Fundamentals
As I get more and more into this hobby, I begin to despair the information available on the internet. I was having an exchange with a fellow ham that basically came to the sad fact that things on the internet will give you some of what you need but will either leave out the first 5 steps because of assumptions about the kind of operator you are or skip one or two critical steps because “it’s different depending on your rig blah, blah blah.” In an effort to repair that, I’m going to write up some bits and pieces that relate to my journey thus far and will hopefully get some operators off the ground on some things that I know will work. And the first one that I seem to be getting lots of questions about? Getting licensed!
How Does One Get A License?
OK. There are a ton of sites that come back in the search results and a lot of them are for test prep. That’s great! But that’s NOT how you get a license. That’s how you prepare to take the test that is a requirement for getting a license. So let’s go back to the beginning.
Note: I live in the U.S.A. All of this pertains to getting a license in the U.S.A. So…there ya go.
The requirements for getting a license are pretty simple. There is a test for each level of license. Generally, there is a $15 or so fee to take the test. There is also a $35 fee that must be paid to the FCC after you pass your first license test. Let’s break that down:
$15 or so for the organization that administers your exam.
$35 to the FCC to have a license once you pass the aforementioned exam.
But! Because we are dealing with a government entity, we wouldn’t have a complete experience if there weren’t a strange prerequisite. To get your license with the FCC, you must first get an FCC Registration Number. This isn’t a painful process, but you have to do it before you go sit for your exam. You’re gonna be bummed out if you don’t do that because, well, you can’t do business with the FCC without the FRN.
Fortunately, it’s not that bad. Go to THIS SITE and it will walk you through getting set up.
You will need a picture ID to take the test. If you are under 16, your parent or guardian can vouch for you with a copy of your birth certificate. No, you don’t leave that with the testing team. Just show it and be done with it. Also, if you’re under 18, the test fee is usually $5 and if you join the ARRL, they will reimburse you the $35 FCC fee. Keep that in mind for the younger set.
Once you have your FRN? You’re ready for your test.
Studying
Well, not exactly ready. You have all of the things you need to take the test. Before you take the test, especially the Technician Exam, it’s good to spend a minute with either a book or a test prep website. There are a lot of both of those. I recommend getting the No Nonsense Study Guides from KB6NU. You can get the PDFs for free or purchase an eBook. I’d say get the eBooks. These are great guides and worth the money. For real. Get them here: https://www.kb6nu.com/study-guides/
When I was studying for the exams, I used a combination of HamTestOnline and a series of apps on my phone that just go through practice tests. HamTestOnline does a great job of teaching the material, asking questions, and then tracking your progress as you do more and more practice tests. The site surfaces questions that you get wrong more often so you have a better chance of finally figuring out what it was you didn’t understand. It did wonders for me. I will say though that I knew enough electronics and math that it wasn’t too tough. Your mileage may vary on that based on your experience.
If you find a local ham radio club, they may run classes. I know that my dad teaches classes through our local club and has had great success. If you’re the kind of person who benefits from interactive learning, getting into such a class might be right for you.
When To Test
Once you see that you’re getting 80% on practice tests regularly, just go take the test. I gave myself about 2 months to study for the Technician test and I probably didn’t need that much. You might need that much time. You might need more. Keep your eye on your practice test scores though. It’s as good an indicator as any. This isn’t a time in life when you need to have perfection. For example, you can miss all of the math questions and still pass. That’s just the makeup of the test and how they stock the questions. Oh. And it’s all multiple choice. 4 options. So always fill in an oval. Never leave a blank! This isn’t an AP test and there is no guessing penalty.
Where To Test
Finding a local club is probably your best bet. The Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) has a page that will help you find a place to take a test. It’s right here: https://www.arrl.org/find-an-amateur-radio-license-exam-session Most tests will be given by a local ham radio club and will probably be at some VFW hall or community center. There are also a number of organizations that will give the tests at ham fests or even Maker Faires. Again, the ARRL site will help you find ARRL affiliated clubs, but if you can’t find a club in your area, let me know and maybe I can help. You can definitely do tests online now and there are organizations that run them.
Took The Test! Now What?
This is the waiting part. When you pass the test, the head examiner will give you a piece of paper. They will be sending your material in to the FCC. They will have instructions for you and will likely give you an information sheet along with your exam documentation. Once your paperwork is submitted, the machine needs to grind until it produces an email letting you know that it’s time to pay your $35 fee to the FCC. You have 10 days from the time you receive that email to click the link and pay the fee.
Then what? You wait some more! It usually is only a week or so before you get a second email that has a link to your license and your coveted callsign. With your callsign in hand, the world is your oyster! Go get some personalized golf shirts or baseball caps! Get your Amateur Radio License Plate! Go hog wild! But be sure to get on the air THE DAY YOU GET IT!
Bonus Tip
If you are starting from nothing and taking the Technician exam AND pass it, you can take the General exam FOR FREE in the same test session. Didn’t study for it? So what?! It’s free! Take the test. Just do it! It’s the same number of questions as the Technician exam and you get more HF priviledges. You want the General. That’s really what you’re in it for. So either study for the General as you go in or just swing for it once you pass the Technician exam. Whatever works.
Oh! And if you pass the Technician AND the General in the same sitting? Uh huh. That’s right: you can take the Amateur Extra exam FOR FREE! Same session. Same chair. Same Number Two Pencils.
Editorial – I’m gonna be real: The Amateur Extra exam is what I call Trivial Pursuit: Ham Radio Edition. There is some really, really arcane nonsense in there about Slow Scan Television and interlaced colors and…ugh. So many things that I didn’t care about. Still don’t. But they’re on the test and we all have to accept that.
If you can pass all three tests in one sitting, well, congratulations! You’re my dad! He came back to radio after years and years away from it and passed all three tests in under an hour. But he’s a Real Nerd(tm).
Final
Here’s the checklist:
- Get your FRN.
- Study for the Technician Exam (maybe the General too?).
- Find a place to take the exam.
- Take your Picture ID and $15 (or however much the examiner says it costs) to the exam session.
- Pass the Technician Exam!
5a. Optional: TAKE THE GENERAL EXAM!
5b. Optional: Pass or fail the General Exam. If you fail, you went down swinging.
5c. Optional: If you Pass the General Exam…TAKE THE AMATEUR EXTRA EXAM!
5d. Optional: Pass or fail the AE Exam. If you fail, you went down swinging.
5e. Optional: If you Pass the AE Exam let me know and I guess I have to send you a Fathers Day card or something. You are an Official Big Brain and have my respect. Seriously. - Wait. When you get your link via email from the FCC, click and pay your $35.
- Wait. When you get your link via email from the FCC, click it and see your new Amateur Radio License in all its downloadable PDF glory with you newly minted callsign!
- GET ON THE AIR!
If you found this post and have questions, drop me a note and I’ll see if I can help. Good luck and 73!
