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Would you like to become an Amateur Radio operator? It's not difficult to do. Amateur Radio operators, often called "hams," are licensed by governments around the world to use specific ranges of radio frequencies. The entry-level license in the United States, the Technician class, is all that is necessary for local routine and emergency communications. To obtain this license, you need only pass a 35-question multiple-choice written licensing exam for which all the possible questions and their answers are public information. You need not be a US citizen, though you must have valid photo identification, and there is no lower or upper age limit. Knowledge of Morse code is no longer required for any US Amateur Radio license. License renewals, required every ten years, do not involve an exam.
Information about becoming a ham radio operator is also available from the American Radio Relay League (ARRL), the national association for Amateur Radio in the United States.
A FCC charges a $35 application fee for a new Amateur Radio license to a successful exam candidate. An exam fee, typically $15, may be collected by the examining team at the exam site. For tests administered under the ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (ARRL VEC) program, the ARRL Youth Licensing Grant Program will cover the $35 FCC application fee for new license candidates younger than age 18, and the examiners of that exam will collect only $5 as an exam fee from such candidates.
There are many ways to prepare to pass this simple Amateur Radio examination. Choose the combination that works best for you:
You can obtain a review book (some are available as Adobe® files or as e-books) and study on your own. Options include the following:
2022-2026 Technician Class, by Gordon West WB6NOA
Technician Class 2022-2026: Pass Your Amateur Radio Technician Class Test - The Easy Way, by Craig "Buck" K4IA
The No-Nonsense Technician Class License Study Guide, by Dan Romanchik KB6NU
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You can take an online review course and study at your own pace. Options include:
Preparation classes for the Technician-class exam are available locally. You may prefer to meet for a few hours every week for a few weeks or to take a "cram" course that lasts only one day and ends with the exam itself. To find a local class, you can use the ARRL online search service, or ask at your local Amateur Radio club.
In support of any of the above preparation methods, you can also take free online practice exams that include all of the actual questions you can possibly be asked. Options include:
To obtain a license from the FCC, you must first be registered in FCC CORES (COmmission REgistration System) and be issued an FCC Registration Number (FRN). This number will be used to uniquely identify you in all transactions with the FCC. View the FCC web site's New Users guide to ULS for step by step instructions.
You must sit for the licensing exam in person and include your FRN on your exam paperwork. Licensing exam sessions are managed by Amateur Radio operators who are designated Volunteer Examiners ("VEs") and are held frequently, especially in metropolitan areas. To find upcoming exams in your area or anywhere in the US, you can use the ARRL online search service. ARRL is the largest of the Volunteer Examiner Coordinators ("VECs"), but there are others, listed by the FCC. VEs working with one of them may offer an exam session convenient for you. An exam fee, typically $15, may be collected by the examining team at the exam site.
Candidates under age 18 whose examinations are administered under the ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (ARRL VEC) program (ask your examiner team in advance) should take proof of age with them to the exam in order to qualify for a reduced exam fee of $5. These candidates should read "ARRL Youth Licensing Grant Program Information" in advance.
A $35 fee paid to the FCC applies to an application for a new Amateur Radio license by a successful exam candidate. As soon as the application file number is issued by the FCC, the successful candidate can pay by logging into the CORES FRN Registration system (CORES - Login).
More information:
The FCC help center stated there is a known issue with individuals paying the $35 application fee via a smartphone or tablet. This is not a new issue and they haven’t been able to help troubleshoot the issue at the support center. Candidates should login and pay the FCC application fee from a computer.
Candidates should review their applications BEFORE paying the fee. If there is a major error on the application, such as the licensee's name or the license class earned is incorrect, or the answer to the felony question is wrong, DO NOT PAY the fee.
After you pay the fee and the FCC has processed your application, you will receive a email message from the FCC with a link to your official license or explanation of other action. The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) offers additional information.
Candidates under age 18 whose examinations are administered under the ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (ARRL VEC) program (ask your examiner team in advance) qualify to have the $35 fee reimbursed by the ARRL. See "ARRL Youth Licensing Grant Program Information".
Once you pass the exam, have paid your application fee, and your assigned call sign appears in the FCC online license database, you'll be a licensed Amateur Radio operator! But you won't necessarily know everything you need to know in order to operate skillfully and courteously, or to get the most out of your accomplishment. Listening to more-experienced hams is very good advice, but don't choose a careless or ill-trained operator as your role model. The ARRL Operating Manual for Radio Amateurs contains much sound information about good operating practices for hams. (Note: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)
Though there is no requirement that you own a ham radio, you probably will want to buy one - many new handhelds sell for less than $200 and a few for less than $100 - so you can participate in ham radio when and where you wish. You may also find that you enjoy ham radio for reasons that go well beyond what you had in mind when you started.
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For advice on all aspects of being a ham, join a local ham radio club.
Enjoy the challenges and successes of being a licensed Amateur Radio operator!
