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The El Maipas VE Group is planning a General-level training class in April and May. The class will run two successive weekends, from 0830-1730, April 27, Apr 28, May 4 and May 5. Testing will be at 1500 on May
5, with the El Malpais VE Group providing the volunteer examiners.

The site will be where most of you took you Tech Class if you took it with us. We will meet at the APD NW Area Command Community Room on the dates specified. All classes will be at the APD NW Area Command Station on Ellison on Cibola Loop (10401 Cibola Loop NW). They have a very nice community room
we have reserved. You can bring food and water in, but if you make a mess, we do not have maid service. There is a microwave, restrooms, and water. We will provide coffee. On the Saturday and Sunday classes, you will have a 1 hour lunch break. There are a lot of food vendors around and in Cottonwood Mall. There is parking in front of the substation and overflow parking across the street at Cibola High School.

We will be publishing a syllabus for those who sign up. The class is free of charge, but the test fee is $14, cash or check on the test date. Of course, as before, it will upgrade you license for the next 10 years. We
recommend you buy the ARRL General License Manual, 8th Edition. It is made in two versions, regular $29.95, and spiral bound $32.95, plus shipping. You can order them directly from the ARRL, or we can order them if you send me a check or cash. I won’t be order lots of extras, as their answers expire July 1, 2019. I can’t afford to stock manuals that will be obsolete in a few months. We can buy them for $24 for regular and $28 for spiral. I have one spiral on hand. You may find them on the internet but be sure you are buying the 8th edition.

There are some study guides available – look at https://www.kb6nu.com/study-guides/ and http://www.ad7fo.com/training.html. They are available but be sure you look at the General Guide. The KB6NU No-Nonsense Study Guide for the General Exam costs $9.97 and when purchased it comes as a PDF. You can buy them yourselves, but beware on the internet as they may not be Eighth Edition, so you will have the wrong set of test questions. As with Tech classes, we will also provide handouts for those who want to sign up with clubs in the local area, repeater maps for NM, and where various nets are on the air.

While you are studying, if you sign up, you can test what you know and what you don’t know by going to www.aa9pw.com.  It is good site to take practice tests, as each time you take one, it randomizes the questions picked and once you score it, you can see what you already know and what is a bit hazy. Some other sites offer practice tests, but we have found some keep repeating the same questions, so that when you sit down at our computers, you see questions you never saw in practice tests.

We will have a VE Team on site the last day to test you. There is a charge for the test – $14 to be paid when you fill out you paperwork. You may pay by cash or by check, payable to Kennie Warren, who is the controlling VEC. She will mail in your application and test sheet showing that you passed the General exam. On test day you will need a picture ID issued by a government agency – driver’s license, military ID, agency ID, and a copy of your existing amateur-radio license. If you have a license you will also have a FRN on you current license. We will also be advertising more broadly that the VE Team will the there for testing, so we may have walk-ins. But they will be tested after the class has finished testing.

Once you sign up, we will be updating you via email or phone, and there will be a sign-in roster for the class. If you email me saying that you want to attend, I would like to have phone contact if there are last minute changes.

Once we have created a syllabus, we will provide that to you when you sign up. That is so you can see what we are teaching and when, so if you have to miss a session, you will know where you need extra self-study.

If you know of others who may want to attend, have them send me email with contact information . The classroom can accommodate 18 people.

Jim Hunter – NM5JH

505-897-2939/505-259-3551 (C)

hunterabq@centurylink.net

The El Malpais Tech VE group trainers have set a new Technician-level Class for April 5-7, 2019, at the NW
Area Command Community Room, 10401 Cibola Loop, NW, right across the street from Cibola High School.

Classes will run from 1800-2100 on April 5 and from 0830-1730 on April 6 and 7. Testing will begin at 1500 on April 7. We will open the testing to walk-ins, plus the class, but the class will have priority. Class attendance
is not “mandatory,” but we find those who attend pass at about 99% rate. You can and should study on your own. More on that later.

There is no cost for the class, but you will need to have a Technician License Manual. You can order it directly from www.aarl.org for $24.95 plus shipping. As registered instructors, we can get them for $24 with no
shipping. They also have a spiral bond version for $32.95 plus shipping or from me for $28. I would like be paid by check or cash in advance so I don’t end up with lots of books and no buyers. You can mail a check to my home address (James Hunter, 9805 San Bernardino NE, Albuquerque, NM 87122). It usually
takes about 7-10 days to get the books. Or you can call and stop by my house and pay for book.

There is also a fee for the FCC exam, which will be administered on Sunday afternoon. The fee is $14, payable to Kennie Warren by check or in cash. Kennie is the El Malpais VE Coordinator and handles all the paperwork. You will also need a picture ID and one other ID to confirm you are the person taking the class – no ringers allowed. The $14 gets you the test and license for 10 years.

If you are interested, please let us know right away. As soon as we get seven signed up will we hold the class. We can accommodate about 25. The APD Community Room has bathrooms, microwave, and water. We will provide coffee both Saturday and Sunday. You can brown bag a lunch, and there are numerous food
places all around and in the Cottonwood Mall. You will get a one hour lunch break on Saturday and Sunday.

Please remember the current question pool comes from the 4th edition of the Ham Radio License Manual for Technician. The question pool was new as of July 1, 2018. You will need to buy a new manual to study from. You may find a manual on e-bay or Amazon, but be sure it is the current 4th edition or you will be studying the wrong questions. You have my email and phone contacts. The manual is very useful even after you get your license as a reference to rules and regulations. It usually takes less than two weeks for manuals to arrive. Once I have the order I will notify you and we can arrange for you to pick up your book. We need to order books not later than March 20. I will order and deliver based on when you paid to assure they are here before the class. If more than one member your the family it taking the course, you can share a book.

Once you notify me that you will attend, I will also send you a study guide, class syllabus, and some sites where you can take practice tests. On the first evening of class we will provide you with ARRL Band Plans, a copy of QST Magazine, which lists all the manufacturers and publishes articles on amateur radio; a map of the various repeaters around the state, and a schedule of recurring radio nets you may want to check into. We also provide a map of the local repeaters, and clubs in the local area you may want to join. The class will
cover every question on the test, with some background to help you pass the exam and operate your radio.

Please let me know if you planning to attend, or if you cannot this time but want to stay on our mailing list. We probably will offer another Tech Class after summer vacations are over. We might be able to schedule another General-level class later in the summer. We are advertising one now for the end of April and first part of May. You must have your Tech license before you can test for General.

Don’t hesitate to call or email me if you have questions. We are averaging in the high 99% on passing the test. We believe the interaction between the instructors and students lets folks understand what they are aiming for – the beginning license. We will cover every question in the pool, and your questions are expected.

Thanks, and hoping you will be making this class and have your license at least pending in the database. Your call sign will be available 7-10 days after the test.

Jim Hunter – NM5JH

hunterabq@centurylink.net

505-897-2939/505-259-3551