3.) Our technical requirements
To be eligible for a remote examination, applicants must meet the following technical and setup requirements:
-- You will need a reliable internet connection, suitable to adequately run one video and audio feed. You are not permitted to wear a headset while testing. You MUST be capable of operating without the assistance of earbuds or a headset. No exceptions!
-- You will need one desktop or laptop computer with the Brave, Chromium, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, or Safari web browser installed. Installation links for each are below:
++ Download Brave
++ Download Chromium
++ Download Google Chrome
++ Download Microsoft Edge
++ Download Mozilla Firefox
++ Download Safari for OS X
++ NOTE: You will also want to make sure any browser addons or extensions are completely disabled prior to exam day to ensure no problems occur. This also includes disabling your VPN if you use one to browse the web.
-- You will need a web camera that allows us to view the Examinee's head, face, and shoulders clearly, to be seen at all times during the examination. This same computer must have a microphone that allows the VE team to hear all sounds within the testing environment. We do ***NOT*** permit the use of a Microsoft Surface, any tablet, iPad or smartphone for taking the examination or as your primary camera feed. No exceptions. Below is an example of the view we need from the applicant's primary camera:
-- You will need a current installation of Zoom. You do not need to have an account with Zoom for the exam. We do not use any other video conferencing applications. ZOOM MUST BE INSTALLED OR UPDATED ON YOUR PLANNED DEVICE PRIOR TO THE EXAM SESSION! Click HERE to download Zoom. The download page will open in a new tab on your browser.
-- You will need a quiet room to complete the exam, free from distractions or interruptions. If you are testing in an open environment such as a living room or loft, those are acceptable as long as other people are not present during your examination. The Examinee and Proctor MUST be the only two people physically present in the room until all exams are finished. No one else is permitted to enter the room while the examination is in progress.
4.) Eligible individuals to serve as a Proctor
-- a.) Primary or Secondary Education Teachers
-- b.) College or University Faculty or Adjunct Faculty
-- c.) Sworn Law Enforcement Officers (Federal, State, or Local)
-- d.) Fireman and emergency response personnel (personnel who respond to emergency situations, typically dispatched from a fire station…those who ride in fire trucks, ambulances, and similar response equipment)
-- e.) Judges or Magistrates
-- f.) Active Duty, Active Reserve, or Active National Guard Military Commissioned Officers, Warrant Officers and Senior NCOs (E7 – E9) (Retirees and inactive reserve are not authorized)
-- g.) Civilian federal employees in the grade of GS-7 or above
-- h.) Elected government officials such as mayors, city council members, city assembly members, senators, congressmen, etc.
-- i.) State, municipal, city, borough, township, or other similar government subdivision employees in a management or supervisory position
-- j.) An amateur Extra, Advanced*, or General Class** license holders. They must provide us with a signed copy of their OFFICIAL license.
Note * – May only proctor for Technician and General Class license examinations
Note ** – May only proctor for Technician Class license examinations
5.) Applicants under 18 years of age (minors)
If you, as an applicant, are under the age of 18, this section is for you! Before we can administer your examination, we MUST have a completed "Parental Consent Form". This form can be found by clicking HERE. This document is a fillable PDF. It must be completed by the legal parent or guardian and sent as an email attachment by the applicant's parent or legal guardian. We recommend you email that application to us directly as a PDF attachment to testing|[at]|lfars.net for faster service. You are responsible for getting this back to us at least 24 hours prior to your exam!
6.) Fee for your examination
Through a working agreement with the ARRL VEC, the cost for a remote examination session being sponsored through the Last Frontier Amateur Radio Society is currently $15. Certain applicants are eligible for a subsidized (i.e. "free") examination. More information on who qualifies and required documentation can be found by clicking HERE (Link opens in a new page.).
7.) Correspondence with Last Frontier Amateur Radio Society
We use one email address for all communications with applicants regarding our exam service. To ensure you receive any and all communication from us, please whitelist the following email address PRIOR to completing any application:
testing|[at]|lfars.net
NOTE: You will need to replace the |[at]| with a "@" in the address above. Your willingness to help us whitelist this email address ensures you are receiving all communication relating to your remote examination.
8.) Our registration process - READ CAREFULLY!
To ensure we keep this simple, here is the entire process in a nut shell from start to finish . . .
-- Step 1.) You will click the link below to begin your registration.
-- Step 2.) When the page loads, select the date you want to take your exam from our "Exam Schedule" page. Make sure the club "LFARS" is showing up on the session you are planning to register for as the administering club. Follow all proceeding instructions.
-- Step 3.) Complete the amateur radio license application that follows. Make sure you have all of the necessary information required by the FCC to complete the application. More information on the FCC's minimum requirements can be found by clicking HERE.
-- Step 4.) You will submit your amateur radio license application and see that it has been initially accepted by our exam platform.
-- Step 5.) Once your amateur radio license application has been submitted, you will see a page to pay your exam fee. The exam fee is payable by any major credit or debit card. Your exam fee is non-refundable. You will have 72 hours to pay the exam fee or else your application will be removed from our system. No exceptions!
-- Step 6.) After paying for your exam, we will send you a confirmation email that details your exam date/time. That email will have further information on what happens next. Please check your junk or spam folder, as it may not appear in your inbox. This email WILL NOT have a Zoom link.
-- Step 7.) After paying for your exam, you will need to contact us with your designated Proctor's contact information.
-- Step 8.) Once we receive the requested information for your Proctor, we will send them an application to fill out. They will complete the form and email it back to us as a PDF attachment by sending it to ve|[at]|lfars.net as soon as practical.
-- Step 9.) Upon receiving the Proctor's application, we process it. If the Proctor is qualified and their application approved, we will email you confirming this. Should there be any problems, we will contact you and ask for a new Proctor. Otherwise, if everything is good to go, we will proceed with the next step below.
-- Step 10.) Within 48 hours of your confirmed exam session, we will send out an email to all examinees participating at the session you registered for. That email will contain a link to complete a pre-session certification form. That form requires you to upload a copy of your valid government issued photo identification. More information on what ID we accept can be found by going HERE. This helps us ensure the data being sent to the FCC is correct and also improves your testing experience with us! Once the pre-session certification form is completed and processed by us, you will receive another email that lists your assigned time slot. That email will contain additional critical instructions requiring your immediate attention. Should you not read and follow the instructions contained in any of the upcoming emails we send, your application will be deleted from our system and your spot is immediately forfeited, with no opportunity to reschedule! Your exam fee will not be refunded. You have been warned. These emails WILL NOT have a Zoom link.
-- Step 11.) When your exam time has come, you will receive an email with a subject that reads "It's time for your exam!" That is where you will see the link to join us on Zoom. Again, please check your junk or spam folder, as it may not appear in your inbox. This email WILL HAVE YOUR ZOOM LINK! Should you not make it to your confirmed exam session, your fee will not be refunded! However, if you are not able to make it and promptly notify us, we will reschedule you upon meeting the requirements laid out in the section below titled "Our Rescheduling Policy". We will need a date you'd like to test after meeting the requirement to reschedule.
-- Step 12.) Upon connecting, we will ask if your Proctor is physically present in the room.
-- Step 13.) After we see your Proctor on camera, we will do a quick verification of their credentials on camera. From there, we will give you some information prior to going into your exam room. Please pay attention to the information being presented at that time.
-- Step 14.) Upon being presented with the necessary information pertinent to your examination, you will go into your exam breakout room.
-- Step 15.) Once in your exam breakout room, you will be given instructions on setting up your cameras, showing scratch paper and calculator (as necessary). The Lead VE will cover our "rules of the road" and then your exam will begin.
-- Step 16.) After finishing your exam, it will be graded. If you fail and are close to passing, it will be up to the Lead VE to authorize a retest. If a retest is not granted, you will have to register and test again at another time. If you passed, your results will be certified and your CSCE will be made available shortly thereafter.
-- Step 17.) After you have collected your CSCE, we may be available to answer any questions you have regarding amateur radio or potential study for the next class of license, if desired. We will also give you pointers on how to reach us after you depart the exam session.
-- Step 18.) Once you have departed and after the exam session is closed, we will send you a post-session email with some links of information. Please check your junk or spam folder, as it may not appear in your inbox. Your application will be forwarded to the VEC for processing.
9.) Our Rescheduling Policy
The Last Frontier ARS has a revised policy for those applicants needing to reschedule for any reason. If you must reschedule your examination, we will ask for a donation in the amount of $9.00 to help build our subsidized exam program. Our subsidized exam program allows applicants who fall under one of the categories below to test with us at no cost to them. Eligible recipients of our subsidized exam program will be as follows:
-- Applicants under the age of 18
-- Active duty U.S. Armed Forces personnel
-- U.S. Armed Forces veterans
-- First Responders, and
-- Sworn law enforcement officers
Should you find yourself unwilling to make the donation in lieu of rescheduling your examination with us, we will remove your application from our system. From there, you'll simply have to re-apply and pay the regular exam fee. If you're the recipient of a subsidized examination, we will need to see your documents to confirm your application. Applicants are permitted to reschedule one time. No exceptions!
Are you unsure if you're actually ready to test and want to take a practice exam using our platform? If so, please click HERE to launch our practice exam generator.
Still have questions? Take a look at our frequently asked questions page HERE.
Be sure to CAREFULLY read the instructions when completing your registration through our exam platform after clicking the link below!