VE to "sponsor" you... at least, that's what they emailed back to me.
That's new. I didn't have to do that when I became a W5YI VE.

I'm also an ARRL VE.
I wouldn't want to speculate on any reasons they might've put that in place, but that was what the email I got said...

Quote[/b] ]by policy that all applications are signed by a sponsoring Contact Volunteer Examiner (CVE). You may work on as many different teams as you wish, but you must be originally assigned to an active team

Since the only reason for getting W5YI accreditation was to help a team about an hour and a half away if they needed it, I just passed...

There are two ARRL teams here locally, so there's no need for a W5YI team, and the team up in Milledgeville can generally get plenty of help...

So it wasn't a big deal, and I just never pursued it.

[N2RJ]

Wow, that is certainly new...

FWIW, I've never used my W5YI VE accreditation, and I suspect many others haven't either... #They must have instituted that policy to prevent people from just signing up to become a VE and not actually doing any VEing.

As an ARRL VE I've not done much recently (last session I did was in March '06) but I was very active with the Columbia University VE team from 2001-2003. Now as I see a definite need for HF ops in our club, I want to get some VE sessions for my club going.

At Columbia I was told that one prof gave extra credit for getting your ham license. I think we even got a few candidates that were there for the extra credit.

[kn4ds]

Quote[/b] (N2RJ @ July 01 2007,20:57)]Wow, that is certainly new...

FWIW, I've never used my W5YI VE accreditation, and I suspect many others haven't either... They must have instituted that policy to prevent people from just signing up to become a VE and not actually doing any VEing.

As an ARRL VE I've not done much recently (last session I did was in March '06) but I was very active with the Columbia University VE team from 2001-2003. Now as I see a definite need for HF ops in our club, I want to get some VE sessions for my club going.

At Columbia I was told that one prof gave extra credit for getting your ham license. I think we even got a few candidates that were there for the extra credit.
I wouldn't use a W5YI accreditation much, either... just thought I'd get it so I could help my friends up at the other club...

I would encourage you to try to get a team going there in your club... you may find there are more inactive VEs and it'll just be as easy as scheduling.

You're probably dead on about folks getting their ham licenses just for the credit... personally, I don't think any incentive aside from just wanting to be a ham is a good thing, though.

[N2RJ]

Well, we do have VE sessions where club members are the VE's.

They're just part of the Red Cross' "one day tech" or "one day General" (now that there's no code general/extra) program to support their emcomm activities. Anyone is welcome to the class, but this is designed specifically to get red cross staff and volunteers licensed for ARES/RACES and EOC station staffing purposes. The President of our club (a good friend of mine too) runs the classes.

But I do think we need to get our members upgraded so we can do more club activities together, such as contests and field day. They can use the club call under the watchful eyes of a control op, but they need to practice HF operation and running pileups more often, because from what I saw on FD, some of them lack that skill.

[kn4ds]

Quote[/b] (N2RJ @ July 01 2007,22:17)]But I do think we need to get our members upgraded so we can do more club activities together, such as contests and field day. They can use the club call under the watchful eyes of a control op, but they need to practice HF operation and running pileups more often, because from what I saw on FD, some of them lack that skill.
Both clubs here do monthly VE sessions, and we generally get a new ham or two per month, as well as several upgrades...

I do agree that we need to do some classes... not just you guys, but probably clubs across the country, because I spent time on Field Day teaching basic antenna tuning... we put up a 10 meter dipole cut for 28.400, but with a tuner... I actually heard "this antenna won't tune above 28.500."

This plug-and-play world with autotuners and auto everything is not doing the hobby any favors.

[N2RJ]

Oh, setting up the equipment was no problem, it was just that no one had any clue how to properly run a contest operation or pile up.

And forget about CW... I was the only one who really did any serious CW operation.

[kn4ds]

Quote[/b] (N2RJ @ July 01 2007,22:34)]And forget about CW... I was the only one who really did any serious CW operation.
Can't help ya with the CW... I'm one of the dreaded no coders, and couldn't send anything other than SOS to save my life...

But I do think if you're going to operate on any band, you should understand how the equipment works and what it's doing.

I also agree that operation classes would be a good idea... how to work a contest or a pileup is important. Or just how to operate on the world below 50 MHz.