Holders of Expired Novice, Tech Licenses Eligible

FCC GIVES MORSE ELEMENT CREDIT TO EXPIRED NOVICES

Anyone who ever held a Novice ticket--expired or otherwise--will be able to
claim credit for Element 1, the 5 WPM Morse code examination, under revised
Amateur Radio licensing rules going into effect April 15. The change was
included in the version of the FCC's restructuring rules, published February
10 in The Federal Register.

The change affects Section 97.505(a)(5) of the rules that spells out element
credit. That sentence now says: "An expired or unexpired FCC-granted Novice
Class operator license grant: Element 1."

The rules already give Element 1 credit for those holding an expired or
unexpired FCC-issued Technician Class operator license document granted
before February 14, 1991, as well as to applicants possessing an FCC-issued
commercial radiotelegraph operator license or permit that's valid or expired
less than 5 years.

There's no indication, however, that the FCC intends to extend Element 1
credit to applicants who once held any other FCC-issued licenses now
expired, including Tech Plus, General, Advanced, or Amateur Extra.

Because of other anomalies in the new rules, the ARRL is recommending for
now that holders of Novice or Tech Plus licenses retain their license
documents or copies in the event they need to claim Element 1 credit when
upgrading under the new rules. When renewed after April 15, 2000, Technician
Plus licenses will come back stamped "Technician," and the FCC has said it
does not plan to keep track of which Technicians have Morse code element
credit and which do not.

The FCC also has indicated to the ARRL that post-April 15 Technicians who
subsequently qualify for HF operation by passing Element 1 will retain
element credit for upgrading purposes only for 365 days--the term of a
Certificate of Successful Completion of Examination--not permanently,
although this will not affect their ongoing Novice/Technician HF privileges.
Without a change in the rules, affected Technicians attempting to upgrade
more than a year after passing Element 1 would have to retake the Morse code
examination.

The ARRL plans to file a petition for partial reconsideration asking the FCC
to continue to keep track of which Technicians have Morse code element
credit and which do not. The League also will ask the FCC to make Element 1
credit permanent for post-April 15 Technicians who successfully pass the
Morse exam.

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