Callbook and Callsign FAQ
A6: Under earlier versions of the FCC rules, CW credit could be granted to
- former Novice/Tech/Tech Plus licensees who had passed a 5 wpm CW test (15 April 2000 through 14 Dec 2006)
- any former licensee who had passed any CW test (15 Dec 2006 through 22 Feb 2007)
For both of these, callbook copies could be used as proof of license. (This was an explicit change in April 2000 from the prior rules, which stated that callbooks could not be used.)
Now that all CW requirements have been removed from US amateur licenses, there is only one situation where a former license can grant credit against a new license:
- If you held a Technician license prior to 21 March 1987, even if it is now expired, you can also claim credit for Element 3, the General written exam. This is because up until that date, the Technician and General written exams were the same.
No other license class grants any credit for the written tests. It is strange, but having passed the General written test to receive a General license does not grant permanent credit, but having passed the same test to receive a Technician license does. I believe this is an unintended consequence of the way the rules were worded when restructuring was implemented in 2000, and not the original intent of the FCC. Click here for my speculation and explanation.
Note also that callbooks prior to Fall 1967 did not include license class. As a result, they can't be used to prove a Technician license (as there is no way to distinguish between a Tech license and other higher-grade licenses).
For more information on license issues and a more comprehensive discussion of upgrades and credits, you can check out the ARRL web site.
return to FAQ:
Next: Q7: Can I get a copy of a callbook listing?