HAM tech license

Craig

Craig

Active member
anybody out there got there tech, general, or extra license?

This is one of those things you mean to get done and let it slip by.
I went on to the net and found a practice test and passed without any studying. Ok so I got like a 74%, but still passed!!
I then found a couple free study guides.
There is a walk in test this sat.


study guides.
Tech.....http://www.kb6nu.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/07/2006techstudyguide.pdf
Tech..... Http://www.msstate.edu/org/w5yd/files/element2_study_guide.pdf
General. http://www.msstate.edu/org/w5yd/files/element3_study_guide.pdf
Extra.... http://www.ncvec.org/downloads/2008 extra.pdf

practice exams
eham.net ham radio practice exams

test locations by zip
arrlweb: exam session search
 
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Craig,
I got my first ham license 25 years ago. Tech license is more than enough for most guys as there are plenty of things to explore with it's priviledges (aprs, echolink, etc.) it is far superior in capabilities to citizens band though it does require you to get a license.
When you go in to take your tech examine go ahead and try the general exam immediately afterwards. Most examiners won't charge you an extra fee so what the hell give it a shot.
Good luck.

Paul
wa6fwk
 
Thanks for the tip, I will look for an online study guide and add that to the list of links. You need the general to make phone calls.

I'm looking at the yaesu ft-7800r radio.
 
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paul 3 said:
edit...
When you go in to take your tech examine go ahead and try the general exam immediately afterwards. Most examiners won't charge you an extra fee so what the hell give it a shot.
Good luck.

Paul
wa6fwk
Click to expand...

I tried the practice exam and got a 42% ouch.

Holy crap batman your making my brain dig up some really old stuff. ( I have an as degree in electronics)
question on exam. What is the output power from a transmitter if an oscilloscope measures 500 volts peak-to-peak across a 50-ohm resistor connected to the transmitter output?

Answer. Convert 500v pep to rms, divide by 2 to get peak voltage = 250v, that value times .707 to get rms =176.75v
p (watts) = e (volts) squared divided by r (ohms)
176.75 sq= 31,240/50 = 625 watts

so I read the guide, and got a 60%, re reading the guide again:icon_stare: then took the test again and got lucky 82.9:gringrin: damm that genreal is a lot tougher then the tech for sure.
 
Yeah the general is definitely a big step up from the tech. It used to be you'd start by getting your novice and then work up thru tech, general, advanced, and extra so the steps weren't quite as big. Used to be a morse code requirement too which I thought was pretty cool.

Are you taking the test this weekend then? Good luck.

Paul
 
Wow I did better then expected. Only missed one question in the tech licence, and passed the general with one wrong answer to spare:icon_mrgreen: :icon_mrgreen: :icon_mrgreen:

they said with in a week I should be on the fcc database and then I will know my general Call sign:winky:
 
Congrats on passing the exam. Shouldn't take but a few days before you can look your call sign up. I'd go to the arrl homepage and read the instructions on logging into uls (universal licensing system) and cores (commission registration system) which you'll need to do in order to view you license online.

You can actually do that before your license is ready because you will need to register a username and password in order to receive your frn (federal registration number) which you'll need in order to track your license....or you could just wait for it to come in the mail and skip all of the above. :icon_eek:

it's kind of a pain in the neck, but it can save you a few weeks of having to wait on snail mail.

Paul
wa6fwk
 
I'm listed in the fcc database ki6tgt nowi just need to buy a radio :icon_neutral:

I see you have a vanity call sign wa6fwk

do you have a mobile radio?
 
The call sign has a history. My Dad was wa6fwk originally, got it in the early 50's and kept it until he took his extra class license about 10 years ago. I took wa6fwk not long ago, after I realized the fcc had started a vanity call sign program.

I've got a couple of rigs: kenwood ts-940s and a ts-820s. I haven't had an antenna up in several years, but am kind of getting back into radio so I May put something up here in the near future. I'm sure the neighbors are gonna love me.

I just picked up a kenwood d710a mobile that will go into the Scout once I get it back here to tn. I've got a lot of reading and playing around to do before I'm completely up on the 710's capabilities. I chose it primarily for the aprs capability and for the good reviews I was reading. Should be a nice setup once I've got it up and running.

Paul
 
Gps would be nice, I have a small handheld gps unit now.
Thats a really nice radio for sure.
How do you get a shorter call sign? Do you need to take the extra class test
 
The aprs stuff is pretty cool, a lot of capabilities. The 710a is by no means the only portable capable of aprs but the built-in tnc makes it handy. You can even use it to send short email messages.

If you go to the arrl homepage there should be a vanity call sign tab/FAQ that lists the format for u.s. Call signs. Without looking it up I think you are correct in that you must have an extra class ticket in order to use a four character call sign.

This link is a pretty cool forum that has some info on different setups. Though it's not strictly a ham forum it got a lot of first hand experience on it. communications: ham, cb, 2m, sat - expedition portal forums

Paul
 
Nice forum. I like the expedition type wheeling too. Fun to explore areas you have not been too. I started reading the extra class license study guide and it goes into more details which is good for me as a beginner. My coworker thinks its funny that I have a general class license and never used a radio before. He was in the air force years ago and can rattle off gibberish they used. They give tests every month, so I have a few weeks to study. I like the ft-8700r as its a nice beginner radio and covers both 2m and 70 cm bands. The wilson 2 meter ant look like a good one, but its only 2m.
 
Congrats on the general license. I got my tech in 2001 (kg6jck) at age 34, and soon got a vanity call (k6ihc is my current call). Studied morse code for awhile, but never got good enough for the element 1 exam. In early 2007, I took the general exam and have been that class since. Someday, extra class and morse proficiency...

I have always been *into* radio and electronics (1970s/1980s), but didn't get around to studying for tech until 2001.

So, after you get the license, there's the subject of selecting and purchasing the radios (plural). I must now own at least 10 transceivers, a mix of portable and mobile/base units. Hf is ok, but requires large antennas for a decent signal. I like 6m ssb, and have worked on *six* for over four years now. I use a yaesu ft-857 for the hf and 6 ops. I also have quite a bit of 1200 mhz (23cm) fm activity in my area, so two of my radios are kenwood 1.2 gig units. One band I don't have is 222 mhz. I'll need to work on that.
My Scout currently has four transceiver antennas, and the capability to mount and operate four ham radios (not including the scanning receiver or cb unit) simultaneously.

I'll try to post some pics of my Scout radio setup soon.

Btw, larsen mobile antennas are good. Many of the diamond and comet antennas are decent, too. Eham.net has good reviews of equipment by other hams.
 
Erik,
I'd dig seeing a few pics of your setup. I'll be putting a d710a into my Scout here soon. Shouldn't be to hard to place with the remote face plate capability, but I'm always interested in how others have mounted theirs.
I always thought code was the coolest thing. When I first got my novice license, when it still existed, the 5 wpm code was mandatory. I dug it so much that I really didn't decide to move up to tech and general until much, much later.

Paul
wa6fwk
 
erik vanrenselaar said:
congrats on the general license.

thanks!

So, after you get the license, there's the subject of selecting and purchasing the radios (plural). I must now own at least 10.
Click to expand...

So ham radio is not much different the International harvesters:icon_neutral: my wife is going to kill me!!

I'm still trying to figure out what I really need. Sure I've looked at those higher end dual and quad band receiver like the ft-8800 and 8900 with cross band repeat, duel receive. Great for creating a mobile repeating base station. But do I need all that:icon_eek: I guess the question now is do I even need a dual band radio? I'm now thinkng about just a 2 meter radio for the Scout. Been looking at the ft-2800 65 watts of power
I want something that will transmit and receive long distance in simplex mode.

Ok here is my list of needs

easy and fun to learn and use.
Powerful enough to work in the mountains.
Work with handhelds
best moblie antenna are the dual band antennas any good?
 
I would choose a dual-band (2m and 70cm/440) mobile for a basic start. Having the uhf capability can be useful. I am partial to kenwood (mainly from the public safety/commercial end), but my favorite dual-bander, the tm-g707a was discontinued a year or so ago. It was replaced by a much more expensive rig, the tm-v71a. I got my 707 for $285 new, in 2002. It sees nearly daily use, with no issues. The v71 is close to $400 new.

I have one icom radio, an ic-2100 2m rig, but I don't really like the menu functions and a few features on it. Some guys swear by icom, though, and the ic-208h seems pretty good for about $330.

The only yaesu I have is the multi-band, multi-mode ft-857, and I like it, but it's rather pricey at about $700. For a regular dual-bander, the yaesu ft-7800 seems like a good deal, for about $260.
I have no use for crossband repeat and dual vfos, so that's why I like the basic radios.

Check out the reviews of radios on the eham.net site.

For a dual-band mobile antenna, the radiall/larsen nmo-2/70b is a rugged, all-around good performer.
 
I looked a lot of different models and keep going back the yaesu 7800r as a good first radio.

I've looked at a lot of anntenas too. I read the larson are good antennas.

But do I need a 2 meter 5/8 wave for mountain use?

Link to antenna <click here>
 
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Imo you would benefit more from a good antenna match or antenna tuner then spending money on a high dollar unit. You can pickup 6+ db with a good swr.

I doubt the 7800 has a tuner on in it. Swr meters are not much money and will save parts in the pa if a bad match exists. New equipment will reduce power out put to protect its self but the old stuff would cook..

My Dad has been an ameture radio guy for 58 years and I have been involved all my life. My Dad was k6qht but got his extra class and now is k7qk...

Robert
 
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Robert kenney said:
imo you would benefit more from a good antenna match or antenna tuner then spending money on a high dollar unit. You can pickup 6+ db with a good swr.

I doubt the 7800 has a tuner on in it. Swr meters are not much money and will save parts in the pa if a bad match exists. New equipment will reduce power out put to protect its self but the old stuff would cook..

My Dad has been an ameture radio guy for 58 years and I have been involved all my life. My Dad was k6qht but got his advanced and now is k7qk...

Robert
Click to expand...

I hear ya, I have not seen a mobile with a built in swr and power meters. What then best swr unit out there? With in reason of course.
 
If you stay in the cb 80-108 (iirc) mhz range, just buy an inexpensive swr meter and tune your system @ mid band the best you can achieve with the meter hooked up. You can remove it if you are satisfied with th swr's you get top and bottom of the cb range.

I am not a great writer so here is a decent write up on swr meter application and use. They also have inexpensive meters.

swr meters & readings explained

One thing is the meter needs to be applicable to the cb range.

Robert
 
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