Getting a ham radio license

There are many resources out there to help you get your amateur radio license. I recommend starting by visiting the arrl.org web page for new hams. If I were to summarize the process myself (keep in mind, this would be for my own learning style), I would say:

  1. Research and understand the basic requirements online.
  2. Check the listings at arrl.org and find a local test center & test time. Set a goal to attend a certain test!
  3. Purchase the "Ham Radio License Manual" 2nd Edition from Amazon or another vendor (ISBN 0872590836).
  4. Read through the whole manual once, don't worry about being able to answer any questions.
  5. Take a practice test online, look up the answers as you go through it. Repeat if you want.
  6. Skim through the whole manual again, but stop and study areas that you don't understand.
  7. Take practice tests online until you can pass several in a row.
  8. Go back to the book and take time to study areas that you don't get, don't just memorize the test questions!
  9. Find and take a real test.

Of course, you'll do it however you need or want to, but this method worked for me, was fast, and I actually feel like I learned some interesting stuff. I don't know much in the grand scheme of amateur radio, but I know enough to get started.

Practice tests reviewed

Here are just a few of the online practice tests for people wanting their amateur radio license, with a few thoughts on each. In my experience, each operates differently and has different things to offer, so using multiple practice tests is recommended.

Practice tests at QRZ.com

QRZ.com has a great test application written in Flash. Once loaded, it can be used without an active internet connection. The practice test application from QRZ covers all levels of testing, is free, and has no limitations. Rather than random test questions, the QRZ test lets you choose a test number, which means you can come back and retry an exact test if you need or want to.

Pros:
  • You can re-take any test, and even mark down and re-take a test later if one combination is particularly hard for you.
  • Easy to understand and use.
  • Highly compatible across systems (though flash may slow some older systems down).
  • Fits on one screen so you don't have to scroll.
Cons:
  • The colors and contrasts that they used made this one hard on the eyes. Might not affect everyone, but it was hard on me after a few tests in a row.
  • You find out immediately if an answer is right or wrong. After using it for a while, I found this to be annoyingly unrealistic vs. a real test.
  • You can see your score as you go. This may discourage some people from finishing a practice test, which defeats the point of practicing.

Practice tests at eHam.net

I apprecited the eHam.net tests a lot. The flow worked for me, and I felt like I got a good mix of questions each time without too much repetition between tests. They have tests for all three levels that are easy to operate.

Pros:
  • Easy to understand and use.
  • Good colors/contrast, easy on the eyes.
  • Good selections of questions from the pool, not repetitious.
  • Nice report of correct/incorrect answers an the end, easy to scan through results.
Cons:
  • You can't select or retake a specific combination of questions.
  • No apparent access to diagrams/figures for questions that require them.

Practice tests at radioexam.org

A nice change with a little more control. Nice in the sense that you could choose sub-elements to test on if you are having trouble with a specific area.

Pros:
  • In-line access to the diagrams/figures.
  • Ability to test on a sub-element for extra practice.
  • Correct/incorrect answers after grading.
Cons:
  • Wonderful site content, but a little scattered and hard to look at.
  • Results are difficult to scan through visually.