Becoming a licensed amateur radio operator in the United States involves passing one or more exams administered by volunteer examiners. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has established three levels of amateur radio licenses, each building upon the knowledge and privileges of the previous level.

License Classes

1. Technician Class: This is the entry-level license and the focus of this book. It provides operating privileges on all VHF and UHF amateur bands and some limited privileges on HF bands.

2. General Class: The next step up, requiring passage of both the Technician and General exams. It grants significantly more HF privileges.

3. Amateur Extra Class: The highest class of license, requiring passage of all three exams. It provides full privileges on all amateur radio bands.

To progress to a higher class, you must pass the exam for that class as well as all lower classes. For example, to obtain a General Class license, you must pass both the Technician and General exams.

License issue, expiration, and renewal

Once you pass your exam and your license application is submitted you will receive an email from the FCC instructing you to pay a $35 fee on their online portal. Once you have completed that step your license will usually appear in the database the next morning.

If the FCC attempts to reach you by email and is unable to do so even after you are licensed they may choose to revoke or suspend your license, so make sure to use a valid email address and update your license records with the FCC if it changes!

Some applications are flagged for manual (human) review for various reasons; in those cases there may be a delay before you are instructed to pay the fee. The VE (Volunteer Examiner) team you test with should be able to help you navigate any challenges!

Once issued, your license is valid for ten (10) years from the date of issue, unless revoked for some reason. Your license becomes valid as soon as it appears in the ULS (Universal Licensing System), an online license database maintained by the FCC.

You can renew your license as early as ninety (90) days before it expires by signing in through the FCC license manager website (the same website you use to pay your fee). If you have any issues you can contact the FCC support using contact information from their website.

If you allow your license to expire you may no longer operate, however you have a two (2) year grace period in which you can renew your license. If you do not renew your license before the end of that grace period you will lose your license and call sign and will have to take the exam again to become licensed again.

If you were once licensed and had a General or Amateur Extra class license you can regain your previous privileges after just passing the Technician class license exam – talk with your VE team for more information!

Finding Exam Sessions

There are several ways to find local exam sessions:

1. HamStudy.org: Visit our Session Listings to search for both in-person and online exam sessions.

2. ARRL Website: The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) maintains a list of exam sessions at https://www.arrl.org/find-an-amateur-radio-license-exam-session.

3. Local Amateur Radio Clubs: Many clubs host regular exam sessions. Check with clubs in your area for upcoming dates.

Remember that even if you find the exam session through HamStudy or another website they are usually just listing exam sessions for a specific team of Volunteer Examiners – you need to contact that team directly with any questions. If you register for the exam via HamStudy.org, for example, you should receive a registration email that you can reply to in order to contact the VE team.

Remote Exams

Since 2020, fully remote exam sessions have become widely available. These allow you to take your exam from home using video conferencing software. To participate in a remote exam:

1. Ensure you have a reliable internet connection and a webcam.
2. Have a clean, private space for taking the exam.
3. Be prepared to show your exam environment to the examiners.
4. Visit our Remote Session listings to find available remote sessions.

When registering for a remote exam, carefully read all instructions provided by the exam team. Pay attention to any specific software requirements or pre-exam procedures they may have.

Question Pools

The exam questions come from publicly available question pools developed by the National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC). These pools are updated on a regular schedule:

• Technician Class pool: Updated every four years, last updated 2022
• General Class pool: Updated every four years, last updated 2023
• Amateur Extra Class pool: Updated every four years, last updated 2024

The updates are staggered, so only one pool changes each year. This ensures that study materials and exams remain current with evolving technology and regulations.

Each question pool contains many more questions than will appear on any single exam. Your actual test will be a random selection of questions from the appropriate pool, ensuring that each exam is unique.

Remember, the goal of the licensing process is not just to pass an exam, but to ensure that amateur radio operators have the knowledge needed to operate their stations safely and in compliance with FCC regulations. As you prepare for your exam, focus on understanding the material rather than just memorizing answers.

Good luck with your studies, and welcome to the exciting world of amateur radio!