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Bloomington Amateur Radio Club

Serving Bloomington and Monroe County, Indiana Since 1967

VE License Testing

In order to get an amateur radio operator license you must take a test.  There are currently three categories of licenses granted by FCC, namely Technician, General, and Extra.  Test complexity and knowledge required to pass the test  increases as you go up the rank from Tech to Extra.  Tests are largely conducted in a particular area by volunteers examiners (VEs). VEs are certified by the ARRL.

Is there VE Testing in Bloomington?

Yes. BARC conducts VE Testing in the area normally on the first Saturday of each month. Exceptions are when the first Saturday falls near a holiday We test at First United Church, 2420 E. Third Street, Bloomington, IN. Testing commences at Noon EDT; please be a half hour early.

These are the dates for VE Test Sessions for the coming year:

Date (2024)
January 6, 2024
February 3, 2024
March 2, 2024
April 6, 2024
May 4, 2024
June 1, 2024
July 6, 2024
August 3, 2024
September 7, 2024
October 12, 2024 (at the Hoosier Hills Hamfest in Bedford)
November 2, 2024
December 7, 2024

If you already have a license, you can ask for directions on the WB9TLH repeater at 146.640 (Negative offset, 136.5 PL tone) during Monday night nets at 7:30pm. If you’re not licensed yet, you can still listen to the frequency. This is a good idea, since often there is more than one person with questions.

Testing always begins at 12:00 noon. Please arrive 20-30 minutes early to fill out all necessary paperwork.

Here is a list of other, nearby Indiana locations where VE testing is performed.

In summary: