| NARTE News Selected On-line Articles Volume 19 Number 4 Winter 2001-2002 |
In 2002 NARTE will be celebrating 20 years of representing the best in the telecommunications, EMC and ESD. This year, all members who renew their membership early will be entered into a monthly prize drawing. The winner will receive a prize of NARTE apparel, a NARTE stamp and a NARTE membership directory ($100 value!). When you receive your 2002 certificate document, look for your special 20th Anniversary NARTE membership card, and a celebration gift. September 2002 will see a very special 20th Anniversary issue of the NARTE News, honoring our 20 years of dedication to high certification standards.
Thank you, iNARTE certified members, for 20 great years. It is because of each of you that NARTE certification represents such a high standard of individual competence. Every member has made a special contribution to NARTEs fine reputation.
NARTE Approved for VA Reimbursement
Public Law 106-419 which became effective March 2001, allows for active, reserve and retired military personnel to receive reimbursement for professional certification or licensure examinations approved by the Veterans Affairs (VA).
On October 10, 2001, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Board of Higher Education Veterans State Approving Agency approved NARTE Certification programs. This means that military personnel (active or retired) will now be eligible for reimbursement for their NARTE testing and certification fees.
If you are eligible for VA training and testing benefits, contact iNARTE for information and a claim form at 1-800-89-NARTE.
Award Nomination Forms Now Online
Nomination forms for NARTEs National Service and Marconi-Bell Awards are now available to download from the NARTE website at www.narte.org/h/awards.asp
The National Service Award is NARTE's most prestigious award, which is presented to no more than one individual annually to one who has established a lifetime record of distinctive accomplishments or a single act which made a remarkable difference to telecommunications, EMC, ESD, Wireless, or related fields.
The recipient of the award is presented with a commemorative granite plaque by his or her U.S. Senatorial representative. The recipient also designates a college or university of choice to receive a $1,000 scholarship.
The Marconi-Bell Award is made to the engineer/technician who has made a major contribution to his/her respective field and is acknowledged by supervisors and peers as an outstanding practitioner whose performance is singularly extraordinary. Recipients may or may not be a member of NARTE.
More information on the award eligibility requirements, nomination process and the selection process is posted at the NARTE www.narte.org/awards
Heptode Award Recipients
The "Heptode Award" is granted by Headquarters staff to properly recognize those who lighten their burden, or who represent NARTE in an outstanding manner.
A heptode is a seven-electrode vacuum tube containing an anode, a cathode, a control electrode, and four additional electrodes ordinarily in the nature of grids. These added elements were "helper" elements that made the circuit more efficient. Vacuum tubes have passed from the mainstream and are now only remembered by a relative few senior practitioners.
The symbol for the Heptode Award is a "hep toad". Just as added elements make complex circuits function better; hep toads that hop to and help us out make our operations more efficient.
Congratulations to the December 2001 Heptode Award recipients.
Louis Patterson, NCE, NCT, for his leadership in developing ESD Examination question pool, and his dedication to the pools improvement.
Donald R. Kerns and Theodore Harwood for their tireless effort in EMC question pool review.
Board Eliminates Upgrade Examination
In the telecommunications field there are several levels of certification. Certification at any given level is contingent on the years of experience achieved by the candidate. The telecommunication rules of procedure provide for upgrade from a lower technical level of certification provided that credential requirements for the higher level have been met. Since the examination for each level of certification is different, practitioners were required to successfully pass the examination for the next level to demonstrate that the credential requirements had been met.
NARTE subscribes to the notion that experience increases competency. iNARTE tracks continuity in employment at assures competency is current by asking members to advise NARTE of their employment status with each renewal.
Having reviewed the situation, the NARTE Board of Directors has determined that a candidate may upgrade without examination as long as the elements of professional responsibility at the higher level are met.
Candidates for upgrade now need only apply for the upgrade by presenting evidence that their duties are consistent with the level of responsibility of the upgrade level. Application forms can be obtained from NARTE headquarters by calling 1-800- 89-NARTE or by downloading from our web site at the Telecommunications page.