Become a Ham!

When you’re ready to take you’re test click through to our VE Testing page to find out when and where, until then read the tips and info below to get you started.

Here are a few tips for those of you aspiring Hams out there who just don’t know where to start… or those of you who haven’t really given it any thought at all.

I guess the first question is why Ham?? With cell phones, the Internet, Family Radio Service and General Mobile Radio Service short range radio and all these innovations, what is the point of getting an Amateur Radio license? For me personally, it’s about options- I say options because Ham works when nothing else does- during ice storms, when you are in a hole in the cellular coverage in your area, or when the normal communications modes are disrupted for whatever reason, Ham radio provides valuable, often lifesaving alternate, stand-alone communications. I’m still relatively new on HF- I get a real kick out of talking to European Hams from my car or helping run a contest station and working the world. The act of becoming a licensed amateur opens up a whole new world of exploration and experimentation for those who are interested, yet can stay as simple as being a convenient way to check in with the other Hams in the family- it’s all up to you. One other plus is you’ll find you have an instant peer group anywhere you go- Hams are, on the whole, a good bunch, ready to welcome you whether you’re just passing thru or in town to stay.

Let me say there’s no great secret to getting your license- I know, there will be those of you out there who object to the idea that a license is required, but it is, so deal with it. This is simply because some of our activities could interfere with other use of the airwaves, so we have to demonstrate a certain level of knowledge before we get on the air. The FCC frowns upon those who just pick a frequency and start transmitting- the average fines are in the $10,000 to $20,000 range, with the equipment being confiscated to add insult to injury. Just not worth it…

For the official American Radio Relay League (ARRL) line on “Why Ham?”, check here.

Getting Started

As of the 15th of April, 2000, there are only 3 classes of license- Technician, General and Extra- with increased knowledge and operating privileges to go with each higher level. Effective 23 February 2007, All Morse Code requirements for Amateur Radio licensing have been removed.

I would recommend as a first step contacting your local Ham Radio Club- if they aren’t in the local phone book, try looking here or here. If you don’t need the whole “club” scene, feel free to contact any CORE Group member- one of us is sure to be able to help you get moving in the right direction. As noted elsewhere on this site, we also offer VE testing, sponsoring an exam session once a quarter. If that doesn’t suit your needs, the ARRL posts a site to help you find an exam session in your area- click here. All exams are given by volunteer examiners (VEs), other Hams certified to administer the exams, and are usually a club sponsored event. Therefore, a local club will know when the next exam session will be.

There is a written exam for each class of license, and for many this is the hard part. However, it doesn’t need to keep you off the air- all the questions with answers are available here and elsewhere on the Web. When I say all the questions with answers, I mean the entire question pool, so you will have seen any question they may ask. The written exams are all multiple choice- and the only changes that can be made on the exam are in the order of the answers. The Technician class license gives you all privileges above 50MHz- that’s VHF and UHF local communications, amateur satellite operations, packet (digital text) radio, amateur television and so on. All that stands between you and all this is a little 35 question multiple choice test. And here are all the possible questions and answers for that test. Hint- the letter in parentheses by the question number is the correct answer choice. The question pool is in Adobe Acrobat format, so you’ll need the Acrobat Reader available free here. Doesn’t get much easier than that.

Then, when, you are ready to move to the next level, the written exam for the General class license, available here. As a General class operator, you will be able to operate in the HF bands, used for worldwide communications- in my humble opinion, about the most fun you can have with your clothes on.

After you’ve explored all the fun available to a General Class operator, then there is only one step left- the Extra written exam. If you are going to study for this level- watch out! The question pool changed July 1st 2008 and many of the study guides at local Radio Shack stores and elsewhere are for the old question pool. I have posted the current pool here. It is not for the faint of heart, but if you’ve gone thru the steps to get there, it can be done. Again, all multiple choice questions, and they are all here. Remember, the question pool and graphics are both in Acrobat format.

Hope these few tips will steer you in the right direction. If you need further asssistance, use the Contacts page and let one of us know- we’ll do our best to answer your questions

1 Comment

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  By James Kennedy- WU5E, December 18, 2009 @ 6:13 pm

  GREAT WEB SITE. GOOD JOB ERIC KJ4GXU

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