If you are installing any type of VSAT, you definitely need to take course GVF510 (Core Skills for VSAT Installers) and the Hands On Skills Test. This will give you the Basic certification which indicates that you have the minimum skills to activate a VSAT without creating excess interference. The GVF and the major satellite operators also encourage you to continue to Advanced certification by taking courses GVF520 and GVF521. If you work with iDirect equipment, you should also take course GVF503iW in order to receive GVF iDirect certification.
In September 2009, we made significant updates and improvements to the online courses, and added a new entry-level ("Basic") certification. The learning content from our previous Level 1 and 2 online courses, plus the practical topics covered in the previous Level 3S classroom session, are now included (and enhanced) in the new GVF 510, 520, and 521 online courses. The Hands On Skills Test (HOST) is now offered stand-alone by regional or organizational Examiners, and additional supplementary classroom sessions may be offered by GVF instructors, at their discretion.
These changes have no effect on the validity of previous certifications and/or on courses taken toward Certification. If you completed the legacy Level 1 and Level 2 courses and wish to obtain an Advanced GVF Installer Certification, you still receive credit for passing these courses. Together with credit for GVF501 and GVF502 you would need to complete GVF521 and attend a HOST session. If you purchased a GVF513SWC package, you may have several options. First, there may be still a few seats open in the scheduled Level 3S classroom sessions (GVF503SCxx) which you may attend, or you can request to be registered for GVF521 in place of the Level 3S class -- but a HOST session will still be required.
Online courses are available 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. You may log in and work on your course at your own speed. The learning system will remember your place in the course the next time you log in.
You can expect to take about 5-15 hours of online study to complete the GVF 510. GVF 520 takes slightly longer, and 521 each typically take about 5-15 hours. The Hands On Skills Test generally takes several hours, working outside with a GVF Examiner.
We would be happy to set up a HOST class if you have at least 6-8 students. Tuition cost will depend on the available Examiner and may include the Examiner's travel expenses. Contact us and we will put you in touch with an Examiner in your area.
No. Registrations are for individual students. The learning system tracks each student’s through the course and records quiz and test scores. If you share an account, you will not be able to take advantage of the critical quizzes and exams, and you will not receive a certificate.
Click on "Forgot your password?" on the home page. If your original email address is not active, send an email to
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identifying yourself by First name and Last name and we will assist you.
Log in, go to My Profile, and enter your new email address. If you have any problems, contact us at
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Send an email to
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and ask us to reset the course for you. When the course has been reset, you can start it again. Please note that you must view all pages, pass all quizzes, and pass the final test in order to pass a course.
You will not be able to enter the course after you log in. Under certain circumstances, we can extend a course deadline upon request via email to
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Log in and click on the Digital Library icon in the lower right corner. From there, you can click on each of the available reference documents to display and/or download them.
There can be several possible reasons for this: 1. The wrong version of the Adobe Flash player is installed on the computer you are using, or Flash is not installed at all. GVF online courses now require that you have at least version 10. For a free update, go to www.adobe.com and click on “Get Flash Player.” 2.2During periods of heavy use, the learning system may slow down somewhat. If that happens, please wait a minute or two and try again. 3. Most learning pages are quite small (under 100 kbytes) but a few of them are as much as 1 Mbyte. You have to wait until the page is loaded. After that, it should play at full speed locally on your computer. 4. An unreliable Internet connection is the most common source of problems with access to the learning system. The best way to check for this is to use the tracert utility, as follows:
a. In Windows, click Start, Run b. Type cmdEnter Type tracert gvf.coursehost.comEnter
First, check that gvf.coursehost.com resolved to an IP address. If not, then your DNS service is not working correctly. Second, look for any delays or blockage along the path. If tracert consistently shows a problem reaching gvf.coursehost.com, then you should contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and ask for assistance.
We welcome all suggestions and comments! Please send and email to
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. Be sure to mention the course name, the page title, and the page code (in small letters in the corner.)
Basic Certification indicates that you have the bare minimum skills to activate a VSAT without causing excess interference. These skills consist of dish pointing, cross pol alignment, connector attachment, and decommissioning. All VSAT installers should hold this certification. Advanced Certification indicates that you understand the aspects of satellite communications theory that are important for every professional field technician, and that you have been trained in the practical skills that are important for efficient, high quality VSAT installations.
In September 2009, we made significant updates and improvements to the online courses. The Level 3S Certification has been renamed simply the Advanced Certification. If you already have a Level 3S Certification, you will be listed in future as holding an Advanced Certification. If you are just starting on certification training, you should take the new GVF 510, 520, and 521 courses, plus the Hands On Skills Test, to achieve Advanced Certification.
For more FAQs about the new course and certification structure, click here.
Send an email to
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with your request. We will re-activate your account. Although your courses may have expired, you will be able to view your transcript for each course completed. After clicking on Transcript, you will see a link to display your certificate.
The certificate is created in our online learning system, so actually there is no paper "original." GVF maintains a permanent database of all course completions, so if there is ever a question, you can refer back to us for confirmation or for a copy of your certificate.
There could be three possible reasons for this: You have not yet completed all the requirements for certification. We have not updated the database yet. This is normally done every month. Your have chosen not to appear in the database. If your account is active, simply log in, go to
If your account is active, simply log in, go to "My Profile" and make all your corrections. If your account is not active, send an email with your request to
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In September 2009, GVF launched a restructuring of the VSAT Installer Certification program. The changes improve the online learning experience for students and add flexibility for instructors and examiners, which will make the hands-on requirements more accessible world wide.
The Level 3S Certification has been renamed "Advanced" Certification. All students who have completed Level 3S under the previous structure will automatically be listed as holding Advanced Certification.
The GVF iDirect Certification has been renamed "iDirect Specialist" certification.
A new, entry-level certification has been added: GVF Basic Certification. It meets the minimum skill level necessary for activation of a VSAT terminal without creating excessive interference.
GVF 510 is an highly interactive, intensive course focusing on the core skills that all VSAT installers must have to avoid creation of interference.
GVF 501 (Level 1) and 502 (Level 2) are being phased out. Current students will continue to have access until they complete them, but new students will enroll in the new GVF 510, 520, and 521 courses.
The Level 3S classroom/hands-on class is also being phased out. In future, students will learn the require knowledge topics in GVF 521 online, and then attend a Hands On Skills Test session with a GVF Examiner.
The major satellite operators, including Intelsat, have launched an initiative to combat interference, which is having a serious impact on transponder capacity and service quality for all users. GVF has responded to this challenge by creating a new Basic certification and making it available at lowest cost to installers worldwide.
We now have the technology to delivery much more realistic simulators for antenna pointing and polarization adjustment skills practice. This technology has been built into the new courses - in particular, GVF 510.
We wanted to make certification more accessible worldwide by enable students to complete their hands-on requirements with an Examiner rather than being required to attend a complete classroom session. To do that, we upgraded the online courses to cover theory topics previously taught in the Level 3S class.
We wanted to give instructors more flexibility in offering classroom and practical courses. In the new structure, instructors may offer "supplementary" classes (possibly including the mandatory Hands On Skills Test) to students who would like extra time, discussion in their own language, or more practical work than only the test.
In September 2009, we made significant updates and improvements to the online courses, and added a new entry-level ("Basic") certification. The learning content from our previous Level 1 and 2 online courses, plus the practical topics covered in the previous Level 3S classroom session, are now included (and enhanced) in the new GVF 510, 520, and 521 online courses. The Hands On Skills Test (HOST) is now offered stand-alone by regional or organizational Examiners, and additional supplementary classroom sessions may be offered by GVF instructors, at their discretion.
These changes have no effect on the validity of previous certifications and/or on courses taken toward Certification. If you completed the legacy Level 1 and Level 2 courses and wish to obtain an Advanced GVF Installer Certification, you still receive credit for passing these courses. Together with credit for GVF501 and GVF502 you would need to complete GVF521 and attend a HOST session. If you purchased a GVF513SWC package, you may have several options. First, there may be still a few seats open in the scheduled Level 3S classroom sessions (GVF503SCxx) which you may attend, or you can request to be registered for GVF521 in place of the Level 3S class -- but a HOST session will still be required.
Yes. GVF 501 and 502 will remain online indefinitely, but they are no longer in the catalog for new enrollments. Students currently enrolled in GVF 501 and 502 can certainly complete them and they are welcome to attend one of the Level 3S classes to achieve GVF Advanced Certification.
Yes. In future, students will take GVF 510, 520, 521 online and the Hands On Skills Test to receive Advanced certification. However, all currently scheduled Level 3S classes will be held as planned, so if you are already enrolled in a 3S class, you should attend it and you will receive your Advanced certification when you complete it.
Don't worry - we will assist you with enrolling you in the necessary online course(s) and a Hands On Skills Test so you can complete your Advanced certification requirements. There will be no extra cost.
If you have any other questions, please contact us at
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