This page provides information, instructions, and resources for getting started with Amateur Radio, also coloquially called Ham Radio. In short, it’s all about licensing and acquiring radio equipment.

Do I need a license?

In the United States, transmitting on Amateur Radio frequencies requires a license from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). There are some exceptions to this:

1. A licensed amateur radio operator can let you transmit using their callsign under their supervision, in which case you are “borrowing” the same privileges that they have. So if you want to jump in right away, find a ham radio operator and ask to see their setup. I don’t know a single ham who would turn down an opportunity to show and tell!

2. In the event of an emergency (i.e., imminent severe threat to life or property), you can transmit a distress call using amateur radio even if you do not have a license.

If you just want to listen (receive only), then you don’t need a license. There are plenty of scanners and receivers capable of tuning into the amateur radio bands. Also, as long as you promise to not push the “transmit” key, you can probably acquire some actual amateur radio transceiver equipment without having to demonstrate that you are licensed. Just be aware: transmitting without a license can get you into a lot of trouble.

What license options are there?

There are three license levels, and each successive level comes with additional privileges on more frequencies:

Technician

This is the entry level license. It permits transmission on some frequencies, mostly above 50 MHz (VHF and UHF), but this is where the repeaters are! Repeaters will re-broadcast your signal over large local distances and even globally if it is connected to the Internet! There are some limited privileges for lower frequencies (Morse code).

General

This provides significant privileges covering nearly the entire Amateur Radio spectrum allocation. The primary motivation for this license level is to transmit higher power on lower (HF) frequencies, especially the popular 80 m, 40 m, and 20 m bands (3.5–4 MHz, 7–7.3 MHz, and 14-14.35 MHz, respectively).

Amateur Extra

The highest license level. There are a few small regions of the HF spectrum that are reserved for operators of this class (3.6–3.8 MHz, 7.125–7.175, 14.15–14.225 MHz, and 21.2–21.275 MHz). This class is often referred to as just “Extra.”

How do I get a license?

To receive a license from the FCC, you will need to pass the license exam for the appropriate class. These exams are multiple-choice. The cumulative “knowledge levels” associated with each license class are called Elements:

• Technician class is Element 2 and has 35 questions.
• General class is Element 3, has 35 questions, and requires prior Element 2.
• Amateur Extra class is Element 4, has 50 questions, and requires prior Elements 2 and 3.

The FCC doesn’t proctor these exams, but has delegated this responsibility to Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (VECs). The Bryan Amateur Radio Club operates under the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) VEC.

Do I need to know Morse Code?

No! Morse Code used to be a requirement to obtain a license, but not anymore.

It is still used regularly by those who take the time to learn it. So, if you would like to learn Morse Code, you will get a lot of encouragement!

How do I prepare for (and take) the test?

There are several steps that you will need to follow. Be sure to do all of them in the given order:

1. Get a FCC Registration Number (FRN)

The FCC needs to know who you are before you take the exam, and the way they associate your exam with you as an individual is through a FRN. If you already have a FRN, then you can skip to the next step.

The FCC has instructions for how to register for a FRN, but they are summarized here for convenience and brevity:

1. Go to the FCC CORES website
2. Create a new account. You will be asked for your name and contact info. When the FCC says “username,” they really mean “email address.”
3. Wait for the confirmation email. You will have to verify the email address used to create your account before you can log in.
4. Sign in to CORES using your email address and chosen (hopefully randomly generated) password.
5. Register a new Individual FRN (Not “entity” or “restricted”). You will be asked for your name and contact info again, as well as your social security number.
6. When finished, you will see a page with your new FRN. Write this number down and remember it for later!

I have also made a video guide to help walk you through the process:

2. Study for the exam

The exam questions cover a variety of topics: skills, technical specification, scientific theory, and FCC regulations. Exams consist of a subset of questions taken from publicly available question pools. Although it is possible to study for (and pass) the exam by memorizing the correct answers to these questions, learning the underlying concepts will make you a better (and safer) radio operator.

The exam question pools rotate every so often, so the study materials often need to be updated to keep up. Many organizations will provide these resources for free, but some will ask for payment. That said, please consider paying (or donating) to help offset the amount of effort to keep materials up to date. Some organizations will even offer courses to teach the material for the exam.

Here are some online resources you can use to help study for the exams:

• https://hamexam.org
• https://hamstudy.org
• https://www.arrl.org/exam-practice
• https://www.kb6nu.com/study-guides/ (the PDF of the Technician guide is free)
• https://www.eham.net/exams/test?pool=T (free practice exams)

If you know of a resource that you would like to see added to this list, please let us know!

3. Take some practice tests

Before taking the actual license exam, you should take several free practice exams to gauge your understanding of the material. Several of the resources linked in the previous section include free randomized practice exams. If you are able to pass these practice exams consistently with scores of 80% or better, then you are ready!

4. Find the next testing time and location

VECs will usually have full details of how you can find an exam session near you. You can peruse the list of VECs on the FCC website.

The Bryan Amateur Radio Club operates under the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) VEC (license exam search page).
We hold license exams regularly on the third Saturday of each month at 11:00 am (after the club meeting) at American Legion Post 159, 101 Waco St, Bryan, TX 77803.

The nearby Texas A&M University Amateur Radio Club (W5AC) operates under the Laurel Amateur Radio Club, Inc. VEC. They hold a license exam each month prior to their club meeting and request that you contact them in advance.

5. Budget some money for the paperwork

The paperwork needed to take an exam and—assuming you pass—issue you a license requires the time and attention of several people, and those people need to provide for themselves and their families. Hence, the VEC and FCC will ask you to provide a total of $50 to help compensate these people:

• The ARRL exam fee is $15, payable when you take your exam.
• The FCC licensing fee is $35, payable when they are issuing you a callsign and registering you in the licensing database.

6. Take (and pass) the exam

On the day of the exam, remember to bring the following:

• Your FRN
• A pen (for forms), and maybe a pencil if you prefer to use that to fill in the answers
• A basic 4-function calculator
• Money for the exam fee ($15 for the ARRL)

7. Wait for the FCC to ask for their fee

Once your information has been received (usually about 3 business days), the FCC will send an email to the address registered with your FRN in CORES. The email will request that you pay the $35 (in CORES) to receive your license. You have 10 days to make this payment, or your request will have to be re-submitted by the VEC. Re-submission is a complicated process for everyone involved, so please keep vigilant for that email, and be sure to check your spam folder!

8. Receive your new callsign or updated privileges

If you already have a callsign, you can start exercising your new privileges immediately:

• If you just passed the General class exam, then add /AG (spoken, “stroke alpha golf”) after your callsign.
• If you just passed the Amateur Extra class exam, then add /AE (spoken, “stroke alpha echo”) after your callsign.

However, if you don’t have a callsign yet, you will have to be assigned one in the FCC licensing database before you can identify yourself on the air. In the meantime, know that the entire Amateur Radio community congratulates you and can’t wait to hear from you!

I did it! I got my license and callsign! Now what?

Get on the air!

The easiest way to do so is to call into one of the local repeaters or even check into the local W5BCS net.

You’ll need a transceiver and an antenna. It can be as simple as a cheap handy-talkie (HT) radio like my beloved Baofeng GT-5R (I use it more than any of my other radios!), or as complex as a custom-built base station transceiver with a solar-powered battery, 1 kW amplifier, antenna tuner, and a tower with a rotator and beam antenna.

Find a particular part of the hobby that you enjoy. There is something for everyone:

• Talking locally on repeaters
• Low power operations (less than 5 W), typically using Morse code, also called “continuous wave” (CW)
• Digital modes like FT-8, RTTY, WinLink, etc.
• Building your own electronics and/or antennas
• Sound engineering
• Signal processing
• And more!