BECOME A HAM

Three Easy Steps to Becoming
an Amateur Radio Operator

1. Study

You need a license issued by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to be an amateur radio operator in the United States. You need to take a test to get that license. You need to study for that test.

You can take a class or study on your own. See here for classes offered by RARS or use the ARRL website to find one near you.

If you can't find a convenient class, or want to study on your own, we recommend the ARRL Ham Radio License Manual from the American Radio Relay League (ARRL).

We also like the videos by W4EEY and the bare-bones KB6NU No-Nonsense Technician-Class License Study Guide, free in PDF form.

2. Take the Test

The test for the entry-level Technician license is 35 questions. You have to get 26 of them right (~75%).

Before you take the real test, though, you should take some practice tests. Our favorites include

Once you can consistently score 80% or better on the practice tests, you are ready to take the actual test.

When you're ready, you can find testing locations convenient to you by searching on the ARRL website or the Laurel VEC website.

3. Join a Club

Earning your first amateur radio license is only the beginning. It's a license to learn. The best way to learn how to be an amateur radio operator is from other amateur radio operators, and the best place to find them is a local amateur radio club.

Your fellow club members will help you pick your first radio (and your second and third) and put up antennas and introduce you to the breadth and depth of the hobby.

You can use the ARRL website to find an ARRL-affiliated club near you, or just search the Internet for "amateur radio clubs near me".

If you would like to know more about being a member of the Raleigh Amateur Radio Society, just check out our website here.

Bonus Content

Now that you are a licensed amateur radio operator, please use your skills to support your community. Get a radio, put up an antenna, participate in your club, and participate in emergency nets, AuxComm, ARES, and other public service-oriented activities.