Frequently Asked Questions

This document describes how to become a "ham" (amateur radio operator).

What is Amateur Radio?
How do I become a ham? How do I get my ham license?
Where can I take the license exams?
Who can become a ham?
What about Morse code and ham license types?
How much does it cost to join the hobby?

1. What is Amateur Radio?

Amateur Radio, also called "ham radio", is a non-commercial radio communication service whose primary aims are public service, technical training/experimentation, and communication between private persons.

Amateur radio operators are commonly called "hams". Hams often communicate with each other recreationally, but also provide communications for others at public events or in times of emergency.

Amateur radio is not the same as AM/FM radio. Besides other differences, amateurs don't "broadcast" to the general public or air music or commercials over their radios. As stated above, amateur radio is a service as well as a hobby.

While AM radio uses a "band" of frequencies around 1 Megahertz (MHz), and FM radio is around 100 MHz, ham radio has many different "bands". They are basically divided between VHF (very high frequency, 50 MHz and higher) and HF ("high" frequency, below 50 MHz) bands.

Morse code knowledge is no longer required for an amateur radio license. Read below for more about the license exam and ham bands.

2. How do I become a ham? How do I get my ham license?

You must earn your amateur radio license before you can transmit "on the air" with a ham radio. This means passing the license exam. To take the exam for any class of amateur radio license, there is a small charge to cover copying costs and running the exam sessions.

The license exam questions are all taken from a "question pool" that is publicly available (including the exact questions and all the choices used on the actual exams). Learn enough of these multiple-choice answers, and you will pass the test!

There are also books available to help you learn the material - just make sure the book covers the current (dated) question pool! Local hams will also help you study if you want, occasionally holding study sessions to go through the material.

3. Where can I take the license exams?

All the license exams are given by teams of three qualified Volunteer Examiners (VEs) who volunteer their time. There is an exam session almost every weekend in one or more of the big cities nearby, given by their local clubs. A search engine of upcoming exam sessions is available on the ARRL website.

4. Who can become a ham?

In the USA, anyone who is not a representative of a foreign government may hold an amateur radio license.

You do not have to be a citizen to obtain a license. You do have to pass an exam to get the license.

These requirements are similar in almost every country.

5. What about Morse code and ham license types?

In the past, hams had to learn Morse code to get their first license. Current FCC rules do not require Morse code knowledge for the basic amateur radio license.

The story on Morse code would be incomplete without explaining ham license types, and the frequency bands they use.

First, the frequencies. Ham radio has many different frequency "bands". They are basically divided between VHF (very high frequency, 50 MHz and higher) and HF ("high" frequency, below 50 MHz) bands.

HF frequencies have a neat property - they bounce off a layer of the earth's atmosphere, back down to the ground. So, HF can bounce around the world! VHF cannot.

In the past, Morse code was the international "language" of worldwide HF ham communication. HF signals bouncing around the world don't care what country borders they cross - making ham a wonderful international hobby. Most countries required their hams to know some Morse code before the hams could be licensed to use (worldwide) HF bands and talk internationally.

Lately, new technologies are as popular in HF bands as Morse code is, including Single Sideband (SSB) voice communications and "digital" communications using computers with radios. More on that later.

Now, the ham license classes. There are currently three license classes in amateur radio: Technician, General, and Extra.

Technician, which entitles the ham to use VHF and higher-frequency bands. To get a "Tech" license, you take the Technician license exam. The Tech license does not require Morse code knowledge (because it's VHF). Techs' transmissions won't be bouncing around the world, so no need to require the old "international language".

General and Extra licenses require their own additional exams, but in exchange they grant privileges to use HF frequencies (which can be heard around the world). To answer this Frequently Asked Question, these two higher ham license classes do still require Morse code knowledge... for the time being...

Amateur Radio License Classes
Class	Morse code required	Privileges
Technician	None.	All ham frequencies above 50 MHz; basically one can communicate statewide all the time, and further some of the time via amateur satellites or other methods. (Ever bounced a radio signal off the moon? Now you can.)
General	5 WPM*	The above privileges, plus most of the ham frequencies below 50 MHz - reliable worldwide communication. With worldwide privileges come responsibility; the license exam for General requires both knowledge of Morse code and knowledge of how to operate radio across international borders.
Extra	5 WPM*	All ham frequencies - typical Extras are building their own equipment and even advancing science, as hams have done throughout the last century.
* Words Per Minute - Though you need proficiency in code to transmit and receive at a speed of at least 5 WPM for the two higher exams, this rate is actually v-e-r-y s-l-o-w to the ear. The rates required on previous years' exams were four times faster.

Amateur Radio License Classes

Class Morse code required Privileges

Technician None. All ham frequencies above 50 MHz; basically one can communicate statewide all the time, and further some of the time via amateur satellites or other methods. (Ever bounced a radio signal off the moon? Now you can.)

General 5 WPM* The above privileges, plus most of the ham frequencies below 50 MHz - reliable worldwide communication. With worldwide privileges come responsibility; the license exam for General requires both knowledge of Morse code and knowledge of how to operate radio across international borders.

Extra 5 WPM* All ham frequencies - typical Extras are building their own equipment and even advancing science, as hams have done throughout the last century.

* Words Per Minute - Though you need proficiency in code to transmit and receive at a speed of at least 5 WPM for the two higher exams, this rate is actually v-e-r-y s-l-o-w to the ear. The rates required on previous years' exams were four times faster.

...but in the near future, the General class license is expected to lose its "code" requirement and keep the world-wide band privileges, as other countries have begun to do.

Remember the new technology that hams use on HF bands (SSB, digital, etc.)? The international community has begun to allow ham licenses that grant HF privileges without the Morse code requirement, so hams can use those technologies without memorizing the code.

Don't count Morse code out, though. Even in the worst interference, Morse code communications can get through when many other modes can't! For now, if you want worldwide privileges, you learn Morse code.

There is a giant loophole to all these "class privileges": if a ham of a higher class is present, they may allow lower-class hams (or even non-hams!) to transmit with the higher-class ham's privileges!

A club ham shack with a General licensee present can have a bunch of "Techs" using the radio to talk to Japan on a worldwide frequency.
Cross-band repeaters can tie local radio frequencies into radios transmitting on worldwide frequencies.
Any ham can introduce new people* to the thrill of transmitting for the first time.
* This may include Boy Scouts or local high school students.

6. How much does it cost to join the hobby?

It costs some time and money to become a ham. How much depends on the individual. The cost of a radio is really dependent on what you want to do. You could buy a single-band radio for less than $100. You can make your own "homebrew" gear for about as much money and some time; that's a great way to learn about electronics and radio. Or you can buy a new, multi-band multi-mode radio with all the whistles and bells for $800 on up. I'd suggest you learn more about ham radio, talk to local hams, and find out what you want to do with ham radio before you buy.

Southwest Mississippi ARC / W5WQ
1545 Friendship Ln NW, Brookhaven, MS 39601