How can I become a ham radio operator?

[Shawn Gossman]

I'd love to become a ham radio operator.

How should I start?

 

[AWS]

There are 2 ways to get licensed. The easy way and the hard way.

The easy way is to study up on radio theory and find a ham radio club in your area to take the technician class exam. This gives you privileges in the UHF frequencies. No code required.

If you want to advance to General, Advanced or Extra classes you need to do more.

So the hard way is to study radio theory and morse code. Have to copy code at 5 words per minute. Once you have practiced it's time to find a local ham radio club and take the Novice exam. This gives you code privileges in all high frequency bands and voice privileges in the 10 meter band.

Next step is Technician class where you take another theory test.

Then comes General class where you take a code test at 13 words per minute.

Next Advanced. Take another theory test.

Finally Extra. To get there you have to copy code at 20 words per minute.

For me the 20 WPM was easy than 13 WPM. 13 WPM had a rhythm to it that was hard for me to follow. I now copy code at 40 WPM. Basically as fas as a normal person talks. At that point you hear words instead of individual letters.

 

[wd0dbs]

There are 2 ways to get licensed. The easy way and the hard way.

The easy way is to study up on radio theory and find a ham radio club in your area to take the technician class exam. This gives you privileges in the UHF frequencies. No code required.

If you want to advance to General, Advanced or Extra classes you need to do more.

So the hard way is to study radio theory and morse code. Have to copy code at 5 words per minute. Once you have practiced it's time to find a local ham radio club and take the Novice exam. This gives you code privileges in all high frequency bands and voice privileges in the 10 meter band.

Next step is Technician class where you take another theory test.

Then comes General class where you take a code test at 13 words per minute.

Next Advanced. Take another theory test.

Finally Extra. To get there you have to copy code at 20 words per minute.

For me the 20 WPM was easy than 13 WPM. 13 WPM had a rhythm to it that was hard for me to follow. I now copy code at 40 WPM. Basically as fas as a normal person talks. At that point you hear words instead of individual letters.

Rules have changed some. There is no Novice or Advanced license issued anymore. No need to learn Morse code. But it is still best to find a local club and seek help to study for the Tech test. There are web sites to help study also like Hamstudy.org

 

[AWS]

Rules have changed some. There is no Novice or Advanced license issued anymore. No need to learn Morse code. But it is still best to find a local club and seek help to study for the Tech test. There are web sites to help study also like Hamstudy.org

I didn't know there isn't a requirement for morse. Been a while since I was involved in teaching license classes. First licensed in 1982 as an novice. Next time I went to the FCC office I took tech to extra in one sitting. Fell in love with morse. Still love it. Prefer it to voice.

 

[wd0dbs]

I didn't know there isn't a requirement for morse. Been a while since I was involved in teaching license classes. First licensed in 1982 as an novice. Next time I went to the FCC office I took tech to extra in one sitting. Fell in love with morse. Still love it. Prefer it to voice.

My club gives license classes for all levels. I schedule 1 to 2 sessions of each every year. Fcc got rid of the code requirement many years ago. I got my ticket in 1977. I did need 5 wpm at the time but couldn't get to 13 then but got my Tech anyway. CW is on my list someday. Hopefully soon since I am now retired. Have since moved up to extra. The club also holds testing sessions every month locally.

73
Doug

 

[AWS]

13WPM has a weird rhythm. I had trouble with it so I went to 20WPM. Once I had it mastered I went to take all the tests. I eeked by at 13wpm. Aced 20wpm.

I enjoy field day. I am one of 3 that still can man 20M CW. Get those extra points. I have noticed over the years that CW isn't as prevalent as it was.