Alternate Comms

[comsec]

There are three Elements that must be passed sequentially:

1. Technician
2. General
3. Extra

You must pass the Technician first, then General, then Extra in order.

The questions pools change every five years on non-aligned schedules. Make sure you have a current question pool for the license you plan to test for.
You may also practice online here:

https://hamexam.org/exam/15-Technician ... ent 2 here

TECHNICIAN Class (Element 2) Pool is effective July 1, 2018 and is
valid until June 30, 2022.

GENERAL Class (Element 3) Pool is effective July 1, 2019 and is
valid until June 30, 2023.

EXTRA Class (Element 4) Pool is effective July 1, 2020 and is
valid until June 30, 2024.

The Technician pool was revised in 2018.
The General pool was revised in 2019.
The Extra pool was revised n in 2020.
No question pools will be updated or released in 2021.
The question pools review is part of a regular process.
Each question pool is reviewed and updated on a four year rotation.

[kayt00]

Just finished my exam and there were a total of maybe three questions that had anything to do with code. Two questions regarding CW and one pertaining to a key or keyer.

Also a big thanks to Flightmare for the guidance.

[G.A. Heath]

Just finished my exam and there were a total of maybe three questions that had anything to do with code. Two questions regarding CW and one pertaining to a key or keyer.

Also a big thanks to Flightmare for the guidance.

Awesome, what did all did you test for?

[kayt00]

Just Technician right now, one step at a time. If it's something I actually enjoy I'll jump to general then maybe extra. I got 100% on the tech exam so we'll see what happens down the road.

[G.A. Heath]

Just Technician right now, one step at a time. If it's something I actually enjoy I'll jump to general then maybe extra. I got 100% on the tech exam so we'll see what happens down the road.

Congrats, Even if you don't enjoy the hobby as a Technician I suggest hanging out with some General, Advanced, and/or Extra operators to see if some of the added range interests you.

In the DFW area you are likely to find some SSTV as well as digital modes like PSK31, FT8, etc., on VHF and UHF, if not you can always find something somewhere on HF. On HF you get quiet a few more bands to play with with greater range (including international DX).

[G.A. Heath]

Just Technician right now, one step at a time. If it's something I actually enjoy I'll jump to general then maybe extra. I got 100% on the tech exam so we'll see what happens down the road.

Congrats, Even if you don't enjoy the hobby as a Technician I suggest hanging out with some General, Advanced, and/or Extra operators to see if some of the added privileges interests you.

In the DFW area you are likely to find some SSTV as well as digital modes like PSK31, FT8, etc., on VHF and UHF, if not you can always find something somewhere on HF. On HF you get quiet a few more bands to play with with greater range (including international DX).

[chamberc]

All they need to shut down ham radio is some kind of precipitating event to use as an excuse. For example, somebody sets off a bomb, and investigators find out they planned it using ham radio. Pow, it'd be shut down in a heartbeat.

Shutting down ham radio would not be easy at all. Hundreds of thousands of transceivers exist and they don't have to operate at fixed locations. If we ever get to that stage, the entire country would be at war anyway.

Chas.

Agreed. And add to that the impossibility of locating and confiscating countless receivers... many of which only cost $25-40.

POW Canteen Radios were a real thing in WW2

You don't have to... signals warfare is far more sophisticated than needing to track down users. You simply block the spectrum... easy to do in broad geographical areas.

[KC5AV]

Just Technician right now, one step at a time. If it's something I actually enjoy I'll jump to general then maybe extra. I got 100% on the tech exam so we'll see what happens down the road.

You will likely find that a lot of the material on the General exam will look very familiar.

[Liberty]

Just Technician right now, one step at a time. If it's something I actually enjoy I'll jump to general then maybe extra. I got 100% on the tech exam so we'll see what happens down the road.

You will likely find that a lot of the material on the General exam will look very familiar.

and a lot of what's on the general will be on the extra. When passed the general. I continued on to the Extra test even though I didn't study at all for it. I failed the extra but only missed it by one

[2farnorth]

All they need to shut down ham radio is some kind of precipitating event to use as an excuse. For example, somebody sets off a bomb, and investigators find out they planned it using ham radio. Pow, it'd be shut down in a heartbeat.

Shutting down ham radio would not be easy at all. Hundreds of thousands of transceivers exist and they don't have to operate at fixed locations. If we ever get to that stage, the entire country would be at war anyway.

Chas.

Agreed. And add to that the impossibility of locating and confiscating countless receivers... many of which only cost $25-40.

POW Canteen Radios were a real thing in WW2

You don't have to... signals warfare is far more sophisticated than needing to track down users. You simply block the spectrum... easy to do in broad geographical areas.

This is a fact.

[Grayling813]

Just Technician right now, one step at a time. If it's something I actually enjoy I'll jump to general then maybe extra. I got 100% on the tech exam so we'll see what happens down the road.

Congratulations! I haven’t done much with my tech license beyond buying a Boefeng radio.

Just obtained GMRS license and ordered a couple of radios. The GMRS licensing was very fast, submitted application and payment online Wednesday afternoon, received license Thursday morning.

[KC5AV]

Just Technician right now, one step at a time. If it's something I actually enjoy I'll jump to general then maybe extra. I got 100% on the tech exam so we'll see what happens down the road.

You will likely find that a lot of the material on the General exam will look very familiar.

and a lot of what's on the general will be on the extra. When passed the general. I continued on to the Extra test even though I didn't study at all for it. I failed the extra but only missed it by one

Extra made my brain hurt.

[comsec]

Before the current three licenses there was the Advanced class exam. That one was pretty hard and there were to0 many questions to memorize the answers for the formulaic questions for Reactance and other technical calculations. 13 wpm code exam too.

The questions have become more relevant in the later question pools for newer operators. Best bargain around having access to all of that spectrum!!!!

[Charles L. Cotton]

Before the current three licenses there was the Advanced class exam. That one was pretty hard and there were to many questions to memorize the answers for the formulaic questions for Reactance and other technical calculations. 13 wpm code exam too.

The questions have become more relevant in the later question pools for newer operators. Best bargain around having access to all of that spectrum!!!!

I took my General and Advanced exams on the same day in 1977. The Advanced was the hardest test by a wide margin. The general opinion was the Extra written exam was easier than Advanced. I would have taken it, but 20 words per minute code was a major hurdle! I knew I'd never get to that level, so I never tried. I was reluctant to get my Extra a few years ago because I hated giving up the increasingly rare Advanced ticket. I did it so I could serve as a VE for all exams.

Chas.

[Grayling813]

I just ordered exam prep materials for General and Extra.
May as well buy radio equipment since guns and ammo is so scarce! (and who knows what the gun/ammo market will be like a week from now).