This is a short write-up on how to get your first amateur radio license.

What do I need to do?

To become licensed, you will need to the successfully pass the Technician exam.  This is a 35-question multiple choice exam that you can take online. To pass you need to get 26 questions (74%) correct.  After you successfully pass the exam, you will need to pay a licensing fee to the FCC on their website, but lets focus on passing the test first.

How do I do it?

The best resource for studying is hamstudy.org which is a free website that allows you to practice questions with online flashcards.   It also can generate practice exams which you can take to see if you can consistently meet that 74% mark.  When you register on the free site, it will track you progress and practice exam scores, and even better, it will quiz you on the question you have not mastered yet, so there is an adaptive learning component.  There is also a HamStudy mobile app ($3.99) which is worth it.  You can use the app to study for future licensing exams if you want to upgrade you license to General or Extra.  There is a link to the mobile app on the  hamstudy.org website.

How do I really do it?

  1. Buy and download the ham study app ($4)
  2. Register an account on the app
  3. Get an FRN number from the FCC web site.
  4. Spend 10-15 minutes a day practicing Technician question
  5. Every week take at least one practice test.
  6. Once you can consistently meet the 74% standard, take the Technician licensing exam (which requires having an FRN number).

The ARRL’s web site has a “Find and Exam Site” link that helps you find an exam session near your area. The “Find a Session” link on the HamStudy.org site is another way to find a local exam session. Both pages should tell you about in-person and online options for taking the exam.

Note that some organizations will waive the exam fee for students, veterans, and individuals who are upgrading to the Amateur Extra license.

Is it really that easy?

Yes it is!  But it takes consistent practice.  Forming the study habit is harder than mastering the material.  Often times it’s helpful to have someone help you to be accountable.  Jason and I (emails below) are happy to help with this.  Just write us an email that you are starting to study, and we will send you weekly email (or even more frequent emails if you’d like) asking you to report on your studies to help you form the study habit and have an external sense of accountability.

Please reach out to Jason Miller (jason.miller@csuci.edu) or Geoffrey Buhl (geoffrey.buhl@csuci.edu) for more information on how to find an online Technician test, especially one that is free to current students. (Hint: it’s the “Find a Session” button on the Ham Study website.

Download that app and email Jason, myself, or both, and you’ll be licensed before you know it!