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Last Updated: Monday, 27 January 2020 20:48

What is SANDARC?

The San Diego County Amateur Radio Council, Inc. (SANDARC) is a non-profit corporation formed on August 11th, 1958, by San Diego County Amateur Radio organizations to further the art of Amateur Radio in San Diego County.

SANDARC maintains and operates the SANDARC Volunteer Examiner Coordinator program (or SANDARC VEC), comprised of dedicated Amateur Radio Operators who donate their time to provide license examinations almost every Saturday of the month at four locations spread across the county.  Their superb work will result in you having your new license a few days after you pass your test.

Today, SANDARC provides no-cost Technician, General and Extra Class Amateur Radio license examinations at different locations throughout the County.   SANDARC also sponsors special classes for those who wish to obtain a license with testing immediately following the class. Other organizations charge from $5 to $15 to take an exam.  Check our License Classes and Testing page for monthly scheduled dates, times and locations for classes and testing.

SANDARC GIVES BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.

After many years of charging $5 for an examination for an FCC Amateur Radio License, SANDARC dropped the fee and has been offering free tests beginning May of 2016.

2016 saw 432 tests taken in those last 8 months. 

The year-end total for 2017 was 633 free tests given. 

604 tests were given in 2018.

As of December 30th, 2019, 525 free exams have been administered by our Volunteer Examiners.

The equivalent value to the community of those free exams has been $10,970.

If compared against the $15 charged by the American Radio Relay League VEC, SANDARC VEC has saved the community over $30,000.

The totals for the current year will be updated at the end of each month.