SCHEDULED MEETING AGENDA:

EVERYONE IS WELCOME AT OUR CLUB MEETINGS!

Besides our Club members, who are always encouraged to attend our club meetings, anyone in the community with an interest in learning more about Amateur Radio is certainly encouraged and invited to attend.  There is no better way to learn about Amateur Radio than coming out to a club meeting and introducing yourself and ask questions.   The only "dumb" questions are ones that are not asked. Please come and ask!  There will be someone there willing to continue the long-standing tradition in ham radio of taking a prospective Amateur under their wing and tutoring you (known in ham radio parlance as "Elmering"- the tutor being your "Elmer").

Please see the DARC Board page (see "DARC Board" link at bottom of any page on this site) for information on the Club Board meetings. All members of the Club and the public are invited to attend and observe Board Meetings.

Click on this LINK to view the Club Meeting location on Google Maps. If the location is changed for a particular meeting it will be announced above and on the Club's web site home page and in the current Club Newsletter.

NOTE:  EFFECTIVE LAST JULY 1, 2011 THE QUESTION POOL FOR THE GENERAL CLASS LICENSE WAS REVISED.  THIS CLUB'S ARRL VE VOLUNTEERS IS USING EXAMS BASED UPON THAT NEW QUESTION POOL.  PLEASE MAKE SURE THE STUDY GUIDE OR LICENSE PREPARATION MANUAL YOU ARE USING IS FOR THE "NEW" GENERAL CLASS QUESTION POOL.

Monthly Exam Sessions:

For those wanting to take the FCC test for a new Amateur Radio license or upgrade to a higher license class, there will be an ARRL Volunteer Examiner administered exam test session held at 5:30 p.m. on the third Wednesday of every month, except December, prior to the Club's monthly meeting.  The monthly exam is always held at the same location as the Club Meeting.

Saturday Exam Sessions Scheduled:

We have also sheduled a V.E. session on four Saturdays during 2012 so that those who cannot participate in the monthly 3rd Wednesday exam session will have an opportunity to take a test with our V.E. team. The Saturday sessions will be held at the Hurricane City Library, in their Conference Room and will start at 1:00 p.m. The address is 36 South 300 West.  They will be held on the following dates in 2012:  March 17,  June 16,  September 15, and December 15.  In December the Saturday session will be the only session we offer during that month.

General Information:

If you intend to take more than one class of license at the exam (such as if you pass the Technician and wish to attempt the General) please inform the V.E. team as soon as you arrive. We will do our best to accomodate you.  Also, if you happen to fail an exam element, you may make a second attempt to do so.  By policy,  we are required to collect an additional $15 fee for the "second" session which is treated just like a seperate session. If you pass the Technician and wish to try the General, you are not required to pay a second fee. We can explain this to you at the session.

"Walk-ins" are always welcome, especially those travelling from outside the area.  Contacting the V.E. Exam Liaison in advance is not required, but advance notice to the our V.E. Team of your intent to take a test will help us to better prepare for that test session with the correct numbers of necessary exam materials and additional VE's on hand for larger numbers of applicants.

We will open the doors to the Community Building at or slightly before 5:30 p.m. and will begin to assist you in filling out the required test session registration paperwork.   We have the session scheduled to start at 5:30 p.m. so that test session participants can have as much time as needed to complete their exam without the potential interruption and distraction from Club members arriving early for the general Club Meeting which follows at 7:00 p.m.   Those taking their tests should consider staying for the Club meeting after the exam session. Everyone is welcome at our Club meetings!  As soon as we have 3 Volunteer Examiners in attendance, and your paperwork is complete,  you will be able to begin taking your exam.   Thanks for your cooperation in all of this.

Please see the information below so that you can come well prepared for the exam session:

• Any pens and/or pencils. These will be provided for you, as well as any necessary scratch paper.

• Any FCC application forms. Please do not print one out in advance.

• We have all the forms and paperwork used for ARRL-VEC sponsored sessions and those will be provided for you to fill out at the beginning of the session.
  

• Any electronic devices such as PDA's (even if "just" using the calculator function). That includes smart phones, I-Pods and I-Phones, MP3 players, etc.   Just bring a simple 4-function calculator!
  

• No headphones/earbuds/bluetooth phone headsets may be worn during the exam session.  This is to insure the integrity of the exam for all involved.
  

• PLEASE TURN OFF CELL PHONE RINGERS!!!

You must bring a personal check or a money order in the amount of $15.00 payable to "ARRL-VEC", or alternatively,  you may bring $15.00 cash to the test session.

If paying by cash, you must bring the exact amount only!  Absolutely no change will be available!  We are not a bank or ATM - debit/credit cards cannot be used.

This required fee is set annually by the Volunteer Exam Coordinator (in our case the ARRL-VEC). This required fee is not set by the Dixie Amateur Radio Club, Inc.   It should be noted that the ARR-VEC has decided to leave the fee unchanged at $15.00 for exams in 2010.

If you do not have your fee at the beginning of the session, you will not be able to take a test. This is a program requirement. You must bring the required fee with you.

If you are already a ARRL-VEC certified Volunteer Examiner who would like to help out at an upcoming session, please contact Gary Zabriskie, N7ARE.  If you are interested in becoming a Volunteer Examineer, especially if you are an Extra Class licensee, please contact Gary.

From time to time larger groups and oganizations take part in organized classroom instruction in anticipation of testing to obtain an Amateur Radio license.  There is the opportunity to have the Club's Volunteer Examiner team schedule additional testing opportunities besides the monthly scheduled exam date that cooincides with the Club meeting. Please contact Gary Zabriskie (see above) if you would like to discuss this option.  If such a test session is scheduled it will be advertised on the home page of the Club's web site.

You are not required need to.  As mentioned above, "walk-ins" are always accepted and welcomed. However, as a courtesy, if you are planning to upgrade or take a new Ham Radio test,  please notify Gary Zabriskie, N7ARE, ARRL VEC-Volunteer Exam Liaison, preferably via e-mail:  n7are@arrl.net,  or by telephone (435) 674-2678.

Note:  When you call by telephone to 435-674-2678 you will NOT reach me in person.  You will always get a generic computer generated answering machine voice on that line asking you to leave a message.  Please leave a message! Do NOT repeatedly call back to try and get a "live" person. You will ONLY get the machine. One notification of your intent to test is enough. Your message should give me your name, your intention to test and what class of license you are planning on testing for.  Also, PLEASE leave a phone number and/or an e-mail address so I can contact you, if necessary.  This page should provide ALL the information you need prior to coming in for your exam.

 ***PLEASE!!!***  Do NOT use the above listed phone number for any general inquiries about Amateur Radio or the Dixie Amateur Radio Club.  For those types of inquirees, please contact the Club President at the contact information at the bottom of the Club website's home page, or see the contact information on the "DARC Board" page (see web site navigation links at bottom of any page). 

We have a very dedicated group of Amateur Radio mentors who can be contacted for general information.  A list of these individuals is  found on the "Contact Us" page (please use the "Contact Us" link  at the bottom of each page or use this LINK).