FCC to CFMC - No, you can't be a VEC!

A request by the Chicago FM Club to become the nation's next Volunteer Examination Coordinator has been turned down by the FCC. Not because the group is not qualified, rather, the FCC says, there are already enough VEC's and no new ones are needed.

Back on April 17th , the FCC received a request from the Chicago FM Club to designate the group as a VEC.

In support of its request, club president Jim Small, WA9EMY, stated that the C-F-M-C is a 250-plus member club with members in eight states, and that the club has substantial financial resources that it is willing to use to support the activities of a VEC. Small also noted that a member of the club is the former manager of another VEC, and that he is willing to be the club's VEC manager.

But in its October 19th letter denying the Chicago F M Club request, the FCC says that it does not believe that additional VECs are needed at this time because the Commission currently has agreements with fourteen VECs. This says the FCC provides sufficient opportunity for individuals who want to take amateur radio operator licensing examinations to do so.

The FCC does however offer the C-F-M-C an alternative. It says that with regard to the desire of the organization to administer amateur radio operator license examinations, it says that many Volunteer Examiner teams associate with an amateur radio club.

It says that this makes it convenient for individuals who wish to become amateur radio operators and to individuals who desire to upgrade their amateur radio operator privileges to take exams.

The FCC suggests that members of the Chicago FM Club who are interested in becoming Volunteer Examiners contact one or more of the nations established V-E-Cs and become accredited to do so.

Source: ARNewsline, FCC