I shared a little of my story with you in my very first post "on the air!" While it contained some information about how to get going in this great hobby, I wanted to put together a step-by-step for those of you who are interested but not quite sure what to do next. So lets go!
My very best advise on getting started is this... find a local club! You can use this page to search for one near you. Clubs are full of licensed amateurs who would love to mentor, teach and lead you through the licensing process. Many clubs even have classes / testing sessions to help beginners get their first ticket.
However, if you'd like to strike out on your own, no problem. The first step is to understand the licensing process. As of this writing there are three classes of Amateur Radio license.
The Technician Class is the entry level license and conveys privileges to the holder for mainly local area communication.
The General Class license allows its holder all the privileges of the Technician Class plus access to frequencies that allow longer range, perhaps world wide, communication.
The Extra Class license is the highest license available to amateurs and offers all the privileges available to holders of the Technician and General class licenses as well as some additional frequencies in the HF or long range spectrum.
To obtain your Technician's Class license all that is required to successful completion (score of 70 or better) of a multiple choice exam. That it! To make it even better, it's a government test so all the questions, multiple choice answers, and correct answers are already widely published! Now you may be thinking, why don't I just memorize all the answers then go take the test? Well, you could but be forewarned, even though there will only be thirty questions on your test, there are several hundred possible questions for the tester to choose from! Anyway, there are several good study guides to choose from that will help you pass the test. The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual published by the ARRL and Technicians Class by Gordon West. Either one will be an excellent choice!
Now that you've studied for your test, the next step is finding a place to take the test. You can use this page to locate a time and place that is convenient for you. You should plan to arrive about twenty minutes early to make sure you can find the location, get the requisite paperwork taken care of, and be ready to calmly start your exam. There is typically a fee of around $14 for the exam, usually asked to be paid in cash. The results from your search above will have more information on this. You should also bring a couple of Number 2 pencils (yes, just like in school) to fill in your answer sheet.
When you finish your exam, it will be graded on the spot and they will tell you immediately whether you passed or failed. The examiner will also be able to tell you how soon you should expect to receive your license in the mail.
And now the hard part begins... waiting for your license in the mail! When you receive it you will also have your new Call Sign and your ticket into the greatest hobby around! This is just the beginning!
For more information visit the Hello Radio website!
