Becoming a Ham
Becoming a Ham sounds like a complicated process, but it's actually pretty simple. It basically comes down to four steps:
- Study for the Technician Class Amateur Radio license test (the first level)
- Take the exam
- Get a radio
- Find a local club (optional but REALLY helpful)
1. Study for the Technician Class license
There are several ways to do this.
- You can purchase a Ham Radio License Manual. You can get these on Amazon, eBay, ARRL.org, etc. I've seen them go for $6 up to $50.
- You can watch video series on YouTube. Find one with a presenter that fits your style. A couple of channels that I've found very helpful:
- You can use an online study tool. This is the route I ended up going. It's, by far, the fastest way to prepare for your test. A couple of options:
- HamStudy.org - (free) this is the one I used and I highly recommend it.
- Hamradioprep.com - (not free)
2. Take the test
When you're ready to test, there are clubs all over the area that offer license tests. These are usually on Saturday mornings. Our club offers these licensing test sessions as well. We try to do one every quarter, but I haven't scheduled an upcoming one. I will shortly, and I can let you know when/where it's going to be. Otherwise, I can certainly point you to a nearby one when you're ready. The Technician test consists of 25 multiple-choice questions (from a finite set). You have to score 70%. Sometimes there is a small charge for the test, depending on which group you test through. Our club does not charge a testing fee.
Once you've passed, your testing group will submit your test results, and the FCC will tell you how to pay the fee directly to them. Once paid, they will send you a callsign, and you'll be licensed to transmit on a set of frequencies.
3. Get a radio
As a Technician, you'll need a radio that communicates on the VHF/UHF frequencies. I always advise people to buy a Baofeng UV-5R HT (handy-talky). You can get them on Amazon for roughly $16. With that radio, you can talk on any of the local repeaters or site to site. You can program frequencies with your laptop/PC
4. Find a local club
You certainly don't have to do this, but I'd highly recommend it. Try out various clubs. I'm actually a member of three (semi) local clubs. The Isanti County Radio Club is our local one. You can find more information about us here: https://isantiradio.org
Clubs are an excellent way to learn about the hobby, find resources, get your questions answered, find out about repeaters and nets, make contacts, etc.