Studying for Tech License

[1268]

I've been around public safety radio and scanners for 35 years and never bothered with a ham license. I keep getting bogged down in all the electrical stuff in the study material. Any advice on how to conquer this exam? It's something I would love to acquire and get into.

 

[K4EET]

I've been around public safety radio and scanners for 35 years and never bothered with a ham license. I keep getting bogged down in all the electrical stuff in the study material. Any advice on how to conquer this exam? It's something I would love to acquire and get into.

What material(s) are you using to study from?

 

[GlobalNorth]

What is that you want to do as an Amateur? If your goal is to get your license, you are likely to be disappointed.
Find out what you love to do first, what your resources and available time are second, then go from there.

I approached getting my licenses as a goal in and of themselves and I've tried LF, HF, VHF, and UHF, I'm still not in love with the hobby.

 

[GlobalNorth]

What material(s) are you using to study from?

Please use Gordon West's stuff. The higher you go with ARRL materials, the more it reads like an US Army Technical Manual.

 

[K3YGX]

You can study and take tests off the qrz test pages - they go through all of the questions in the current question pool

Just because someone else is "still not in love with the hobby" shouldn't discourage you......

The tech license is only the first step - It's been a great hobby for me for 57 years

 

[W4AXW]

Please use Gordon West's stuff. The higher you go with ARRL materials, the more it reads like an US Army Technical Manual.

Yes, heaven forbid, you might learn something...............

I've been around public safety radio and scanners for 35 years and never bothered with a ham license. I keep getting bogged down in all the electrical stuff in the study material. Any advice on how to conquer this exam? It's something I would love to acquire and get into.

If you've been around RF for that amount of time you will have no problem with the Technician exam. Use whoever's study guide and practice exams you're most comfortable with and you'll sail through the first time. There's plenty to choose from but they all pull from the current exam question pool. The exam is not nearly as daunting as it seems when you first begin to study/learn.

Good luck and 7 3

 

[ladn]

I keep getting bogged down in all the electrical stuff in the study material

The previously mentioned Gordon West study materials are good. West's writing style is a lot more reader friendly than ARRL's.

Also look at David Casler's (KE0OG) "Ham Radio Answers" (

) videos on YouTube. Dave's videos are well researched and are devoid of the caffeine-driven BS of some others'. He's a retired engineer and has been a ham for about 50 years.

 

[K4EET]

Hi @1268,

Have you taken any practice exams yet? If you have, what is your average score and specifically, what “electrical stuff” are you getting wrong? If you have not taken a practice exam, you should so that you can answer my second question.

The Technician Class exam is the easiest of the three exams for Amateur Radio License classes. What would really help us to help you is having a baseline to start from.

73, Dave K4EET

 

[CMDRExorcist]

I just got my license, and I primarily used the practice exams in conjunction with the Technician study guide. I also used Patrick Maloney's HAM Test Prep+ app on my iPhone for those times when I didn't have access to my computer and would 100% recommend it as a study companion.

 

[KC5AKB]

Take your time , watch a few videos, visit a couple of clubs ( talk to folks ) - you might find the locals some what shy or outgoing it’s hit of miss . Pm folks ask questions.

 

[n8zcc]

I've been around public safety radio and scanners for 35 years and never bothered with a ham license. I keep getting bogged down in all the electrical stuff in the study material. Any advice on how to conquer this exam? It's something I would love to acquire and get into.

I can't offer anything that hasn't been offered already but I will suggest that you also study the material for the general license. When you go for the test and pass the tech, the VEs will suggest taking the general exam. Why not walk out with a general license, it gives you generous but restricted access to the HF band. Then go for your extra and enjoy full privileges.

 

[D31245]

At first, some of the concepts, language, and technical content might seem foreign, confusing, and not understandable. It's natural with new material. I felt this way with when first starting out.

Take your time, take practice tests, and be patient with yourself. Over time, this new material will become common to you and the answers will come more easily.

My study approach for the Technician exam, was to go through the Gordon West book, then use the ARRL book to go through the questions in the back sequentially.

In addition, I used the flash cards and practice exams at HamExam.org, and also did the practice exams at eHam.net and HamRadioSchool.com.

I am currently studying for my Amateur Extra and am using HamStudy.org "Study Mode" and will use the other resources above as I get more comfortable in my progress. You can certainly use this site to study for your Technician as well.

Good luck and keep at it!

 

[bill4long]

I've been around public safety radio and scanners for 35 years and never bothered with a ham license. I keep getting bogged down in all the electrical stuff in the study material. Any advice on how to conquer this exam? It's something I would love to acquire and get into.

Best site, IMO.

HamTestOnline - Study for your Ham Radio License Exam

Online courses, study materials, and practice tests for the ham radio license exams

www.hamradiolicenseexam.com

 

[1268]

Sorry for the delayed response everyone. So I am taking the Ham radio prep course online, it's okay but the Ohm's law and calculating power part really threw me off. Am I overthinking it, yes I took some practice exams and was getting 72 to 80% mostly.

Am I overthinking the power questions ? Are there a ton on the exam?

 

[AK9R]

If you look at the actual question pool as posted on the NCVEC website, the number of questions that will be drawn from each subelement is indicated.

For example, Subelement T5 covers Electrical Principles and the pool has 52 questions for that subelement. The group T5D contains questions about Ohm's Law. But, there will only be 4 questions on the actual test that you take randomly drawn from Subelement T5.

https://ncvec.org/downloads/Technician%20Pool%20and%20Syllabus%202022-2026%20Public%20Release%20Errata%20March%207%202022.pdf

 

[ladn]

Sorry for the delayed response everyone. So I am taking the Ham radio prep course online, it's okay but the Ohm's law and calculating power part really threw me off. Am I overthinking it, yes I took some practice exams and was getting 72 to 80% mostly.

Am I overthinking the power questions ? Are there a ton on the exam?

That's decent progress--keep at it. When you're routinely hitting around 95% on the practice tests, you'll be ready for the real thing.
If you haven't already done so, get your FRN account set up with the FCC.

Ohm's law is pretty easy. The basic formula is V = I x R.

• E is voltage, in Volts, flowing across a conductor
• I is the current, in Amperes, flowing through the conductor
• R is the resistance, in Ohms, provided by the conductor

You can use simple math to adjust the formula to calculate any of the values:

• R = V / I
• I = V / R

 

[GlobalNorth]

Yes, heaven forbid, you might learn something...............

Because hubris in pedagogy is so bloody effective at teaching math and science to a majority of Americans?

 

[Ghostnotes]

That's decent progress--keep at it. When you're routinely hitting around 95% on the practice tests, you'll be ready for the real thing.
If you haven't already done so, get your FRN account set up with the FCC.

Ohm's law is pretty easy. The basic formula is V = I x R.

• E is voltage, in Volts, flowing across a conductor
• I is the current, in Amperes, flowing through the conductor
• R is the resistance, in Ohms, provided by the conductor

You can use simple math to adjust the formula to calculate any of the values:

• R = V / I
• I = V / R

A lot of people get stumped because the perceived terminology doesn't match up "phonetically".

 

[a727469]

you will pass the tech test…I did many years ago🤓. I very much respect all those who have advanced further, but as has been stated, it depends on what you actually want to do on a day to day basis…if not interested in HF, code etc(like me). then be happy with the accomplishment on the tech.

While I generally agree with most comments, I do not agree that the tech is only the first step..yes it is as far as licensing, but in terms of happiness and usefulness it is up to the individual how far they want to go and license status should not be a factor in interfacing with others in the amateur community.
Good luck!

 

[Ghostnotes]

Oh I plan on going as far s my knowledge can take me for sure. I've been wanting to do this since I was about 11....I'm 53 now.

It's funny I can still remember my friends father's callsign, WU8BHE from 40 years ago. I'm sure he has passed by now, but I will never forget the impression I had when I first walked into his radio room.

I travel a lot so my studies will be fragmented, hence the one license at a time, but I have no intention at stopping at Technician.