Looking for advice/tips/guidance?

[michiganscanner]

Recently, I have been interested in getting a technician license. It all seems pretty daunting though, does anyone have any advice/tips/guidance?

 

[ladn]

There are many ways to approach getting your first license and a lot depends on the way you (personally) learn. Here are some suggestions:

• Many local amateur radio clubs offer licensing classes or informal, on-on-one instruction (called "Elmering"). If you have a local club, this might be your first stop. You can find clubs affiliated with the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), HERE.. Not all clubs are affiliated with the ARRL, but many are.
• The Technician test isn't horribly technical or difficult. It's all multiple choice questions (35). The questions and answers are derived from a public question pool. You can download the entire question pool online or buy one of the study guide book. There are many. ARRL publishes one of the more popular books, but I personally prefer Gordon West's approach. There is no Morse Code requirement.
• There are many YouTube training videos available. I highly recommend those by Dave Casler, KE0OG "Ham Radio Answers". His license videos, using the ARRL book, walk you through the rules and technical parts of ham radio.
• For just pure test prep and study, I like Ham Test Online. It's a pay site that you can try free.

I think it's important for prospective and new hams to make the effort to learn the material, rather than just memorize answers to multiple choice questions. Amateur radio has many facets, some pretty easy, and others are very technical. Learning the fundamentals will help you get on the air quicker and mitigate a lot of the frustrations.

Best of luck!

 

[trentbob]

There are many ways to approach getting your first license and a lot depends on the way you (personally) learn. Here are some suggestions:

• Many local amateur radio clubs offer licensing classes or informal, on-on-one instruction (called "Elmering"). If you have a local club, this might be your first stop. You can find clubs affiliated with the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), HERE.. Not all clubs are affiliated with the ARRL, but many are.
• The Technician test isn't horribly technical or difficult. It's all multiple choice questions (35). The questions and answers are derived from a public question pool. You can download the entire question pool online or buy one of the study guide book. There are many. ARRL publishes one of the more popular books, but I personally prefer Gordon West's approach. There is no Morse Code requirement.
• There are many YouTube training videos available. I highly recommend those by Dave Casler, KE0OG "Ham Radio Answers". His license videos, using the ARRL book, walk you through the rules and technical parts of ham radio.
• For just pure test prep and study, I like Ham Test Online. It's a pay site that you can try free.

I think it's important for prospective and new hams to make the effort to learn the material, rather than just memorize answers to multiple choice questions. Amateur radio has many facets, some pretty easy, and others are very technical. Learning the fundamentals will help you get on the air quicker and mitigate a lot of the frustrations.

Best of luck!

Rodger you beat me to it LOL. Just to add poster.. a combination of two ways to pass the test with 100%. If you are part of a instructional program that gives you unlimited practice exams and If you get something wrong it tells you why and explains the correct answer, If you end up taking these tests one after another at whatever pace you want, you will eventually be exposed to the entire question pool, and these are identical type questions you'll see on the test. I'm not recommending this as a way to pass your test or to study, I'm recommending it as a supplement to your study of the material.

The last thing you want is to get the license by memorizing, you want to understand the content and then be able to expand on that on your own, because you understand it. You need 75% to pass the exam of 35 multiple choice questions. If you have seen every question that's on your particular exam, the chances are that you will pass with flying colors.

In the three threads I have participated in with you since your post number one you have demonstrated a very good understanding of the advice that you were given. It's impressive.

It's hard to believe that you're 14 years old???.

 

[Whiskey3JMC]

In addition to studying, practice tests, classes, etc, simply listen to your local repeaters to get a sense of who is around to possibly "ragchew" with. You'll get an idea of how & when to ID your callsign among other proper radio etiquette techniques. When you pass your exam, get your callsign (some refer to it as a ham ticket) you'll be ready to go on air. If you're nervous about having a "QSO" one on one with another operator but want to get your callsign out there, try checking into a local net. You don't have to talk much (or at all), simply follow net control's check in guidance (usually your callsign, name, where you're from, etc) When net control acknowledges your callsign, you can give a short hello & if you let them know you're newly licensed you'll likely get a congratulations or two from the net. Best wishes, good luck on your journey and best of 73's de W3JMC

 

[AK9R]

There are many YouTube training videos available. I highly recommend those by Dave Casler, KE0OG "Ham Radio Answers".

Dave's Technician license training videos have been moved over to a playlist on the ARRL YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuapIzKwhZN_30dcgsDbGU3J7C8BAYJcG

 

[AK9R]

It's hard to believe that you're 14 years old?

I was at a hamfest last Saturday where an 11-year-old passed the Technician test.

 

[scottymcneill8657]

Dave's Technician license training videos have been moved over to a playlist on the ARRL YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuapIzKwhZN_30dcgsDbGU3J7C8BAYJcG

Would recommend these- it's how I passed mine. Most of the test is fairly easy electronics math or fairly obvious personal safety questions. I'm not great at math (took me 5 tries to pass it) but everyone is super nice about it. You'll probably do fine. Good luck!

 

[tweiss3]

Recently, I have been interested in getting a technician license. It all seems pretty daunting though, does anyone have any advice/tips/guidance?

Our club is doing a 6 week online crash course that you can still sign up for. The first session was last Sunday, but it was recorded, so you can still watch it and catch up.

CFARC - Education

The Cuyahoga Falls Amateur Radio Club holds classes to help you get your first license and/or upgrade to higher-level licenses. The club also sponsors Volunteer License Examinations. Also, you will find links and materials for self-study to get your license if you cannot attend classes. The club

sites.google.com

 

[michiganscanner]

Wow, thanks for all of these responses. Feeling a lot more confident about this now that I have these resources, and that thing about the 11 year old AK9R mentioned.

 

[k6cpo]

I was at a hamfest last Saturday where an 11-year-old passed the Technician test.

I've had eight-year olds pass the exam at my sessions.

 

[michiganscanner]

Wow, I didn't even know the difference between FM and AM radio when I was 8.

 

[Listener1440]

Recently got my technician ticket, old ham suggested practice tests. It helped me greatly.