Lesson One
Jun 22, 2022
Amateur Radio – Lesson One
In the United States there are currently three license classes. Morse code is no longer a requirement, and should not become a requirement any time soon. As of today, there is NO FEE. However, the FCC is discussing adding a fee again. At this point, any fees are paid to a local Volunteer Examiner (VE) in your local area, assuming someone is close by. Those fees cover paper work and perhaps the time for the Examiner to show up, set up, perhaps pay for their gas, and copying paper-work fees.
The easiest license class is Technician Class. This license essentially gives you access to 30 Megahertz and above. While you do NOT need to KNOW Morse Code, it is highly recommended you learn Morse Code, and because any HF privileges you use, have a subband set aside specifically for Continuous Wave (CW, AKA Morse Code). Note CW is a MODE of Operation, while Morse Code is the actual ‘language’ used to convey messages.
The Technician class license is essentially the entry-level license of choice for new ham radio operators. To earn the Technician license requires passing one examination totaling 35 questions on radio theory, regulations and operating practices. The license gives access to all Amateur Radio frequencies above 30 megahertz, allowing these licensees the ability to communicate locally and most often within North America. It also allows for some limited privileges on the HF (also called “short wave”) bands used for international communications. You must pass this test before you can test for General.
The next level up and the one that gives you HF privileges, is General. General gives you access to about 80-88% of all bands available to anyone in the USA. This includes High Frequency (HF) and Low bands. MOST Amateurs in the US “shoot” for this level of license these days. Morse code is NOT required for any bands, including this one.
The General class license grants some operating privileges on all Amateur Radio bands and all operating modes. This license opens the door to world-wide communications. Earning the General class license requires passing a 35 question examination. General class licensees must also have passed the Technician written examination, and pass this test to be able to test for Extra Class.
The Highest and hardest to get is “Amateur Extra Class”. This license is extremely technical, covers all the various parts of being a ham, including safety (as do the others) antenna, engineering equipment, antennas, propagation and many other aspects. Essentially, this is the “engineering level”, and it is the level most eventually strive to obtain. It is the most technical, hardest to grasp, but it is not as difficult as one might believe. In the “Olden Days” (before 1999) one needed to pass the technical potion as well as a 20 words per minute Morse Code Test.
The Amateur Extra class license conveys all available U.S. Amateur Radio operating privileges on all bands and all modes. Earning the license is more difficult; it requires passing a thorough 50 question examination. Extra class licensees must also have passed all previous license class written examinations.
These days as long as you can remember technical aspects of Amateur Radio, you can probably learn and/or memorize enough to pass the test. If you were good in High School or College at remembering information to pass a test, you can probably pass this one.
Why You Need to Get a License:
Legally, you can not operate Amateur Radio equipment, or transmits without a license, in the normal ham bands (there might be some exceptions, but they are definitely exceptions…. So, just DON’T DO IT).
US licenses are good for 10 years before renewal and anyone may hold one except a representative of a foreign government. In the US there are three license classes—Technician, General and Extra.
An Internet Source for information for Amateur Radio is the American Radio Relay League, or ARRL. https://arrl.org
Each license class has a set of questions, pulled from a Pool. Those pools might be found here: http://www.arrl.org/question-pools
You may download and study these questions (memorize them, read them, get a feel for the testing, etc.)
Per FCC Rule 97.523 only one question pool may exist for each license examination level. Each question pool must contain at least 10 times the number of questions required for a single examination. The question pools are normally valid for 4 years.
Amateur Radio Operators are covered by a set of Federal Communications Regulations (FCC) called Title 47 CFR Part 97. Those regulations can be found here: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/47/part-97, http://www.arrl.org/part-97-text or here: https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/technologies-systems-and-innovation-division/rules-regulations-title-47
At some point you will be ready to take your test, and you can find a place to do so on this link: http://www.arrl.org/find-an-amateur-radio-license-exam-session
Consider this “Lesson One”. There’s a lot more, but this is to give you a very basic background. I’m open to questions, and will respond when I see them. I’ll put together some more, if there is interest. You may write me at n0njy@qsl.net, in the subject line write: “Ham Questions on Substack”
73,
Rick, CET, Sec+, N0NJY
