ham license

[fordbroncodave]

I have the better half of 2 months to study for the technician license of amateur radio at the local ham fest. I am looking for some questions that some of you might be able to answer.

Of the 35 questions on the test, how many do i need to get right to pass?

If I happen to not pass the first test, is the 2nd test free to take?

If I pass the first test, is the 2nd general test free to take?

How long does it take before I get a call sign? How long before I can transmit on a radio (if allowed to before getting a call sign)?

Any extra pointers I need to know before taking the test?

I am heavily involved in cb radio where I am at. I listen to ham operators in the area and get familiar with lingo and terms. I know my way around a shortwave radio and scanner as well as the 11 meter band.

I have wanted a ham license for some time now, just never put my self to it to get it done

[bczygan]

26 out of 35
Retest and fees depend on VEC team. Call and talk to them. Sometimes you can go ahead and, time permitting, take the next test, so study for the General too.
Best bet is to get on the ARRL website and find your local group and talk to them. They will know who the local Examiners are and they will have the answers to your questions.
Some useful links:
http://www.arrl.org/getting-your-technician-license

http://www.arrl.org/question-pools

Good luck

Bill
AA8MF

[4StarCstms]

I'm liscenced.. and agree, contact your local Ham's and see who does the testing.. Ive had mine for a few years now, And Don't remember much about the testing, I was REALLY nervous (dunno why) lol

I want to go back and upgrade sometime soon -

KJ4GEG - Oh by the way it was probably a month before I got my info from the FCC - I think that depends on how busy they are...kinda like the IRS

[Lou's Garage]

"How long does it take before I get a call sign?' ----- It varies but it's only a couple of days. The VE team submits the results to the VEC who submits them to the FCC (all electronic). Once that's done, your call sign is issued and you can look it up on the FCC database. The VE team will give you the address.

"How long before I can transmit on a radio (if allowed to before getting a call sign)?"----- You may NOT transmit without a call sign. You must wait until it's issued but it only takes a couple of days for it to be issued then you can get it off the FCC website. Your actual paper license will take a few weeks to arrive. In the old days, we had to wait for the license to come in the mail.

"Any extra pointers I need to know before taking the test?" ----- As Bill, AA8MF, reported earlier, the question pools are available for study. If you're having problems studying, you might look into Gordon West's study guides. I haven't looked at them in a while but if they haven't changed format, they are arranged for easy comprehension and faster study. No matter what question pool you use; only study the question and the right answer (along with the explanation why it's right). This will keep you from being distracted by the wrong answer.

Lou
NY4F

[jwillis]

There are books that you can buy to help you study. You need to get one. You won't pass the test without it. They give everything you need to know and will give you past questions on ham tests. I have Gordon Wests books and I think they are about the best. Learning Morse Code will also get you more frequencies to talk on. Gordon West has tapes to learn Morse Code from too. Good luck.

[fordbroncodave]

are the questions more about common sense or specific things like what is part 16 of fcc rules and guidelines in the technician personal manual?

i know the electric components and conversions and basic names for things, i know the difference between beam and omni directional antennas, i know how a j pole works, i know how to identify mhz, khz,ghz....

[bczygan]

Originally Posted by fordbroncodave

are the questions more about common sense or specific things like what is part 16 of fcc rules and guidelines in the technician personal manual?

i know the electric components and conversions and basic names for things, i know the difference between beam and omni directional antennas, i know how a j pole works, i know how to identify mhz, khz,ghz....

Lots of questions on the rules. They like to make sure you know them so you can't say you didn't know. Know your bands and privileges.

http://www.sanantoniohams.org/classes/index.htm

Basically you need to go out and find the appropriate study material and study it. That will not only answer all your questions, but the questions you ask are things you must know for the test. Do some Google searches. Look at the question bank. Pick up some study materials. Read and study a bit and then try some practice tests.
My wife didn't know or care anything about radio or electronics but studied the question bank and memorized the correct answers for a few days. She got a perfect score on the Technician......grrrrrrrrrrrr!

[bczygan]

If you're too stingy to buy any study materials, here's a study guide where they have turned each question in the pool into a statement. Just read it.

http://www.kb6nu.com/wp-content/uplo...tudy_Guide.pdf

[fordbroncodave]

Originally Posted by bczygan

If you're too stingy to buy any study materials, here's a study guide where they have turned each question in the pool into a statement. Just read it.

http://www.kb6nu.com/wp-content/uplo...tudy_Guide.pdf

now that is interesting. i am on page 12 of that link you sent. looks promising

[Tim G]

E ham.net has online practice tests made up from the current question pools.

[fordbroncodave]

i got my license. waiting for my name to show up in the fcc database.

the test was exactly the same as QRZ practice tests but the answers were in different orders. all the wording was exactly the same. there were only 4 questions i went back and gave my best logical guess at.

not even 15 minutes after i got the good news, i owned a yaesu ft2400 radio for $20

[JimDon]

Congrats to you!
Hope you really enjoy!
Cheers, JimDon

[jmh21586]

What exactly do people do with ham radio? I mean, can you play music? Is it just for talking? What do you talk about?

[kf4zht]

Take the practice tests on eham, about a week of studying each night and you can easily pass. The test for tech has gotten much easier than it used to be.

[fordbroncodave]

Originally Posted by jmh21586

What exactly do people do with ham radio? I mean, can you play music? Is it just for talking? What do you talk about?

its for communications and data transfer (picture, morse code, radio to computer info)

music is not allowed intentionally. its also a form of communication for skywarn (tornado and weather spotting) and disaster communication.

i am pretty sure i can access telephone communication with it (need to verify)

you would be surprised how much of a chatter box is in us when you put a free communications device in front of us

[Lou's Garage]

Congratulations and enjoy that new (starter) radio!!

73,
Lou
NY4F

P.S. No music allowed on amateur frequencies.

[fordbroncodave]

can anyone recommend any 2m radios for $200 or less, actually looking for a couple of used radios and a hand held.

a friend of mine has an icom 2100 for $100 for sale

[djmartins]

I took all the test at one sitting including the Morse test and went from nothing to an Extra.
Get the books and study them and then use an online tester a bit every day until you can pass the test you want every time!

fordbroncodave, I want that Icom, PM me the details if you don't mind!

[ptschram]

Originally Posted by jmh21586

What exactly do people do with ham radio? I mean, can you play music? Is it just for talking? What do you talk about?

Think internet of the 30s populated mainly by old men who discuss their ailments, the weather and the evening meal-LOL.

WD9HRP, licensed since 1977, still have the same callsign even after passing Extra (back when it REALLY, REALLY meant something).

I'm putting two rigs in my off-road rig. I'll have 160M (in reality, 75M)-70cm. I've got another for FRS for those who don't have their ham ticket.

73
WD9HRP

[Charles (in GA)]

Back in "the day" my dad had a Ham license. His father was a railroad station master and telegrapher for the Walbash RR (went bust in the depression), and dad learned code, and became extremely fast at it. Said he was the fastest in his class at radio school/college as he had been doing it for several years, at that time.

The table in the pic is handmade from walnut and I still have it, my computer is sitting on it at this moment. In the '80's he pulled it out the basement where it sat disassembled and sanded and varnished it and gave it to me for a computer table.

The pic was probably made about 1930 to '33 when Dad was a teenager in a small town in NE Missouri.

Charles