After the events of the past couple weekends AA2024 and the storms, coms are at the top of my list once again.

At the event there was lots of talk about HAM , how to start, it's super easy if you study an hour or two a night, you can take the test in 2 weeks

I went to the couple practice sites and I will say this, the first 5 questions just had me wanting to stop again, are there truly any beginner courses to read up on?

It just seemed to me that the technician course is definitely way above this beginners pay grade

I don't care to study but where does the beginner truly start?

Google has tons of courses you can sign up for, what info do you trust?

FWIW I took the CB test back in the 70's with the boy scouts and still remember my call sign

TIA

EDIT to add I did read over the Ar-Jedi stuff

I downloaded this
22/26 test guide

This manual will give you the in-depth hows & whys behind each question, and includes the latest Tech question pool.

I haven't seen this edition, but the older manuals had links from each question to the pages that explained the reasons behind them.
ETA: If it's set up like the older manuals, you won't have to read the whole book to past the test. By going from each question to the referenced pages, you will learn the reasoning behind the question.

Try using Hamstudy.org. Use the free service and track your progress. I used it to study for my Tech and
now I'm working on my General. It's a great study sight!

Ohm's law trips a lot of newcomers up, This makes it easy to remember: LINK

Incidentally, it's ham radio, not HAM radio; it's not an acronym.
There are a lot of theories of how the term came to be. Truth is, nobody really knows.

If you enjoy YouTube learning.
Check out Josh's videos at Ham Radio Crash course.
He has vids for all 10 of the Tech sub elements, + how to get your license.

Ham Radio Technician License Prep 2022-2026

I used Ham Radio Prep to study for and pass both Technician and General. I'm currently studying for Expert but keep getting off track with life. Their program has an app which I have on my phone and in my computer. They also have books which I used as well that of course matchup with the online curriculum.

I suggest that you go to the ARRL website and order the Operators Manual. It is not so much about the actual test, it is about all the nuts and bolts of setting up a station and gets into all sorts of the variety of what you can explore and do with your license.

Second, find out if there is any club activity near your location. Finding an active ham near you will be huge. If all that fails, then just hand out here, it really is one of the best ham radio hangouts ever.

THE best, I think!

I feel the same way about the General.
The it's the numbers, difference in capacitance, resistance and maybe resistance are some of the things that get me...   I flunked the general twice andi can't bring myself to study or go at it again.

As it gets colder I'm going to force myself to start studying again.

I'd love to have my General before Jan 1...

Ham Radio Crash Course and Dave Casler on YouTube. Then Hamstudy.org.

First part needs a  +1.

The second...really depends on the nature of the club. The antics of a few in my AO made me swear off repeater operation for decades, until those pairs were reapportioned to people who actually want to provide a service for all instead of maintaining a private/closed-to-outsiders phone patch facility.

Fuck that noise. The prevailing attitude drove a great many of us into building capable simplex/weak signal VHF and UHF
stations. No time for or interest in the attendant club politics.

First of all if you take the practice test and get better than a 6 (six) on it then you did better than I did.

First of all you are not learning about radios etc. That comes later. You are trying to do ONE simple thing, pass a test. It has nothing whatsoever to do with actually learning anything other than the answers to dopey questions made up by a group of nasty old men.

The FREE practice tests are on eHam.net and QRZ.com.

Take one and when you finish it will give you your grade which you should NOT be disappointed with. It will also show you the answer to the questions and on the ones you missed it will show you the RIGHT answer. Try and remember that. You probably won't remember ALL the right answers but after you have gone through the tests and keep doing this you will get better and better.

Once you're getting 90s go and test.

PROTIP! Once you are getting 90s in the Technician test start in on the General test until you're getting 85+ graded and then go onto the Extra and get 85s and then take all 3 tests. Seriously.

Trust me on this. I only went in for General and wish I'd gone straight to Extra when I was in the study mode.

(Six months after you get your Extra try and take the test again and you'll be lucky to get an 8%.)

The test is the test. The rest is learned either here on OJT.

You got your CB license back in the day so I know you at least know enough not to screw up on the air. Oh yeah, I know it's not manly and all, but don't be afraid to read the directions.

You got this one, Kiddo!

This is what I was going to say. When I started studying it seemed impossible. Tech is heavy on FCC rules and band limits. General added more band limits, more math. Extra got into slow scan TV, digital modes, smith charts, etc.

I paid for the hamstudy.org app and used it to memorize answers.

I watched the technician class at HamRadio2.0

I was frustrated because all the classes just go over test questions and don't really teach "radio". Then I found a class for general. Watching that helped me understand the tech material more. Then I found a video for extra, which helped me understand general more.

General class (old bank, still good info)

Extra class

I watched the tech at normal speed, general at 1.5 speed, and extra at 2.0 speed.  The guys get older and talk slower at each level, so it's more "normal" paced that way.

I studied for tech until I was getting great scores on hamstudy.org app, then studied general until I got good scores, then tested. It really is just about recognizing the right answer.  

I've been actually learning radio over the last year. Got on HF with a bubblegum and duct tape rig, and my first contact was outside the general permission. The extra guys let me know quickly that I was in their space. So, I spent the last few weeks back in the app studying for extra and passed this last Saturday. Definitely just take the time to memorize answers for all the levels and knock them out. It seems like a LOT when you don't know anything. You'll be glad you have it done and over with though.

This channel has lots of videos that walk through smith charts and electronics math

Here's my method: http://eventualmasteroftheobvious.com/amateur_radio.htm

This is where you went wrong. You were trying to learn radio theory which can be done at a later time.

You should have just been laser beam focused on passing the test. ONE thing at a time.

Break it down into smaller pieces. Get the license first and worry about operation later. Much of radio operation is basic common sense and a few manners.

You learn the radio part by setting up your station and learning to listen until you are licensed and ready to talk. This is a hobby and lifelong learning experience. Thankfully, it’s a fun one.

Not much I can add, but I found hamstudy.org veryeasy to get my tickets. I remember mine too, KRN4585

And don't get hung up on thinking it's difficult, it's not.
My son put it off for years thinking it would be too hard.
I told him he'd feel silly when he finally takes the test.
He finally did it, didn't miss any questions, and told me I was right.
Good luck, it's easier than you think.

1st off thank you to everyone for answers


piccolo, that actually makes sense and is what I needed to hear, thanks!

It's commonly said that the license is a license to learn. The real world is an open book test.

That said, if you do really want to lock down more knowledge from the test material, I find the Gordon West books to be somewhat easier than the ARRL books.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1625951906?tag=arfcom00-20

Amateur radio is a realm of a thousand niches, there's no way a test or one book can cover it all. Get the basics locked down, the regulatory stuff, figure out what kinds of things you want to pursue and start digging in to those topics.

Downloaded ham radio prep onto my tablet, and I like how he talks, and has the text below him, he highlights the important thing in blue, 4 or 5 min. videos and followed up with test questions 2022/2026 que.

This, I am enjoying it, on level 4, 3 levels with 2 wrong answers

Everyone learns differently Ham Radio Prep worked well for me.

Here's my start here page

My latest Podcast Project: Prep Comms

The test is nothing but memorization. My wife and 15 y/o daughter studied Sun-Thurs and both passed, daughter went back 6 weeks later and upgraded to General. 30 min a day for 30 days or less and you're golden.