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Not Licensed? |
COVID TESTING ALERT & New FCC Fee
Due to Covid, in person testing is currently limited in the Chicagoland/Northwest Indiana area resulting in fewer test session dates or having to travel a greater distance. The Lake County Amateur Radio Club is an ARRL affiliated club. We encourage everyone to join the ARRL and to test thru an ARRL/VEC when possible. However, as testing is currently limited, there are other organizations that are offering online licensing exams. If you wish to go with an online test session you can go to https://hamstudy.org/sessions to check out testing availability.
On December 30, 2020, the FCC announced a $35 administration fee for new amateur radio licenses (upgrades are excluded from this $35 fee unless you are changing your callsign). This would be in addition to the $15 exam fees that VECs are allowed to collect for test administration. The new administration fee goes in effect on April 19, 2022.
On December 30, 2020, the FCC announced a $35 administration fee for new amateur radio licenses (upgrades are excluded from this $35 fee unless you are changing your callsign). This would be in addition to the $15 exam fees that VECs are allowed to collect for test administration. The new administration fee goes in effect on April 19, 2022.
How do I start?
Currently, there are three classes (Technician, General, and Extra) of amateur radio licenses offered by the FCC. Most people enter the hobby by earning their Technician license. The Technician license grants you access to VHF/UHF frequencies along with very limited HF privileges (don't worry, as you gain knowledge and experience, you can upgrade later by taking the General and then Extra examinations).
The examination is a thirty five question, multiple choice test, that covers basic regulations, operating practices, and electronics theory. The questions that are on the test (question pool) are public. Morse code is no longer required for any amateur radio license, since 2006. However, morse code (CW) is very much active on the amateur radio bands and many new amateurs choose to learn it.
Most people self study for their license, while some choose to attend classes. The LCARC occasionally offers entry level license classes. When those are offered, they will be posted on this website and social media.
For those self studying, we highly recommend purchasing the ARRL Ham Radio License Manual (tip: check your local library and check other retailers like Amazon for possible free shipping). If you choose not to use this book, make sure the book that you are using has not "expired". The question pool is updated every four years. Make sure to take the time and read each chapter. Once you get done with a chapter, go to the back and start practicing with the question pool (tip: Don't just memorize the question pool and not read the actual book, it will penalize you later when you try to get on the air!). You can also take online practice tests (highly recommended). Just be sure to use a few different practice sites, so you get exposed to most of the question pool (some sites don't seem to be random enough). Taking these online tests will be a good indication of when you are ready to take the actual examination.
If you need assistance or have any questions, we encourage you to either attend a club meeting or contact us and we will do our best to help!
Not Licensed? Find out why you should get licensed.
The examination is a thirty five question, multiple choice test, that covers basic regulations, operating practices, and electronics theory. The questions that are on the test (question pool) are public. Morse code is no longer required for any amateur radio license, since 2006. However, morse code (CW) is very much active on the amateur radio bands and many new amateurs choose to learn it.
Most people self study for their license, while some choose to attend classes. The LCARC occasionally offers entry level license classes. When those are offered, they will be posted on this website and social media.
For those self studying, we highly recommend purchasing the ARRL Ham Radio License Manual (tip: check your local library and check other retailers like Amazon for possible free shipping). If you choose not to use this book, make sure the book that you are using has not "expired". The question pool is updated every four years. Make sure to take the time and read each chapter. Once you get done with a chapter, go to the back and start practicing with the question pool (tip: Don't just memorize the question pool and not read the actual book, it will penalize you later when you try to get on the air!). You can also take online practice tests (highly recommended). Just be sure to use a few different practice sites, so you get exposed to most of the question pool (some sites don't seem to be random enough). Taking these online tests will be a good indication of when you are ready to take the actual examination.
If you need assistance or have any questions, we encourage you to either attend a club meeting or contact us and we will do our best to help!
Not Licensed? Find out why you should get licensed.
Ready to take the test?
When you are ready to take the test, you are going to attend a Volunteer Examiner (VE) Test Session. Examinations are conducted by a team of FCC licensed amateurs that are accredited by a VEC. The Volunteer Exam Coordinator (VEC) is an organization that trains and accredits the examiners, conducts testing, and if you pass, processes and uploads your information, so the FCC can issue you a callsign.
Things you need to have in order to test are a valid photo ID (usually driver's license or school ID), exam fee, and your FCC Registration Number (FRN). If you are seeking an upgrade, please bring a copy of your current license that we can keep. If you are using a
CSCE for exam credit, please bring both the original and a copy that we can keep (original will be returned to you). You are encouraged to bring your own pens, pencils, and simple scientific calculator with memories cleared (not fancy graphing calculator), or we can provide these items also.
About the FCC Registration Number: The FCC now requires that all new license applicants have a FRN number prior to testing. Sometimes people already have an FRN if they have a Marine Radio Operator's Permit (MROP), a General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) license, a business radio license, etc. You need to request a FRN before you come to a testing site. More information can be found here.
For the latest updated VE Test schedule check out the ARRL web site at: http://www.arrl.org/exam_sessions/search
Things you need to have in order to test are a valid photo ID (usually driver's license or school ID), exam fee, and your FCC Registration Number (FRN). If you are seeking an upgrade, please bring a copy of your current license that we can keep. If you are using a
CSCE for exam credit, please bring both the original and a copy that we can keep (original will be returned to you). You are encouraged to bring your own pens, pencils, and simple scientific calculator with memories cleared (not fancy graphing calculator), or we can provide these items also.
About the FCC Registration Number: The FCC now requires that all new license applicants have a FRN number prior to testing. Sometimes people already have an FRN if they have a Marine Radio Operator's Permit (MROP), a General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) license, a business radio license, etc. You need to request a FRN before you come to a testing site. More information can be found here.
For the latest updated VE Test schedule check out the ARRL web site at: http://www.arrl.org/exam_sessions/search
You passed the exam, now what?
Once you have earned your ticket and are preparing to get on the air, take a look at the Practical Ham Radio Guide, written by Jeremy Briggs, K4OCD.
| Practical Ham Radio Guide |
