My oldest daughter is interested in getting her ham license. She became interested after she started coming along with me storm spotting. I have no problem helping her get her tech license. After a quick refresher I'm pretty confident I could explain enough basic principles that it should make sense. She's a very smart girl and I know if she sticks with it she could pass without any problems. I was thinking when I go with her to take her test I would also see if I could get my extra license. Now I was assuming that I could memorise any questions that I couldn't grasp the concept of. Then I started seeing specialized operating practices, advanced electronics theory and radio equipment design questions. There is no way I could memorise my way through that test even if I wanted to. I've been looking online for a study guide that would help me understand the questions and have a better grasp on the principles. So far I'm not happy with what I've found. Seems like everything I've found is geared toward passing the test without learning. I'm not going to buy the arrl book (will see if the library has it) but I was hoping any extras here might have some advice for me.
If you already have your General, the Extra is not that much more difficult. And, as I suspect you already know, each step sets you up to learn at a somewhat higher level, a license to learn so to say. Extra is just another step that exposes you to new facets of the hobby. In a manner of speaking, the course serves the general purpose of a school "survey" type course that exposes you to an overview of the subjects. Pick an online study guide and get the ticket, then learn. There WILL be some memorizing required, just accept that unless you sorta have time enough to earn degrees in each of the subjects covered. FWIW, I bought the books and did the dining room table method.
A number of Monkeys have used the Prepared Ham.com site to get the best advice on the Extra Tests... I am an Advanced, which is no longer available, and have No Interest in upgrading, though I would have problem passing the Test. It has been DECADES, since I took my FCC Exams, including my Commercial & Telegraph Exams, with Aircraft Endorsement, and Radar Endorsement... and GMDSS Maintainer Ticket... When I joined the Commission, I had to have ALL thost Tickets, in order to do Commercial Ship & Aircraft Inspections.. Now that I am reTIRED, They are just more WallPaper on my office Brag Wall... You should encourage your daughter to also review the General Exam, while studying for the Tech Ticket, and take it at the same time as the Tech Test... Costs the same, and she just might pass both... Many folks do with, little problem...
General license study material | Survival Monkey Forums Note that on the Extra test I took maybe 5-6 years ago there were maybe a dozen questions that required some kind of computation. You could memorize all the possible question variations for those handful of topics which might be 60-80 questions in the published pool or just memorize a half dozen or so equations and be able to calculate the answer. There are some free online study guides that are maybe 50 pages with those equations and memorize questions and answers for the qualitative stuff, things like rules, procedures, theory, etc. That is what worked for me. AT
To bad you are not in the Seattle area... I know a couple of Hams that conduct Tech, General, & Extra Classes, and have a really GOOD success Rate for their Students... There is a certain PNW Monkey that has been procrastinating, taking the classes for years, and i have been kicking his Butt, forever about it...
HamTestOnline - Ham Radio Exam Courses and Practice Tests You can study for free. For the cost of a study manual you get "adaptive study" meaning that it will focus on your weak spots. When you pass let them know and you get free access to the materials and study. I used them and passed all three tests in one sitting. BTW - here was my study progress - I learned enough in 10 days to pass the Extra exam. If I can do it, believe me you can too: Legend: light green = study time, and pink = time spend in practice tests Yellow = portion of materials not shown, red = weak areas, blue = areas that need review, and green = areas you are well versed in.
That was problematic for me as well. HamTestOnline introduces each new section with explanations and links to reference material. Even after you go through an area it will frequently repeat the background info which I found had even more meaning once I had a bit more understanding. I think they do a very good job and have no buyers remorse for purchasing their courses. @sdr I forgot to mention above that if you are an active VE (General license w/ at least three exam sessions) they will give you the Extra course for FREE: HamTestOnline™ - Free Extra Course for Active Volunteer Examiners The VE exam is open book and free. Usually the ARRL will send you your badge and certificate within a few weeks, but mine took over two months to arrive. As for other reference a HAM friend of mine gave me several of the ARRL books and I always keep an eye out for reference at garage sales, used book stores, and Goodwill, etc.. There is so much information out there electronically it's almost too much - maybe we should start a thread just for links?
I've been using hamstudy.org. Flash cards and randomized practice tests. It will keep track of your progress in each of the ten subject categories, and repeat the ones you failed until to get it right. Each pool question also has an explanation for the specific question as well as links to additional info. My degree is in EE, so the tech stuff is fairly straight forward, but the procedural areas such as class band limitations drive me nuts.
When I was studying for my Gen I used the ARRL practice test site. It covers all three levels and gives the correct answer right away. It is just questions and answers, no study material.
Thanks for the help everyone. I'll admit the equations are the most troubling for me. I did place a hold at the library on the arrl manual. It's been around 20 years since I passed my tech or what ever it was called back then. And 10 years on my general. Haven't been active for years but starting to get excited about getting back on the air. I checked out hamtestsonline. I like the way it's structured. How have the band's been lately? Is it worthwhile to fire up a rig now?
3M-TA3 has it right. I have seen (as a VE) many more people go from "zero to hero" (passing all three tests in one sitting) than all other methods combined. They also actually know what the questions and answers mean and understand the workings of the hobby much better. Hamtestonline is my pick.
Yep! The online stuff is the way to go! I got to agree with @ghrit "If you already have your General, the Extra is not that much more difficult" well, sort of - meaning - you need to study for it but you'll pass it... I took my Tech and my General at the same time and just for giggles (since I didn't study for it) took the Extra also. I passed the Tech and General (which I had studied for) but missed 2 too many on the Extra and frankly I do not think most could pass the Extra without studying for it. I been in communications all my life and passed the Tech (missed 1) and General (missed 0) after studying but blew the Extra and wouldn't try it again without studying. Here's what I used. The first 3 are free if I remember correctly. I really liked HamStudy : Practice Amateur Radio Exams by QRZ Ham Radio HamStudy.org: Cutting edge amateur radio study tools ARRL Exam Review for Ham Radio™ HamTestOnline - Ham Radio Exam Courses and Practice Tests
Piss poor, to Totally Closed... mostly...SFI (Solar Flux Index) hasn’t been above 85 in weeks... New Cycle is still Years away...
Pretty accurate, but 40 is fairly active, 20 and 15 are spotty. Go here - bandconditions.com Which isn't always accurate, but gives a hint at any given time.
It helps to have a good understanding of the basic rules for series and parallel circuits. Learn the formula to calculate resonant frequency when the values of R, L, and C are given, the ways to calculate Q for both individual capacitors and inductors and resonant circuits, and the magnitudes of circulating currents for resonant circuits vs. non-resonant.
One other thing - when you are practicing - calculate the answer each and every time even though you have it memorized and think about the elements in that equasion. It helped when I took the extra because I was able to figure out answers by sticking to the fundamentals and was able to note relationships like "as x gets smaller, y gets bigger" through reasoning.
you can always hear somebody on some band, as long as they're talking. better conditions just mean you can hear more and farther and on more bands. We have a local club that runs classes, obviously more frequently for the lower levels, you only have to buy the ARRL license manual for the level you want to pass, and attend the free class. If you don't have a local club that does that, at least you know the material it comes from to study.
