LEARN HAM RADIO
If you want to get into amateur radio, also known as ham radio, there are lots of websites and mobile apps to help you study. The most common one, and the one I use, is Ham Radio Prep. Just a quick introduction, there are three levels of license you can hold. Each with different privileges. Of course, the higher you go to more you can do.

Ham Radio Prep

Here is a list of the licenses you can hold.

  • Technicians
  • General
  • Amateur Extra

When you take your test, you must take the technicians test first, but at the same sitting, you may take the other remaining test at the same time, providing you pass each lower level test first. Depending on where you take your test, and the VEC, you may just need to pay once, but that is all depends on the VEC.

If you are wondering which license(s) are good for you, just look at the chart below or watch the video.

Amateur Radio Chart


While you are studying for you license, you may listen to the amateur bands and practice with your radio as long as you don't transmit. You CANNOT transmit UNTIL you have the confirmation by e-mail from the FCC or you are in the ULS database.
The FCC will email you a link for you to view / print your license. After you take your test, the VEC will give your certificate, (sometimes they will mail it). This IS NOT your license and you can NOT operate with this. The VEC will submit your paperwork to the FCC. It may take between 24 - 48 hours up to maybe a week, depending on how the VEC submits the paperwork.

You can search the ARRL or the FCC for VEC's. You usually can find some in your local club. You can also search for clubs again on the ARRL website.

You can search to see if your call sign has been issued by searching the ULS database or going to the FCC License Manager and logging on with your FRN and Password.

While you are waiting, you should get familiar with CFR 47 Part 97, rules for the Amateur Radio Service. Which you can view here or as a PDF document.

ARRL Logo

Join the ARRL

There are a number of radio out there from a simple hand held to 2m / 70cm mobile units to all in ones. The all in ones are actually base / QTH units that provide you to use 2m / 70cm / HF bands. Which one you get, depends on your budget and what you plan to do.

Having a separate HF unit can be the best, since you will be able to pack it up when you go on a trip, do POTA, SOTA or maybe YOTA.

The abbreviations stand for:

POTA - Park On The Air
SOTA - Summits On The Air
YOTA - Youths On The Air

When getting started, I recommend, and it is probably for the best, to get a simple, cheap radio. You can find them on Amazon and some other websites. Amazon has some good starter ones, lots of people say they are junk, but lot of others like them.

Here is a link to them. The way I feel is, you might as well spend $30 and see if you like the hobby then spend $200 plus and dislike the hobby. Also, a good way to look at this, is if the radio breaks, just throw it away, keep for parts, or try to fix it and spend $30 more and buy a new radio and then you have spare parts.

Page 1    Page 2  Site Menu

United States Call Sign Look Up  New Hampshire Call Sign Look Up  My QRZ Page
My QRZCQ Page  My HamCall Page  Back To Start Page

HOME ABOUT CONTACT WEATHER
RADIO PROGRAMMING APRS SET UP PI-STAR SETUP HAM TOOLS
DOWNLOADS LEARN HAM RADIO