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License Testing
The MDARC Volunteer Examiners hold exam sessions prior to most club meetings. Sessions begin at 5:30 PM. Please arrive no later than 6:30 PM to be seated for your exam.
No Testing
There will be No Testing on the following 3rd Fridays:
June - 2025 will have testing June 20, 2025 and (TBA) Saturday, June 28, 2025. When Field Day coincides with our 3rd Friday meeting testing often moves to a Saturday session.
December - Due to the Holiday Banquet, a Saturday testing date will be announced on mdarc.groups.io.
For alternatives please contact our Testing Coordinator, Larry Loomer, KI6LNB, at laryloomer@yahoo.com.
MDARC meetings are held at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, 1035 Carol Lane, Lafayette CA.
We offer full testing on all elements. There is a fee for taking an element. Once you pay for a session, you may take as many different elements as you would like. However, if you fail an element, you will have to pay again to retake the element.
The Question Pools
"Each question pool must contain at least 10 times the number of questions required for a single examination." (47CFR97.523 Question pools) The question pools are normally valid for 4 years before being replaced. Each question pool is divided into sub-elements, each sub-element containing a certain number of questions on a similar topic. Every exam must contain a specified number of questions from every sub-element.
* The Technician question pool has 424 questions.
* The General question pool has 462 questions.
* The Amateur Extra question pool has 713 questions.
The official version of all question pools is created and maintained by the National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC). You may download a copy of all question pools from their web site at http://www.ncvec.org. Look down the left-hand navigation bar, in the Amateur Question Pool section, for the correct question pool. Note there are often two question pools listed for a particular license class. Be careful to select the correct license class and download the question pool that will be in effect on the date you take the test.
The Exams
* The Technician exam has 35 questions. You must answer at least 26 (74%) correctly to pass.
* The General exam has 35 questions. You must answer at least 26 (74%) correctly to pass.
* The Amateur Extra exam has 50 questions. You must answer at least 37 (74%) correctly to pass.
Exam Requirements
All persons sitting for an exam must bring with them:
* One government-issued photo ID (e.g., drivers license, passport). (See also below.)
* The ARRL-required testing fee, in cash or check. Please bring the exact amount. We may not be able to make change. Currently, the testing fee is $15.00.
* Their FCC issued Federal Registration Number (FRN). mdarc.org/regulations/obtain-an-frn You are required to register with the FCC prior to the test, and use your FRN on the exam forms. (See also below.)
* If you are testing for a license other than the Technician Class, you must also bring one copy of your most recent current license. Please note: this copy will not be returned. See http://www.mdarc.org/resources/regulations/license-copy-acquisition for instructions on how to obtain a copy of your license.
* Registration with hamstudy.org for speedy exam.tools grading is optional and may be completed on-site.
* There are NO morse code requirements. They were dropped February 23, 2007 for all licenses.
Alternative Forms of Identification
If no photo ID is available, bring two forms of identification from the below list:
a. non-photo ID/driver's license (some states still have them)
b. birth certificate (must have the appropriate seal)
c. library card
d. utility bill, bank statement or other business correspondence that specifically names the person;
or a postmarked envelope addressed to the person at his or her current mailing address as it
appears on the Form 605.
Federal Registration Number (FRN)
We are required by the FCC to submit your FRN number with your license application form. For instructions on how to register with the FCC and receive a FRN, visit the mdarc.org/regulations/obtain-an-frn page and FCC's FAQ page and the FCC's registration instructions page.
Other Requirements
* You may bring a calculator to the examination, however, you must demonstrate that it has nothing stored in its memory.
* Cell phones and similar communication devices MAY NOT be used during the examination, for communication or as a calculator.
* We are testing the use of Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) cell phones and tablets with exam.tools at the discretion of the VEs conducting the exam.
* You MAY NOT bring NOTES into the examination.
See our Education and Training page for more information on preparing for your exam.
If you can't make it to our sessions you can find other sessions by other clubs and online:
mdarc.org two month weekly classes
svve.org twice monthly in Silicon Valley
LARK monthly upon request
Cram classes take place in Dublin, Benicia, Alameda at the USS Hornet and Richmond or Stockton.
October - Due to Pacificon testing usually is moved to Sat and Sunday during the San Ramon event. We will have a regular meeting this year because Pacificon is the second weekend of October instead of the usual third weekend.
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