An amateur radio license allows the holder to use high power for two-way radio communications using approved radio frequencies. Living in an area where weather can instantly diminish or destroy common means of communication, makes the ability to share emergency information using alternate technology an important skill.
YOU WILL NEED
TEST QUESTIONS
TEST ANSWERS & DISTRACTORS
ONLINE PRACTICE
STUDY HELPS
TESTING SESSION to TAKE THE TEST
Download the Question/Answer Document
The first test to get your initial license is the Technician's Exam
All 400 possible questions & correct answers are freely available.
The 35 questions on the test you take come from this ""Question Pool".
Learning and taking Practice Tests are freely available
Start by downloading a document that includes all the possible questions, answers and distractors here:
Open the document and skip down to page 5 where the questions begin.
Here's an example from the document:
**T1A01 (C) [97.1]
Which of the following is part of the Basis and Purpose of the Amateur Radio Service?
A. Providing personal radio communications for as many citizens as possible
B. Providing communications for international non-profit organizations
C. Advancing skills in the technical and communication phases of the radio art
D. All these choices are correct
~~
**Question T1A01's answer is C from FCC Sec.97 pt 1
Advancing skills in the technical and communication phases of the radio art
The four possible answers for that question will be listed in random order, but the "Advancing skills" answer is the correct one.
Reference Book
An official ARRL Technician's Handbook can be checked out at the Kershaw County Library, borrowed from a club member,
After you study for your test, or perhaps if you want to learn in-depth there are DOZENS of online ham podcasts available. While NOT an endorsement, here are just a few examples of technician test playlists...
II. Practice for the Technician's Exam
Now that you know what the questions and answers are, make use of many free online practice sites.
If you get stuck, we monitor daily.
Set up a free account at
Use STUDY MODE to work your way through the questions
When you get questions correct consistently, the program adds more questions until you are seeing all 400
When you feel comfortable with your memorization skills, try some PRACTICE TESTS.
This site also directs you to access online testing/VE sessions.
Another FREE test prep site is
has free practice exams.
Even if you don't use the practice exams at qrz.com, you will find that this is a site nearly all hams use to look up call signs.
REGISTER TO TAKE THE TEST
Register for a FCC Registration Number (FRN) by creating an account.
After reading the bulleted list of directions, Find the "REGISTER" button.
Save your username, password, and security question/answer in a safe place.
FIND A VE SESSION
VE's are Volunteer Examiners, Amateur Radio License Holders who administer the tests for the FCC.
You can take your test on the SECOND SATURDAY of alternating months at the KCARC Club Shack at 10 AM
- January
- March
- May
- July
- September
- November
Pass your Technician's Exam at our clubhouse and we'll throw in free membership for the rest of the year!
Can't make it to our test site? No Problem. Here's a place to search for a VE session in your area:
Costs:
$15 test taking fee
$35 FCC license fee
License Fee includes:
Technician Class Exam, and if you pass it,
General Class Exam, and if you pass it,
Amateur Extra Class Exam
III. USE YOUR LICENSE
Now that you've passed your test, what's next?
The FCC will email your assigned CALL SIGN and a copy of your license in approximately five to ten days.
If you don't have a hand-held radio yet,
- read this:
or watch
(HT stands for hand transceiver)
- talk to a club member, or
- send us a question at
Take the advice of questions T2A09 &T2A12 of the test you just passed: LISTEN.
You can learn the patterns hams use to communicate.
Find frequencies of local repeaters at the bottom of the
daily.