Ham Radio
Pass one exam and the whole spectrum opens up — VHF/UHF, HF, digital, satellites.
What it is
Amateur — “ham” — radio is a licensed service for experimentation and communication across an enormous range of bands and modes. It’s where you go when you want to build, tinker, and reach further than any consumer radio allows.
Yes, it takes a test — but the entry-level Technician exam is very approachable: 35 multiple-choice questions drawn from a published pool, and most people pass after just 10–20 hours of study with free tools. No Morse code required.
Three classes, one ladder
Each is a single exam. Start at Technician — you can climb whenever you want.
Technician
Your way in. Full VHF/UHF privileges — local repeaters, digital, satellites — plus a slice of HF. A 35-question exam.
General
Opens the HF bands for worldwide voice and digital across most of the spectrum. A second 35-question exam.
Amateur Extra
Every privilege and frequency available to US hams. A 50-question exam for the truly bitten.
From study to call sign
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Study
Free at HamStudy.org or with the ARRL License Manual. Plan 10–20 hours for Technician — the practice tests draw from the real question pool.
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Find a session
Take the exam in person or online. Search the ARRL exam finder for a session near you.
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Pass the exam
Answer 26 of 35 correctly and pay the small (~$15) session fee to the volunteer examiners.
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Get your call sign
Pay the one-time $35 FCC fee and your call sign is issued — then you’re on the air. Come introduce yourself in #ham-radio.
Amateur Radio guides
Field-tested walkthroughs from RF Lab.
Official links
Straight from the source — bookmark these.
From your first repeater to working the world.
New licensees and old hands trade tips daily in #ham-radio.