How do I Become a Ham?
It’s reasonably easy!
Becoming an Amateur Radio Operator (Ham) opens many doors to a fun and
rewarding hobby with many aspects (see ARRL –What Is Ham Radio). But, to
become a Ham you must pass an exam administered by a Volunteer Examiner
Team. The test is required by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
This is because being a Ham carries with it some responsibilities and capabilities
that the Family Radio Service (FRS) or Citizen’s Band (CB) does not.
FRS operators can only use up to 1/2 watt of power, and CB is limited to 4 watts,
while Ham operators can use up to 1,500 watts on most bands! FRS is good for
about 3 miles, and CB is limited by law to 150 miles. With Ham Radio, the world is
not even your limit. You can bounce signals off the moon or use orbiting satellites
to talk to any licensed Ham worldwide. Whereas all other radio services are
allowed only very few channels or frequencies to work with – Hams have literally
thousands!
The Technician License
The first level of the Amateur Radio Operator is the Technician Class which allows
you all Ham Radio frequency use privileges above 30 MHz, as well as additional
privileges on certain HF frequencies (below 30 MHz) including the 80-, 40- and 15-
meter bands using Morse code (CW), and on the 10-meter band using CW, voice,
and digital modes. On frequencies above 30 MHz, Technicians may operate FM
voice, digital modes, amateur television (ATV), single-sideband voice, CW, and
several other interesting modes. As mentioned before, you can even make
international radio contacts via satellites, using relatively simple station equipment,
or even through linked networks using D-STAR or linked repeater networks.
The Exam
Morse code is no longer required for any Amateur Radio license! The Technician
Class License exam covers basic regulations, operating practices, and basic
electronics theory, with a focus on VHF and UHF (above 30 MHz) applications.
Don’t let this scare you. You can do it! – Many folks from all walks of life routinely
pass their Technician exams on the first try. There is no age requirement. The
youngest known Ham in the US was 5 years old.
There are several study materials available to help you pass the exam. Many
people rely on the study materials from the American Radio Relay League (ARRL).
They provide both study guides and a CD (ARRL Training and Education). One of
the most popular and more intuitive study guides is published by the W5YI GROUP,
Gordon West, (WB6NOA). Visit the ARRL or books sellers such as Amazon.com to
purchase a Technician Class study manual.
There is even a free website, Hamstudy.org. There, for a small fee, you can even
get an app for your smartphone.
Practice Tests
The exams are never as hard as the new Ham thinks they are going to be! They
consist of 35 multiple-choice questions taken from a pool of only 400 questions.
These questions are known, as are the answers. You can download the entire pool
of questions from the ARRL and other sources.
There are also several websites Like QRZ, AA9PW, or HamTestOnline that have
practice exams made up of questions pulled at random from this pool. You should
sign onto one of these websites and repeatedly take the exam until you routinely
receive a grade of 90% or higher. When you take the real exam, you will see the
exact same questions. The answers may be in a different order, but they will be the
same answers that you have already seen several times!
Once you are passing the online practice tests with regularity, consider studying for
the next level up: the General Class License. Because, when you pass the
Technician Class test you will get a FREE General Class test – and who knows?
You may walk out as a new Ham with HF privileges! So, yes, you can do it! Allow
yourself about three weeks to study.
Where to Take the Exam
DTARC’s testing team will test anyone who believes they are ready. We only need
a few days to prepare. Most times this can happen in a day or two. We will meet
where it is most convenient for both examiners and candidate. Many times, it has
been the candidate’s own dining room table. Also check the calendar page for
meeting times and dates. Tests can be given after meetings.
After you pass
The FCC generally takes at least two weeks to process the paperwork and grant
you your very own “call sign” such as “KB7JVO”. But how you will really “become a
Ham” is what happens afterwards. It will be helpful for you to borrow or purchase
an HT (handy talkie) for starters so that you will have folks all over your local area to
talk to on the air.
Though, not a requirement for being a Ham Radio operator, consider joining your
local club. It will be your ready source for helpful assistance and answers to
questions, as well as opportunities to get real ‘hands-on’ practice with radio gear
and operating procedure. Helpful mentors you will meet in the local club
environment are called “Elmers” and even the most seasoned Ham knows a few
folks they consider an Elmer. DTARC gives a full year’s membership to any area
Ham who passes an exam administered by our team.
It is often said by new Hams that they are apprehensive about asking other Hams
for help because they fear that their questions are dumb ones… Well, there are NO
dumb questions in Amateur Radio – only good ones… believe it or not, it’s in our
Amateur’s Code as well as in FCC regulation to place high regard in assisting and
training up new Hams.
If you have any questions about becoming a Ham – helpful and kind assistance is
just an email away!
Please email: Club@wy7dt.com
How do I Become a
Ham?
It’s reasonably easy!
Becoming an Amateur Radio
Operator (Ham) opens many doors
to a fun and rewarding hobby with
many aspects (see ARRL –What Is
Ham Radio). But, to become a Ham
you must pass an exam administered
by a Volunteer Examiner Team. The
test is required by the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC).
This is because being a Ham carries
with it some responsibilities and
capabilities that the Family Radio
Service (FRS) or Citizen’s Band (CB)
does not.
FRS operators can only use up to 1/2
watt of power, and CB is limited to 4
watts, while Ham operators can use
up to 1,500 watts on most bands!
FRS is good for about 3 miles, and
CB is limited by law to 150 miles.
With Ham Radio, the world is not
even your limit. You can bounce
signals off the moon or use orbiting
satellites to talk to any licensed Ham
worldwide. Whereas all other radio
services are allowed only very few
channels or frequencies to work with
– Hams have literally thousands!
The Technician License
The first level of the Amateur Radio
Operator is the Technician Class
which allows you all Ham Radio
frequency use privileges above 30
MHz, as well as additional privileges
on certain HF frequencies (below 30
MHz) including the 80-, 40- and 15-
meter bands using Morse code
(CW), and on the 10-meter band
using CW, voice, and digital modes.
On frequencies above 30 MHz,
Technicians may operate FM voice,
digital modes, amateur television
(ATV), single-sideband voice, CW,
and several other interesting modes.
As mentioned before, you can even
make international radio contacts via
satellites, using relatively simple
station equipment, or even through
linked networks using D-STAR or
linked repeater networks.
The Exam
Morse code is no longer required for
any Amateur Radio license! The
Technician Class License exam
covers basic regulations, operating
practices, and basic electronics
theory, with a focus on VHF and UHF
(above 30 MHz) applications. Don’t
let this scare you. You can do it! –
Many folks from all walks of life
routinely pass their Technician
exams on the first try. There is no
age requirement. The youngest
known Ham in the US was 5 years
old.
There are several study materials
available to help you pass the exam.
Many people rely on the study
materials from the American Radio
Relay League (ARRL). They provide
both study guides and a CD (ARRL
Training and Education). One of the
most popular and more intuitive
study guides is published by the
W5YI GROUP, Gordon West,
(WB6NOA). Visit the ARRL or books
sellers such as Amazon.com to
purchase a Technician Class study
manual.
There is even a free website,
Hamstudy.org. There, for a small
fee, you can even get an app for
your smartphone.
Practice Tests
The exams are never as hard as the
new Ham thinks they are going to be!
They consist of 35 multiple-choice
questions taken from a pool of only
400 questions. These questions are
known, as are the answers. You can
download the entire pool of
questions from the ARRL and other
sources.
There are also several websites Like
QRZ, AA9PW, or HamTestOnline that
have practice exams made up of
questions pulled at random from this
pool. You should sign onto one of
these websites and repeatedly take
the exam until you routinely receive a
grade of 90% or higher. When you
take the real exam, you will see the
exact same questions. The answers
may be in a different order, but they
will be the same answers that you
have already seen several times!
Once you are passing the online
practice tests with regularity,
consider studying for the next level
up: the General Class License.
Because, when you pass the
Technician Class test you will get a
FREE General Class test – and who
knows? You may walk out as a new
Ham with HF privileges! So, yes, you
can do it! Allow yourself about three
weeks to study.
Where to Take the Exam
DTARC’s testing team will test
anyone who believes they are ready.
We only need a few days to prepare.
Most times this can happen in a day
or two. We will meet where it is most
convenient for both examiners and
candidate. Many times, it has been
the candidate’s own dining room
table. Also check the calendar page
for meeting times and dates. Tests
can be given after meetings.
After you pass
The FCC generally takes at least two
weeks to process the paperwork and
grant you your very own “call sign”
such as “KB7JVO”. But how you will
really “become a Ham” is what
happens afterwards. It will be helpful
for you to borrow or purchase an HT
(handy talkie) for starters so that you
will have folks all over your local area
to talk to on the air.
Though, not a requirement for being
a Ham Radio operator, consider
joining your local club. It will be your
ready source for helpful assistance
and answers to questions, as well as
opportunities to get real ‘hands-on’
practice with radio gear and
operating procedure. Helpful
mentors you will meet in the local
club environment are called “Elmers”
and even the most seasoned Ham
knows a few folks they consider an
Elmer. DTARC gives a full year’s
membership to any area Ham who
passes an exam administered by our
team.
It is often said by new Hams that
they are apprehensive about asking
other Hams for help because they
fear that their questions are dumb
ones… Well, there are NO dumb
questions in Amateur Radio – only
good ones… believe it or not, it’s in
our Amateur’s Code as well as in
FCC regulation to place high regard
in assisting and training up new
Hams.
If you have any questions about