Amateur radio is the premier high-tech hobby.
It's enjoyed by people from all walks of life from around
the world. The rules for becoming an amateur (ham) radio
operator vary from country to country around the world.
On this page we're going to tell you a little about the
hobby and how you can obtain the necessary license to operate
in the United States.
It's never been so easy to get into ham radio. All ham radio
operators must be licensed before they can legally operate.
This differs a great deal from the CB (i.e. truckers) and FRS (i.e.
dimestore walkie-talkie) services which require no licenses.
Amateur radio operators must be licensed because they are given
transmitting privileges on a wide variety of frequencies and are
allow to use just about any equipment imaginable, even home built
radios. Amateurs are allotted not single specific frequencies
but usually whole ranges (bands) of different frequencies to
operate on. These frequencies and methods of transmission are
are specified by FCC rules and so it is therefore necessary to
be generally familiar with your operating limitations in order to
transmit lawfully.
In order to qualify for an amateur radio license, you must pass
certain tests to determine that you have the required knowledge.
Fortunately, the tests are not terribly difficult for most
people. There are three license levels (known as classes) where
each class grants greater privleges to the individual. There is
a single written test for each license class. The license
classes are:
- Technician Class - this is the entry level license. It gives
privileges on all amateur frequencies above 50 Mhz and is the most
popular. It requires only a written test.
- General Class - this is the mid-level license. It enables
privileges on most amateur frequencies below 50 Mhz and includes
global HF (shortwave) communications. It has its own written test.
- Extra Class - this is the highest level license. It grants
privileges on all amateur frequencies. It has its own written test
and requires that you also have passed all of the Technician and
General class written tests.
This part is easy. The first thing you should do is obtain the
home study materials to prepare you for the test. These will
give you the background that you'll need to understand the gist
of what the tests are about. You can even order study materials
online!
When you're ready to take the test, you should then locate the
nearest license exam opportunity in your area. The ARRL website
provides a searchable
index where you can find the test session nearest you.
The W5YI-VEC also offers many testing opportunities. You can
visit their website at: http://www.w5yi.org/vol-exam.htm
That's it! It typically takes about 2 weeks for your new license
to arrive in the mail and you're ready to go! In the meantime,
you can look into local clubs and ham radio organizations to find
out more about what's going on in your area.
