The Technician License

The Technician License

Earning a Technician Amateur Radio license is a good way to begin enjoying ham radio. There is no Morse code exam for this license, and the Element 2 written exam is not difficult. There is no difficult math or electronics background required. You are sure to find the operating privileges available to a Technician licensee to be worth the time spent learning about Amateur Radio. After passing the exam, you will be able to operate on every frequency above SO megahertz that is assigned to the Amateur Radio Service. With full operating privileges on those bands, you'll be ready to experience the excitement of Amateur Radio! You also gain privileges on the 80, 40, IS and 10 meter HF bands.

Perhaps your interest is in Amateur or "ham" radio's long history of providing emergency communications in time of need. Your experience with computers might lead you to explore the many digital modes of amateur communication and networking. If your eyes turn to the stars on a clear night, you might enjoy tracking the amateur satellites and using them to relay your signals to other amateurs around the world! Your whole family can enjoy Amateur Radio, taking part in outdoor activities like ARRL Field Day and mobile operating during a vacation.

Once you make the commitment to study and learn what it takes to pass the exam, you will accomplish your goal. Many people pass the exam on their first try, so if you study the material and are prepared, chances are good that you will soon have your license. It may take you more than one attempt to pass the Technician license exam, but that's okay. There is no limit to how many times you can take it. Many Volunteer Examiner Teams have several exam versions available, so you may even be able to try the exam again at the same exam session. Time and available exam versions may limit the number of times you can try the exam at a single exam session. If you don't pass after a couple of tries you will certainly benefit from more study of the question pools before you try again.