The little train that could came thru once again Saturday. Thanks to the owners of Supreme. T-shirts & Apparel Paulette (now K4PKD) and Stan (WA2KQY) Disbrow that allows us to use their office in the capital city of Raleigh for amateur radio testing. While all the other established clubs in the area are cutting out the in-person exams in favor of the on-line exams or not doing it all the informal FCHRE clubs VE team had another in-person exam with 12 successful applicants. In addition to the office they have provided us with a turn key facility where all I have to do is show up with two other VE’s and we can do an exam.  Our host supplies us with the computer and just recently a brand new scanner/printer. 

It has been reported to me from some of our applicants the requirements for on-line testing is just too strict for some applicants.  We took an added precaution Saturday and are limiting our applicants to 4 per hour.  This will keep our total number in the facility down to 10 due to covid requirements. This made a half day testing session into a 7 hour testing session. This presented a scheduling challenge but I think our first session with the new requirements went smoothly.  In addition to limiting the number of people we spray down the desk after each exam. I also request all applicants take the CDC Self-Checker prior to coming to the exam.  We do not take this covid thing lightly.

We had two applicants from as far away from  Chocowinity, NC and 1 from Siler City. It’s funny how this was the only time I was able to take a picture of all the applicants at once.  This is from the first hour. It’s just a coincidence our longest distance commuters was in our first hour.

My VE teams likes to make fun of me taking pictures but I can’t help it. As you hear  (In order of the FCC response file) Jeremy Whorton (KO4LQR), Raymond Mcguinness (KO4LQS),Charlie Owens (KO4LRD), Jonathan Horvath (KO4LRE),Travis Wiggins (KO4LRF), Kelly Padgett (KO4LRH), Kenneth Florentine (KO4LRI),Gary Ybarra (KO4LRJ), Robert Randsdell, Jr (KO4LQZ) and Stephen Lask (KO4LRG). Not all applicants are mentioned. I honored everyone requesting anonymity. As you hear them on the air be sure to welcome them to amateur radio.  Please practice courtesy when you hear someone give their call on the radio especially after a conversation with someone else tell them you have to excuse yourself but wanted to let them know you are getting out.  I got to speak to one of our applicants from Saturday this morning Raymond Mcguinness (KQ4LQS).  That made all the work worth while.  We are full for our exam February 6, 2021 but register for March here.   We can also do exams on a weekday. Select other if you wish a weekday exam and indicate your preferred day of weekday request in the comments section. We will try to work out a date for you. Also we do exams for groups like we did last week. Here is our Banks Road Testing Club Stats – Sheet1-3 since we started at Banks Road last year.  Pretty interesting.

Thanks to the Laurel VEC for allowing no charge amateur radio exams.  Click on the link to see who is testing at no charge in your area or for more information on how to start a group.

Thanks to the greatest VE team in the world AJ4NX, WA2KQY, KE4QEF.  Not pictured but another valued team member KK4QDZ.