Ham Question

E911EMT · Post by **E911EMT** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 12:34 am

Hello,

I am intrested in being a Ham technican. I need some tips from people on how i should start off and the easiest way to do that.

Thanks

SlimBob · Post by **SlimBob** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 2:03 am

goto hamsexy.com and dispell any myths or prejudice you may have had, or had knocked into you.

KC4ZGK · Post by **KC4ZGK** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 3:59 am

I belive Radio Shack sells a book titled " Now Your Talking " which should point you in the right direction. You can also go to http://www.arrl.org for additional info. Regards. Ed

kcbooboo · Post by **kcbooboo** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 5:02 am

The W5YI group also has study material and books available. Go to

http://www.w5yi.org/AmRadio.htm

and peruse some of the info on that page.

Exams in the U.S. are conducted by volunteer examination groups that are affiliated with the ARRL or W5YI groups (and probably some others too) on a regular basis. These are the major groups and the schedules and locations can be found on both of their sites.

Bob M

motisking · Post by **motisking** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 10:32 am

Practice. Practice. Practice.

http://www.vanityhq.com/examsites.html

Try different sites.

Cipher77 · Post by **Cipher77** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 11:17 am

Buy a cheap frequency-agile jappy-talkie & LISTEN LISTEN LISTEN!!!!! In addition to "Now You're Talking" (excellent book -- that's what I used to pass my no-code tech).

kcbooboo · Post by **kcbooboo** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 2:16 pm

The technician test is only 24 questions. You need to get 18 of them correct for a passing grade. Morse Code is no longer required at this level, but it's only 5 words per minute and the test is 10 fill-in-the-blanks questions based on an actual conversation. So by listening to people talking on the air, you will likely get an idea of what kinds of information get passed between people. An alternative Morse Code test is getting 25 characters in a row correct (numbers and punctuation count as 2). So you have two ways of passing the test. The general class test is more difficult but usually we (the examining hams) suggest a technician take it for free and see how he/she does, just to get an idea of how much more needs to be learned. Surprisingly, a lot of people actually pass the general test even though they haven't studied for it.

All of the above is for licenses in the US, by the way.

Listen, listen, listen. Find a friend who's a ham and show some interest with him. Ask him/her for some tips. Ask him/her for help if you don't understand some of the study material in the books.

Bob M.

kf4sqb · Post by **kf4sqb** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 7:19 pm

Try this link: http://www.hamforum.com/index.php?.... If I have it right, it should take you to a discusion board similiar to this one, but devoted to all aspects of Ham radio. Enjoy, and good luck!

K8TEK · Post by **K8TEK** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 7:30 pm

kcbooboo wrote:The technician test is only 24 questions. You need to get 18 of them correct for a passing grade.

You are incorrect, Elements 2 (Technician) and 3 (General) is 35 questions, you need to get 26 correct, passing mark is 74%

Element 4 (Extra) are 50 questions. 37 is the passing mark.
Just for your info...

Will · Post by **Will** » Mon Jun 14, 2004 10:34 pm

Also check at your local Red Cross Chapter as most have Ham classes and even do the testing, led by the VE's ( Volenteer Examiners).

For the NO CODE TECH, the General part is NOT reqd.

kcbooboo · Post by **kcbooboo** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 1:33 am

Sorry, Sheriffe9 is correct about the numbers of questions. The VE group I belong to also does commercial exams, and the Element 1 test for that service is only 24 questions.

For the current Technician class license, Morse Code is NOT required. This is the entry-level license for amateur radio. With Morse Code, you gain additional privileges with the same license, but you really get the benefit when you upgrade to the General class license. Add a lot more technical knowledge and you can get the Extra class license, which is the highest current amateur radio license. You can keep going and get into the commercial licenses where the technical and Morse Code requirements are somewhat higher.

You can take the General class written test after you've passed the Technician written test, but you then have one year after that to pass the Morse Code test and get a General class license. You get a certificate saying you've passed the written test, but it's only good for one year; after that you would need to retake the written test if you still haven't passed the Morse Code test. I suppose one could also do that with the Extra class written test, but I think you must have a valid General class license, or just passed the test(s) in the same testing session, before you can take the Extra class test.

All of the licensing rules and regulations, plus the written test question pools, are on the W5YI and/or ARRL web sites. The written exams must be made from these question pools, but the order of the answers can be switched around. The Technician and Extra class tests also have a sheet or two of graphic images, like component symbols and schematics, and there will be questions on the tests that refer to these drawings.

Bob M.

jbxx · Post by **jbxx** » Tue Jun 15, 2004 6:59 pm

Also go to QRZ.com and click on practice tests.
J.B. AD6WX

K8TEK · Post by **K8TEK** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 12:27 am

W8MHB has practice exams too.

Post by **Wowbagger** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 5:05 am

Some other advice, especially if you listen to some bad operators:

Don't Do What Donny Dont Does!

Donny Don't says "10-4".

Donny Don't says "Roooooooooooooooger!"

Donny Don't says "...for ID" everytime he gives his callsign.

Donny Don't makes up his own phonetics and uses them all the time - "Roooooger, this is Kicoju niner Fool Doggy Zepplin for ID"

Donny Don't doesn't unkey when he stops to think, he says "Uuuuhhhhhhh".

Donny Don't says "QSL!" and "ROOOODGER!" when he agrees with you.

Donny Don't uses "QSY" to mean "go somewhere" - "I'm agonna QSY to the bathroom, just a minute."

Donny Don't kerchunks the repeater to check his radio.

Donny Don't doesn't ID when he kerchunks the repeater.

Donny Don't likes to tune his radio on a repeater frequency.

Donny Don't says "Over and out" and "Clear on your final".

Donny Don't says "I'm getting you 5 by 9, but yur real scratchy into the repeater."

Don't Do What Donny Don't Does!

"Over" - "I am ending my transmission and turning the channel over to you so that I can hear what you have to say."

"Clear" - see "Out".

"Out" - "I am discontinuing use of this channel - I will not hear what you have to say." (hence why "Over and Out" is WRONG).

"Roger" - "I confirm that I received what you said."
"QSL" - "I confirm that I received what you said."

These don't mean "I agree with/to what you said."

"WilCo" - "Will Comply" - hence "Roger Wilco" is redundant - you cannot comply if you didn't receive.

"QSY" - "I am changing frequency." - NOT LOCATION.

sglass · Post by **sglass** » Wed Jun 16, 2004 6:58 am

or just screw bs lingo and talk like a human being

dude-get the books (radio shack sells them)

pass the tech written, then get then goa head and take the general written. NOW-listen to hf. Torture yourself into learnign the code.

IF You don't care about hf, don't worry about it. Enjoy your technician privledges.

Seth

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