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- Jan 27, 2013
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I want to upgrade to general. I have herd its more difficult. What are good study techniques?
General
- Thread starter RadioGuy3007
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n9mxq
Member
Get the book from ARRL or W5YI.. Find an online test site and find your weak points. Study those in the book. Lather, Rinse, Repeat until you keep passing practice tests..
Then find a testing site and go get your upgrade.
This was my strategy for both my General and Extra upgrades.
Then find a testing site and go get your upgrade.
This was my strategy for both my General and Extra upgrades.
DiabloKing
Member
I prefer the hamradiolicenseexam website it cost 30$ for the General section but it teaches you and quizzes you all right there. I used it to pass my Tech and now using it to study my General.
N0IU
Member
With all due respect, this question is almost impossible to answer since the degree to which someone finds something difficult is very subjective.
When you took your Technician test, did you pass it on the first try? Did you pass it with a comfortable margin or did you just squeak by?
As far as good study techniques, this is also something that you need to answer for yourself. You can find the questions and answers here: NCVEC - General Class Valid 7/01/11-6/30/15. On that page, you can pick the format that works best for you; DOC, PDF or TXT.
From that point, it is a matter for you to determine just how badly you want to upgrade. If you want it bad enough, you will find a way to make it happen.
Scott makes an interesting point.
If your intended method of studying for any U.S. amateur radio exam is to just memorize the questions and answers, download the appropriate file from the NCVEC site and save the money you would have spent on a license study book. Note, I'm not saying that the OP has this method in mind.
If you want to learn the material, buy the ARRL or Gordon West study guides and ignore the question pool until you've studied the book.
If your intended method of studying for any U.S. amateur radio exam is to just memorize the questions and answers, download the appropriate file from the NCVEC site and save the money you would have spent on a license study book. Note, I'm not saying that the OP has this method in mind.
If you want to learn the material, buy the ARRL or Gordon West study guides and ignore the question pool until you've studied the book.
N0IU
Member
I guess I should have been more clear...
I wasn't suggesting that he use the test pool to "study" for the test, but rather for him to judge for himself how difficult he thought it was by looking at the actual questions compared to the Technician questions.
If he passed his Technician test on the first try with a comfortable margin, then in all likelihood he probably won't find the General test to be significantly more difficult. If however, if it took him 2-3 or more tries to pass the Technician test with a minimal passing score, then he will probably find the General test to be a bit more daunting.
I totally agree that using one of the books mentioned is the best way to learn the material and then use the question pool (or an online test) to gauge your progress.
Either way, good luck!
I wasn't suggesting that he use the test pool to "study" for the test, but rather for him to judge for himself how difficult he thought it was by looking at the actual questions compared to the Technician questions.
If he passed his Technician test on the first try with a comfortable margin, then in all likelihood he probably won't find the General test to be significantly more difficult. If however, if it took him 2-3 or more tries to pass the Technician test with a minimal passing score, then he will probably find the General test to be a bit more daunting.
I totally agree that using one of the books mentioned is the best way to learn the material and then use the question pool (or an online test) to gauge your progress.
Either way, good luck!
prerunner1982
Member
I used the free study guides from KB6NU for my tech and general and it worked well.
No-Nonsense Study Guides - KB6NU's Ham Radio Blog
I read through the entire study guide, then went back and re-read it writing down the info that I thought I might have problems remembering. I then re-read the guide another time or two. THEN I took the practice test. If there were areas I had problems with I went back to that particular area... but there weren't.
Good luck, hope you find something that works well for you.
No-Nonsense Study Guides - KB6NU's Ham Radio Blog
I read through the entire study guide, then went back and re-read it writing down the info that I thought I might have problems remembering. I then re-read the guide another time or two. THEN I took the practice test. If there were areas I had problems with I went back to that particular area... but there weren't.
Good luck, hope you find something that works well for you.
I bought the Gordon West Books, and I was able to get 100% on the Tech and General tests. There's no better resource for preparing for the test. Get yourself a highlighter pen, and highlight only the correct answers to the question pool. It will greatly help you pass the test, and understand what you're studying.
I would use the online tests to work out where your knowledge gaps are. Use this to drive what sections you need to spend time on studying.
Don't be put off by someone saying 'it's more difficult'. Take a look at the study guide and the question pool and see for yourself.
As was already mentioned, rinse and repeat. Once you consistently get to 80%+ in the online tests then there's a good chance you'll pass the real thing. Good luck!
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