In 1988, i was first licensed as a tech plus operator during the peak of the 11 year solar cycle. With just a little study, you can learn all you need to know to get a technician class license, which is the license class designed for beginners. The distribution of us amateur radio licenses is roughly amateur extra 20%, general 23% and technician 50%, the remaining 7% are novice and advanced. Mar 06, 2018 i am in favor, it used to be one needed to produce a call sign or license to purchase a ham radio, now anyone can purchase a chinese radios on ebay, amazon, ect, that have flooded the market. Arrl requests expanded hf privileges for technician licenses. In 1987, the novice license became renewable and included enhanced privileges. Technician class frequency privileges in ham radio. Apr 01, 2019 the arrl submitted a petition for rule making to expand hf privileges for technician license holders. The technician class test is a written exam, consisting of 35 multiplechoice questions. Amateur radio licensing in the united states wikipedia. Amateur extra class license the hf bands can be awfully crowded, particularly at the top of the solar cycle.
Study material for this question can be found in the following resources. In addition to the technician privileges, general class operators are authorized to operate on any frequency in the 160, 30, 17, 12, and 10 meter bands. Most new amateur operators start at the technician class and then may advance to the general class or amateur extra class operator license. I read that arrl is petitioning the fcc to expand the privileges of the technician license. After you pass a specific test level, called an element. These privileges are identical to those of novice licensees.
After you pass that exam, you can take the general exam, and finally the extra exam. Kb6nus nononsense technician class license study guide. With a technician class license, you will have all ham radio privileges above 30 mhz. These questions from the beginning chapters of the book wont be on the test, but file these factos in. To earn the technician license requires passing one examination totaling 35 questions on radio theory, regulations and operating practices. It gives the holder the privilege of broadcasting on all vhfuhf amateur bands, and a few privileges for broadcasting over hf bands shortwave radio. No nonsense technician class kb6nus ham radio blog. At all times, transmitter power must be the minimum necessary to carry out the desired communications. It also allows for some limited privileges on the hf also called short wave bands used for international communications. Many techs are quite happy with the ability to operate on the popular vhf and uhf ham bands with their license. Arrl has asked the fcc to expand hf privileges for technician licensees to include limited phone privileges on 75, 40, and 15 meters, plus rtty and digital mode privileges on 80, 40, 15, and 10. Kb6nus nononsense technician class license study guide page 43.
Mar 17, 2020 technician licenses were granted to hams who passed the multiple choice portion of the general license test but failed the wpm cw requirement. Ham radio frequency allocations including new technician class. The entrylevel license, known as technician class, is awarded after an. Novices and technicians are limited to a maximum of 200 watts pep on hf bands regardless of mode. Unless otherwise noted, the maximum power output is 1500 watts pep. There is a 2year grace period to renew your ham radio license.
There are many non hams, mostly on 10m, illegally using them, why not expand the privileges to folks that are willing to take the initiative to get licensed. When youre getting started, remembering where youre allowed to operate is important. The arrl submitted a petition for rule making to expand hf privileges for technician license holders. The ves give examination credit for the license class currently held so that examinations required for that license need not be repeated. The license gives access to all amateur radio frequencies above 30 megahertz, allowing these licensees the ability to communicate locally and most often within north america. Arrl ham radio license manual 3rd edition chapter 8, page 12. In the united states, amateur radio licensing is governed by the federal communications. Many hams take the technician class test and remain techs for a long time. Arrl requests expanded hf privileges for technician licensees the argument is to recruit more ham operators, the fear ham community will be far less in population due to baby boomers dying off. To earn a license youll need to pass a written exam, but before taking the plunge youll need to know a little about the classes of amateur radio licenses, and the privileges they bestow. Ham radio technician class practice test updated 2020. However, if a ham wants to explore dx and to fully interact in activities like emergency service, contesting, and qrp operation, a general class license is a must.
The fcc noted that it increased technician privileges in 2006 to include novice and technician plus privileges. Maximum power output is 1500 watts pep unless otherwise noted. To get this, you must pass the extra licensing examination consisting of 50 questions and must have passed the previous two licensing examinations. Others upgrade to the general class to obtain additional operating privileges.
The license grants full operating privileges on all amateur bands above 30. Technician class frequency privileges in ham radio when youre getting started, remembering where youre allowed to operate is important. The privileges of a technician class operator license include operating an amateur station that may transmit on channels in any of 17 frequency bands above 50 mhz with up to 1,500 watts of power. For each band, only those license classes with privileges on that band are listed. Technician licenses may use up to 1500 watts pep on the vhf and higher bands, but are limited to 200 watts on the hf bands. Technician license holders retained their limited hf novice privileges but added general license privileges above 50 mhz. Additional reference material is listed on my study materials page. If you have never held a ham radio license, you have to take the technician exam. You also have privileges to explore these microwave bands with cw, digital, ssb, am, fm and tv. These privileges include the very popular 2meter band.
Feb 20, 2019 heres your video introduction to section 7. Us amateur radio technician privileges 23002310 mhz 23902450 mhz 33003500 mhz 56505925 mhz 10. Difference between fccs ham radio technician and general class. Novice technicians are limited to 200 watts pep on hf bands. Arrl petitions fcc to expand privileges of technician.
A technician class licensee can upgrade to a general class operator license and receive significantly more frequency privileges including those at issue here by answering correctly a minimum of. The technician license has great starter privileges. Technician class frequency privileges in ham radio dummies. The technician license has great starter privileges many hams take the technician class test and remain techs for a long time. These frequencies are not available to technician licensees rev. You also have privileges to explore these microwave bands with cw.
The federal communications commission tasks the administration of amateur radio testing with local ham clubs all across the united states and its territories. Mar 01, 2018 arlb007 arrl requests expanded hf privileges for technician licensees. That technicians will be more engaged in ham radio activity due to the expanded hf privileges perhaps upgrading to higher license classes. Technician licensees now have limited privileges below 30 mhz. The amateur extra license is the mother of all ham radio licenses as this allows you unlimited privileges available for us amateur radio operation on all bands and all modes. As soon as the new privileges granted to technician class licenses come into effect, technician license holders will get 4 more bands on hf that they did not have before the new rule changes and the ability to transmit voice ssb on a portion of 10 meters and cw only on other bands. I think this is long overdue, since it will allow technicians, holders of what is now the entrylevel license in amateur radio, some minimal but meaningful privileges on hf, similar to what i had as a beginner over 40 years ago. Ham radio frequency allocations including new technician.
Technicians may begin using their new privileges without any further action now that the new rules have gone into effect. The questions used by each club for onsite, inperson written test sessions must be drawn from a pool of multiplechoice questions that are revised by a nationwide committee every four years for the three license classes. To get a technician class license, you must take a test with 35 multiplechoice questions and answer 26 questions correctly. If you have never held a ham radio license, you must start by taking the technician exam. Once you pass that exam, you can take the general exam, and finally the extra exam. Arrl has asked the fcc to expand hf privileges for technician licensees to include limited. How to get your ham radio license graywolf survival. About the different levels of amateur radio licenses ham. All operators are required however, to use the minimum amount neccessary to maintain effective communications. Heres why you need one, how i got mine, and how you can get yours.
Arrl ham radio license manual 3rd edition this document displays the technicians question pool in a question and. If a ham is happy with just using the vhf and uhf privileges with a technician class license, they arent going to get more by upgrading. About the different levels of amateur radio licenses amateur radio operators hams, because of the extended privileges they have to create and use radios on the air, are required to be licensed by the federal communications commission fcc. I always wanted to get mine but didnt actually do it until the morse code requirement was dropped. Arrl has asked the fcc to expand hf privileges for technician licensees to include limited phone privileges on 75, 40, and 15 meters, plus rtty and digital mode privileges on 80, 40, 15, and 10 meters. Difference between fccs ham radio technician and general. The entrylevel license, known as technician class, is awarded after an applicant successfully completes a 35question multiple choice written examination. The license grants full operating privileges on all amateur bands above 30 mhz and limited privileges in portions of the high frequency hf bands. I want to make sure i got this right, technician class will have hf privileges. Many technician licensees enjoy using small 2 meter handheld radios to stay in touch with other hams in their area.
As a technician licensee, you have free access to all amateur frequencies above 50 mhz, but what about on the shortwave highfrequency hf bands. After you pass a specific test level, called an element, you have permanent credit for it as long as you keep your license. Technician licensees have limited privileges below 30 mhz. Mar 06, 2018 the request boils down to giving technician class licensees some phone and digital privileges on 80, 40, and 15 meters. The first nocode license in the us was the technician ticket, instituted in 1991. By taking progressively more challenging exams, you gain access to more frequencies and operating privileges. They may also use significant segments of the 80, 40, 20, and 15 meter bands. Arrl requests expanded hf privileges for technician licensees. Fcc denies expansion of technician license privileges qrz. The fcc gives a 2year grace period for renewing your license. Dec 17, 2019 technician class is the beginners license. If this course of action is allowed and not ill advised, then does the arrl general class license manual assume a base of knowledge covered in the technician class manual, or can the general class manual stand on its own for someone starting from no ham knowledge.
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