Due to the FCC revising the rules concerning Spread Spectrum, the Question Pool Committee of the National Council of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC) has decided to delete a question from the Amateur Extra class question pool. According to QPC Chairman Rol Anders, K3RA, when the Spread Spectrum rule change goes into effect, the answer to question E1F13 in the Amateur Extra class question pool will no longer be correct.

In March 2011, the FCC -- acting upon a 2006 Petition for Rulemaking filed by the ARRL -- eliminated the requirement that amateur stations transmitting Spread Spectrum use Automatic Power Control (APC) to reduce transmitter power. At the same time, the Commission reduced the maximum power of a Spread Spectrum emission from 100 to 10 W PEP.

Anders encouraged those who administer Amateur Radio license exams to remove question E1F13 as soon as possible, but advised that it must be removed when the rules change goes into effect. The changes to Sections 97.311 and 97.313 of the Commission’s Rules will be effective 30 days after the Report and Order is published in the Federal Register. The current Amateur Extra class question pool is effective through June 30, 2012.