Technician and General HAM License Question

[racin06]

Am I able to earn a General License by skipping the Technician license test? If so, is the test a 70 question test (Technician and General combined)?

 

[K5MAR]

Am I able to earn a General License by skipping the Technician license test? If so, is the test a 70 question test (Technician and General combined)?

You have to take and pass the Tech exam before you can take the General exam. The General exam tests you on areas not covered by the Tech exam.

Mark S.

 

[N_Jay]

Am I able to earn a General License by skipping the Technician license test? If so, is the test a 70 question test (Technician and General combined)?

Yes,

You get the highest license you pass the test for. You do not need to go up the steps.

 

[K5MAR]

Am I able to earn a General License by skipping the Technician license test? If so, is the test a 70 question test (Technician and General combined)?

Yes,

You get the highest license you pass the test for. You do not need to go up the steps.

If so, then it's changed. The last time I looked, you did have to go up the steps.

Mark S.

 

[K5MAR]

OK, from the FCC website:

http://wireless.fcc.gov/services/amateur/licensing/examinations.html

The Exam


In the amateur radio license examination system, there is one telegraphy examination element [Element 1] and three written examination elements [Elements 2, 3, and 4]. For each operator class, you must pass the elements indicated:

Operator Class Required Elements
Amateur Extra Telegraphy and Written Elements 2, 3, 4
General Telegraphy and Written Elements 2, 3
Technician Written Element 2

Written Elements

Your written examination establishes your level of operational and technical ability in performing properly the duties of an amateur service licensee.

Each written examination consists of a set of questions:


Element Operation Privileges Questions Minimum Passing Score
2 Technician Class 35 26
3 General Class 35 26
4 Amateur Extra Class 50 37

So you do have to "go up the steps".

Mark S.

 

[Voyager]

Am I able to earn a General License by skipping the Technician license test? If so, is the test a 70 question test (Technician and General combined)?

Yes,

You get the highest license you pass the test for. You do not need to go up the steps.

If so, then it's changed. The last time I looked, you did have to go up the steps.

Mark S.

It depends how you define 'steps', and no, I'm not trying to pull a 'Bill Clinton' here. If you go into the test session with nothing, and pass all the elements, you will receive an Extra Class license.

You have to take all the tests, but you don't have to take them one at a time and wait for your license to take the next test.

Specifically, you can take the Tech and General tests at the same time for a General Class license.

Joe M.

 

[waynesewell]

Yes, I took elements 2 and 3 at the same test session. Couldn't actually go to general at that time because of element 1, but the FCC finally sent me a verification of my old novice license, which provides credit for element 1, so I will be able to go to general on Tuesday (test session downtown) by just turning in all the paperwork.

 

[loumaag]

Specifically, you can take the Tech and General tests at the same time for a General Class license.

This is correct, as long as you take and pass the Tech test first, then you are allowed to take the next test at the same testing session.

 

[K5MAR]

Am I able to earn a General License by skipping the Technician license test? If so, is the test a 70 question test (Technician and General combined)?

Yes,

You get the highest license you pass the test for. You do not need to go up the steps.

If so, then it's changed. The last time I looked, you did have to go up the steps.

Mark S.

It depends how you define 'steps', and no, I'm not trying to pull a 'Bill Clinton' here. If you go into the test session with nothing, and pass all the elements, you will receive an Extra Class license.

You have to take all the tests, but you don't have to take them one at a time and wait for your license to take the next test.

Specifically, you can take the Tech and General tests at the same time for a General Class license.

Joe M.

Well, when I took my tests, you had to take and pass the Novice test before they would give you the Tech test, which you then had to pass before being allowed to take the General test, etc. Obviously, you can't take the Tech and General tests "at the same time", one has to be taken first. And there would be no point in taking the General if you haven't passed the Tech, I don't believe you can receive credit for the General exam if you failed the Tech exam. You can receive credit for the code (Element 1), even if you fail the written. But failing the Tech exam makes you inelegible for the General exam, do not pass GO, do not receive credit.

But, yes, you can take all the tests in one session. We have one local, (an immigrant from Indonesia), who went straight to Extra (code and all) in a single session. But the original question from racin06 was whether or not he could skip the Tech test and just take the General, and the answer to that is no. Elements 2 (the Tech exam) and 3 (the General exam) are required for the General license.

Mark S.