FCC GROL eServices entry

[Briank]

I uploaded all my other outside certificates a few months back (FEMA IS series, etc).  I just got my FCC GROL license grant and seem to recall seeing/hearing that I'm supposed to upload that too.  I've not been able to find a place to do so.  Am I just misremembering?  If not, does anyone know where to go in eServices to do the upload?

[Eclipse]

I don't think the GROL confers any equivelency or fills any pre-requisites, however if you wanted to upload it you could
do so as an "other" in OPERATIONS - OPERATIONS QUALIFICATIONS - COMMUNICATIONS ENTRY - VIEW / UPLOAD DOCUMENTS

[bpfoltz]

I did as explained above for my GROL.  Not a specific Ops Qual for GROL, but good "supporting documentation" for anything Comms-related.

[SarDragon]

From 35-5:

4-3. Initial Grades. Members in this category will be enrolled initially without grade. However, immediately upon completion of Level I, the unit commander may recommend the member for appointment to a grade commensurate with his or her special skill, as outlined in figure 5.

FAA/FCC Rating	Grade
Communicators
General Radiotelephone Operators License	1st Lt

This was downloaded today, so it is current.

[grunt82abn]

I was told that even if I get my PPL this moth, I will still have to wait until November to be promoted to TSGT.

[EMT-83]

I was told that even if I get my PPL this moth, I will still have to wait until November to be promoted to TSGT.

I'll bite. What does one have to do with the other?

[Eclipse]

From 35-5:

4-3. Initial Grades. Members in this category will be enrolled initially without grade. However, immediately upon completion of Level I, the unit commander may recommend the member for appointment to a grade commensurate with his or her special skill, as outlined in figure 5.

FAA/FCC Rating	Grade
Communicators
General Radiotelephone Operators License	1st Lt

This was downloaded today, so it is current.

I forgot about that - now that it's been mentioned, I recall one or two comm people back in
the century with a 19 requesting this bump, of course that was at the tail end of
personal radios, some wings requiring radios be literally tested to spec
(vs. taking the manufacturer's word), and things like L-Pers and other gear that could still be
end-user repaired.

Nothing says "welcome new commander" like a desk covered in PCB-laden oil from a leaky
radio transformer.

These days it would be hard to make the case at the unit level that a member could use a GROL
in a mission critical role justifying an advanced promotion.

[grunt82abn]

I was told that even if I get my PPL this moth, I will still have to wait until November to be promoted to TSGT.

I'll bite. What does one have to do with the other?

Nothing I guess



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Brad]

These days it would be hard to make the case at the unit level that a member could use a GROL in a mission critical role justifying an advanced promotion.

Helps for the CUL or Comm Officer to know where to quickly find a certified wirehead that can hopefully fix the giant Astron RS-series power supplies that NTC is no longer servicing but that we still use all over...

[SarDragon]

These days it would be hard to make the case at the unit level that a member could use a GROL in a mission critical role justifying an advanced promotion.

Helps for the CUL or Comm Officer to know where to quickly find a certified wirehead that can hopefully fix the giant Astron RS-series power supplies that NTC is no longer servicing but that we still use all over...

Just rabble-rousing here, but is a GROL really necessary to repair a power supply?

[Holding Pattern]

These days it would be hard to make the case at the unit level that a member could use a GROL in a mission critical role justifying an advanced promotion.

Helps for the CUL or Comm Officer to know where to quickly find a certified wirehead that can hopefully fix the giant Astron RS-series power supplies that NTC is no longer servicing but that we still use all over...

Just rabble-rousing here, but is a GROL really necessary to repair a power supply?

It just wouldn't do to let the rabble near a PSU with a soldering iron...

[SarDragon]

Watch it, Bub! 

The last time I looked, soldering wasn't on the test.It's been a while. That said, I'll match irons with any GROL out there, any time, any place. The USN spent a whole month training me in the finer points of soldering, and all I have to show for it it a service record entry. 

I spent 20 years as an avionics tech in out fine canoe club, and soldered everything from flat packs to terminals big enough to require two Weller Welders to get hot enough to properly flow solder. But, I am lacking certain bits of technical knowledge to be a GROL.

I am not rabble. 

[Brad]

In all seriousness though, here is where GROL factors in. CAPR 100-1:

1.6. Maintenance, Testing and Measurements of Radio Communications Equipment. Since the communications and electronics knowledge of the average CAP radio operator is normally limited to proficiency of radio operations, the recruitment of technically qualified personnel is highly encouraged. All transmitter servicing, testing or maintenance adjustments, or other operation which may affect the proper operation of the station shall be made by, or under the immediate supervision and responsibility of, a qualified technician. Programming of radio equipment does not require a fully qualified technician, as long as the member doing the programming is authorized by the wing director of communications (DC) or higher. See paragraph 6.12.4. for special requirements applying to maintenance and other work on CAP repeaters. For equipment other than repeaters, the following standards apply:

1.6.1. The minimum standard for qualification will be a General Radiotelephone Operator License or equivalent certification. The National Association of Business/Emergency Radio (NABER) certificate, Association of Public Safety Communications Officers (APCO) certificate, or Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) certificate are examples of acceptable certification. Persons in certain military specialties may also be authorized to service CAP communications equipment. In all cases, approval for use of local technicians doing more than basic preventative maintenance must be received in advance via the CommPermissions process IAW para. 6.12.1.1.

[tribalelder]

In olden times, those numerous converted CB sets used on CAP's 26.620 (megacycles then), many with tubes(a few of you remember tubes) made a trip to the bench of the guy who had the FCC license to get the 5 year frequency check.

[Eclipse]

In all seriousness though, here is where GROL factors in. CAPR 100-1:

1.6. Maintenance, Testing and Measurements of Radio Communications Equipment. Since the communications and electronics knowledge of the average CAP radio operator is normally limited to proficiency of radio operations, the recruitment of technically qualified personnel is highly encouraged. All transmitter servicing, testing or maintenance adjustments, or other operation which may affect the proper operation of the station shall be made by, or under the immediate supervision and responsibility of, a qualified technician. Programming of radio equipment does not require a fully qualified technician, as long as the member doing the programming is authorized by the wing director of communications (DC) or higher. See paragraph 6.12.4. for special requirements applying to maintenance and other work on CAP repeaters. For equipment other than repeaters, the following standards apply:

1.6.1. The minimum standard for qualification will be a General Radiotelephone Operator License or equivalent certification. The National Association of Business/Emergency Radio (NABER) certificate, Association of Public Safety Communications Officers (APCO) certificate, or Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) certificate are examples of acceptable certification. Persons in certain military specialties may also be authorized to service CAP communications equipment. In all cases, approval for use of local technicians doing more than basic preventative maintenance must be received in advance via the CommPermissions process IAW para. 6.12.1.1.

Well that's just it - no one is repairing or tuning HTs, mobiles, or ISRs, they work, or go for warranty.  When the warranty is up, landfill.

And he big iron stuff like repeaters is handled by contractors.

If you happened to be i proximity to Wing, and they happened to need something, you might have justification, otherwise,
the average squadron doesn't have any need for a GROLs skillset.

[SarDragon]

Well that's just it - no one is repairing or tuning HTs, mobiles, or ISRs, they work, or go for warranty.  When the warranty is up, landfill.

And the big iron stuff like repeaters is handled by contractors.

If you happened to be in proximity to Wing, and they happened to need something, you might have justification, otherwise,
the average squadron doesn't have any need for a GROLs skillset.

Not necessarily. All of our repeater work ere in CAWG is handled by in-house people.

As an aside, here's what the FCC says about Who Needs A Commercial Operator License? NHQ has chosen to make the requirement more strict.

[Brad]

In all seriousness though, here is where GROL factors in. CAPR 100-1:

1.6. Maintenance, Testing and Measurements of Radio Communications Equipment. Since the communications and electronics knowledge of the average CAP radio operator is normally limited to proficiency of radio operations, the recruitment of technically qualified personnel is highly encouraged. All transmitter servicing, testing or maintenance adjustments, or other operation which may affect the proper operation of the station shall be made by, or under the immediate supervision and responsibility of, a qualified technician. Programming of radio equipment does not require a fully qualified technician, as long as the member doing the programming is authorized by the wing director of communications (DC) or higher. See paragraph 6.12.4. for special requirements applying to maintenance and other work on CAP repeaters. For equipment other than repeaters, the following standards apply:

1.6.1. The minimum standard for qualification will be a General Radiotelephone Operator License or equivalent certification. The National Association of Business/Emergency Radio (NABER) certificate, Association of Public Safety Communications Officers (APCO) certificate, or Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) certificate are examples of acceptable certification. Persons in certain military specialties may also be authorized to service CAP communications equipment. In all cases, approval for use of local technicians doing more than basic preventative maintenance must be received in advance via the CommPermissions process IAW para. 6.12.1.1.

Well that's just it - no one is repairing or tuning HTs, mobiles, or ISRs, they work, or go for warranty.  When the warranty is up, landfill.

And he big iron stuff like repeaters is handled by contractors.

If you happened to be i proximity to Wing, and they happened to need something, you might have justification, otherwise,
the average squadron doesn't have any need for a GROLs skillset.

Fair enough, but at the same time there's a lot of equipment on the NTC non-service list such as Motorola, etc. that is still readily usable, but the local Motorola shop for example can't work on it even though they still offer service for it because they likely don't have GROLs because you usually don't need that for LMR radios....except ours can talk on marine frequencies so that is where that requirement comes in.

Additionally there's the whole Comms Permissions red tape to get through even if the tech has a GROL if the repair is beyond the nebulous "basic preventative maintenance"

Welcome to CAP-COMM! 

[Eclipse]

Fair enough, but at the same time there's a lot of equipment on the NTC non-service list such as Motorola, etc. that is still readily usable,

CAP - saving nickels while dollars burn in the back room since 1941.

[Holding Pattern]

Well that's just it - no one is repairing or tuning HTs, mobiles, or ISRs, they work, or go for warranty.  When the warranty is up, landfill.

And the big iron stuff like repeaters is handled by contractors.

If you happened to be in proximity to Wing, and they happened to need something, you might have justification, otherwise,
the average squadron doesn't have any need for a GROLs skillset.

Not necessarily. All of our repeater work ere in CAWG is handled by in-house people.

As an aside, here's what the FCC says about Who Needs A Commercial Operator License? NHQ has chosen to make the requirement more strict.

NHQ or USAF?

[SarDragon]

NHQ or USAF?

Wel-l-l-l-l-l... since the quote above was from CAPR 100-1, and USAF doesn't have an NHQ, I think it would be safe to say CAP.

[PHall]

NHQ or USAF?

Wel-l-l-l-l-l... since the quote above was from CAPR 100-1, and USAF doesn't have an NHQ, I think it would be safe to say CAP.

The Air Force does have a "NHQ", it's called Headquarters Air Force and usually abbreviated as HAF.

[Luis R. Ramos]

I disagree.

When you want to refer to Air Force Headquarters, usually we never use NHQ. We usually leave NHQ to refer to CAP, and use HAf to Refer to Headquarters, Air Force.

[Holding Pattern]

NHQ or USAF?

Wel-l-l-l-l-l... since the quote above was from CAPR 100-1, and USAF doesn't have an NHQ, I think it would be safe to say CAP.

What I was referring to is the fact that many CAPR directives come from USAF directives telling us how to do things.

[SarDragon]

OK, enough of the urinating competition, and back on topic.

Given proper permission, a GROL can be useful at operational levels, especially with regard to repeaters. We have several folks in CAWG who are qualified to do a defined level of maintenance on repeaters, and most of them have a GROL.

YMMV.

[Briank]

Given proper permission, a GROL can be useful at operational levels, especially with regard to repeaters. We have several folks in CAWG who are qualified to do a defined level of maintenance on repeaters, and most of them have a GROL.

I guess I'll just keep my eyes open and see if I can be useful in that capacity with my GROL+RADAR anywhere locally.  I joined CAP because I'm a pilot, but I do enjoy radio too!  :-)