Reddit reviews The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual

We found 24 Reddit comments about The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.

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24 Reddit comments about The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual:

u/VeryShibes · 16 pointsr/amateurradio

Lots of us like HamStudy as the admin is a member of this sub and takes feedback/suggestions from us from time to time. It's focused mainly on practice tests although there is a good amount of explanatory information alongside the questions.

Some aspiring hams still like paper books... the most popular one is the ARRL License Manual which has a lot of the underlying theory, I also like the Gordon West books which are basically a paper version of hamstudy.org

u/dave9199 · 11 pointsr/preppers

u/kmc_v3 · 5 pointsr/preppers

Sounds great! I don't know what country you're in, but in the USA you can learn everything you need to know from the ARRL study book and doing some practice tests. There's no need for a course, although if that's how you learn best then go for it! Other resources:

Beginner’s guide to amateur (ham) radio for preppers

ARRL guide for beginners

HF on a budget

New ham radio operator

Also check out /r/amateurradio. Beginner questions are welcome. If IRC is your thing, they have a channel at irc.geekshed.net #redditnet. Freenode's ##hamradio is also good.

u/ai6aj · 3 pointsr/HamRadio

The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual is a good place to start as it prepares you take the Technician level test, which is actually pretty easy to pass with a little bit of studying. Beyond that you'll need to find somewhere near you that offers the exam (one of your local radio clubs almost certainly does) and $15 to cover the cost of test materials.

Places like HamStudy.org offer online practice tests, if you find that you're acing the Tech level pretty easily I'd highly recommend studying for the General as well. If you pass the Tech, your examiner will usually encourage you to immediately take the General, even if you fail the General you've still earned your Tech so there's no harm in trying. It's worth it just so you don't have to go back later when you realize that the HF bands are even more fun than the repeaters!

If you want more information, /r/amateurradio seems a lot more active than this subreddit and there are plenty of new techs and old Elmers there who are more than happy to answer your questions.

u/W5YAG · 3 pointsr/amateurradio

This is the best place to start.

https://www.amazon.com/ARRL-Ham-Radio-License-Manual/dp/1625950136

u/Proto_G · 3 pointsr/engineering

Thanks, if you are really interested in antenna systems, then you should pick up The ARRL Antenna Book. If you want to get your Ham liscense then you should also pick up the License manual as well. I briefly covered the SWR and the Smith Chart in the first videos. It's kind of hard to jump into antenna design without a background in electronics, physics and mathematics, but I'll try to explain everything the best I can. In a nut shell, you want to match the antenna antenna to the transmitter/receiver. For the series I am assuming transmitter/receiver impedance to be 50ohms. The closer the match, the lower the SWR and the more efficient the power transfere becomes. An SWR under 2 is a common goal. SWR is not everything and you'll need to research common geometries when deciding on what type of antenna you want. In order to know what the radiation pattern will look like, you'll need to use NEC antenna modeling software or plot it in a FCC type lab that prevents reflections and interference. Without test equipment or software it's really all about experimenting and what works best for your application, which is totally fine. You can get a general idea of antenna designs online, but unless you used the exact materials and conductor diameter, your performance will differ. The radiation pattern will remain very similar to others you see online so if you make a 1/4 wavelength monopole, the radiation pattern will still look like the one I showed in the video even if you're a little off of optimal performance. I'm trying to keep the videos under 5 minutes so once the videos are all done it might make more sense. After the series is done, I'll do a write-up to fill in all the gaps of information.

u/bob_at_hotmail · 2 pointsr/Bozeman

It's not really clear if you're asking why the gov't requires it, or how to get it, so I'll answer both!

A lot of the video transmitters are not in any way approved by the FCC. Video transmitters work on 5.8, 2.4, and 1.2 GHZ, at different power strengths. It's important to understand the equipment you're using, as they do have the capability to severely disrupt signals that share those bands, for example wifi/bluetooth/cordless phone.
To get the Ham radio license, you just need to pay $14 and pass an exam. If you're local to Bozeman there's one March 4th I believe, and the book to study is this

u/JayG7800 · 2 pointsr/amateurradio

To answer your question, you will only be presented with one question from each group on your test (ie: Only one T2A question, etc).

What are you using for study guides? For the Technician test, I used the ARRL book: http://www.amazon.com/ARRL-Ham-Radio-License-Manual/dp/1625950136/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1427045508&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=arrl+technician+class+license

For higher levels, I used a combination of the ARRL study guides along with the Gordon West books.

u/Ddraig · 2 pointsr/preppers

This is basically as big a hobby if not bigger than you can get to with prepping. So the way I started I will tell you how I got started. I got the tech manual. Picked up a boafeng and found a weekly radio net in my area and started listening. You can legally listen as long as you don't transmit. I read the book, started doing a bunch of quizzes online at http://www.hamstudy.org the best website I can think of to learn the material.

I found my local club and scheduled a test session with them by emailing the president and he suggested why not try for your general. It was about a week before the test and I was already getting good marks on the tech questions so I added the general questions. I managed to pass the tech and general in the same night. I tried for the extra but didn't make it. I am no an extra however after 3 attempts.

The hobby can be extremely fun and rewarding in and of itself. This video here has a pretty good example of what they call Fox Hunting, or attempting triangulate a signal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EST2vxIXCCs If you have any further questions don't hesitate to PM me I'll be more than happy to help.

u/tmwrnj · 2 pointsr/amateurradio

Listening is a vital skill in amateur radio, so I suggest starting now. You don't need any equipment to do this - online SDR receivers allow you to tune in to the amateur HF bands using your web browser. This handy chart shows the frequency bands available to amateurs and lists common callsign prefixes. Just tune around the bands and listen in to some contacts to get a feel for things, even if you don't understand what's going on.

I'm assuming you're in the US, but if you're not then let me know and I'll try to provide advice more relevant to your country.

I'd recommend joining your local amateur radio club as soon as possible. You don't need to have a license to join a club. There's a tradition in amateur radio of informally mentoring new hams - we call these mentors "elmers". A good elmer can be a huge help when you're learning the hobby and working your way through the exams.

There are online video courses for the US Technician test available from KE4GKP, KE0OG and KB9OKB. These courses cover pretty much everything you need to know for the exam. The ARRL License Manual is a very good guide and will remain a useful reference book after you've passed. You can see the entire pool of questions for the technician exam or take a practice exam via the ARRL website.

When you think you're ready, take the technician exam. The exam fee is typically no more than $15, so don't be afraid to give it a try.

Once you've got your technician license, you'll want a radio. Technicians mainly have access to the VHF and UHF bands. Baofeng radios are a very popular choice for these bands - they aren't the best radios, but they are incredibly cheap, costing as little as $30. If you have a bigger budget, take a look at the handheld radios from Yaesu and Icom.

Don't stop at the technician license. The more you learn, the more you get out of the hobby. The HF bands are crucial for making international contacts, but technicians only have access to a small fraction of it, mainly the morse and data only bands. Moving up to the general, advanced and extra licenses will give you increasing access to the most exciting aspects of the amateur radio hobby.

u/edal3003 · 2 pointsr/HamRadio

I just went from Zero to Technician in just under a month. I ordered this book from amazon, read it and took some practice exams with this app.
I contacted a local club and they scheduled an exam for last Friday. I gave them $14 and passed the test. Checked the FCC licensing database and found my call sign there this morning. NH2LK.

u/jags0333 · 1 pointr/shutupandtakemymoney

If requires you learn some radio and electronic basics. You can get all the questions online, so it's really not that cryptic. If you're not all that familiar with those topics, I would recommend getting the license manual, which explains all the concepts.

u/cfeyer · 1 pointr/ECE

Earn an amateur radio license. Challenge yourself & see if you can attain Extra-class by the end of summer. It'll help you learn the electrical & electromagnetics side of things, opens the door to hands-on projects & social geekery, and could even open career opportunities.

Starting points:

Find an exam scheduled near you: http://www.arrl.org/find-an-amateur-radio-license-exam-session
Drill on exam questions via free Android app "Ham Test Prep" by iversoft.com from the Google Play Store
Great book: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1625950136/

If you do nothing more than drill on the pratice app while you're in the bathroom, you can be ready to pass the Technician exam in a couple of weeks.

(Caveat: Technician-class license exam questions change at end of this June)

u/beanmosheen · 1 pointr/amateurradio

This is the official guide to testing for your tech license.

u/Spacedandtimed · 1 pointr/army

What's your background like? I was 25U then 254A when I went to the 1J course so I had a decent foundation going in. Others here have already covered the basics: take good notes, ask for clarification in class, get a study group going. Don't limit the study group to just the smarties, you will learn a lot yourself when teaching others. If you don't already know some electronics and radio basics get the The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual https://www.amazon.com/dp/1625950136/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_erIQzbHYWWZVP. Read it and go take the technician class ham license. Finally have you checked with the school? Call 'em up and ask any questions you have. I enjoyed the class, the software and practical exercises were great. And one more thing real quick, the trap and skeet range was stupid cheap and it was fun as hell chatting with crusty old guys and blowing shit out of the sky after stressing in the class room all week.

u/noreasterner · 1 pointr/HamRadio

Looking to get some reading material on Technician Class exam.

My library carries this one: http://www.amazon.com/Ham-Radio-License-Manual-Arrl/dp/0872590976/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1449263607&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=Ham+Radio+License+Manual+with+CD (2010)
Then I found this one: http://www.amazon.com/ARRL-Ham-Radio-License-Manual/dp/1625950136/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1449263267&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=Ham+Radio+License+Manual+with+CD (Published in 2014)
Also considering this one for exam prep: http://www.arrl.org/shop/ARRL-Handbook-2016-Softcover-Edition/?page=1. Or is it a bit of an overkill and should I just focus on the exam guides?

The 2014 edition claims to cover newer pool of question, valid for 2014-2018. Did much change since 2010?

u/bsdboy · 1 pointr/amateurradio

Here's where you can find a testing center near you:
http://www.arrl.org/find-an-amateur-radio-license-exam-session

The test is based off of this book:
http://www.amazon.com/The-ARRL-Radio-License-Manual/dp/1625950136

You can practice at a number of sites, this one helped me years ago:
http://www.eham.net/exams/

This is a newer collection, created by a user here (Sorry, I forget who):
https://hamstudy.org/

Cost of the test is $15, and there are 3 different levels (see below). If you pass Technician you can take General for free, and if you pass General as well you can take the Extra exam at no cost as well. Your $15 pays for as many tests as you can take in a day, until you fail one... and there are only 3 level of tests. If you fail the test, you're free to pay another $15 to try again but please be mindful that the people giving the tests are just us ham radio operators, we're not paid and we're taking the time to try and get others certified. If there aren't a lot of people there and the VE's seem okay with you trying for General (if you haven't studied) after you pass your Technician, ask them and they'll likely tell you to go right ahead. If it's busy and you haven't studied for it, please be mindful or others time is all we ask.

Technician (1st level, pretty easy) gives you UHF/VHF and some HF to play with.
General (2nd level, also pretty easy) gives you most of the HF frequencies.
Extra (Very difficult if you don't know electronics, can be moderate if you do know electronics) gives you about 10% more than General. Not a lot, except for a few perks. Better call signs and you don't have to worry about where you are in the band you're talking in.

Any questions please ask. We love this hobby and it's really no bother.

u/GalaxyClass · 1 pointr/fpv

Buy the technician book from Amazon. Read it during breaks. I read it on a plane ride and two evenings on a business trip. It will not take you long.

At the technician level, it's very much common sense on the rules (once you think about them) and the math isn't anything beyond VERY simple formulas V=IR and P=VI.

You will then spend 15 bucks on a test somewhere in your city that happens at least once every two weeks or month. There are numerous free online practice tests if you need them and are worried you won't pass. The test is < 50 multiple choice questions. It's pretty quick too.

Technician is all you need for VHF and above (which is what you use for RC control, video, wifi, etc).

There's some pretty cool stuff hams can do when you get your ticket.

u/rem1473 · 1 pointr/amateurradio

https://www.amazon.com/ARRL-Ham-Radio-License-Manual/dp/1625950136/

https://www.amazon.com/General-Class-License-Manual-Amateur/dp/1625950306/

https://www.amazon.com/ARRL-Extra-Class-License-Manual/dp/1625950454/

https://www.amazon.com/ARRL-Handbook-Radio-Communications-2017/dp/1625950624/

These manuals are somewhat oriented to the exam, but they cover broad topics and genuinely attempt to teach you the content. Rather then just prepare you to memorize and pass a multiple choice test.

u/Schrockwell · 1 pointr/ECE

First things first, come check out /r/amateurradio. Good group of guys over there.

The books from the ARRL are generally used to study for the exams:

Ham Radio License Manual for Technician (most basic) class
General Class License Manual to upgrade your license to General - this is the really fun license to have, because you get access to the HF (shortwave) frequencies

You can usually find older editions of these books at libraries or from other hams. The older editions are still relevant, but the specific questions in the question pool will be out of date.

The big ham radio store is Ham Radio Outlet although that is certainly not the only avenue. For example, you can get cheap handheld radios on Amazon.

u/Fatvod · 1 pointr/amateurradio

I only had 2 days to study so unfortunately cramming was kind of my only choice.

Which one should I get?
http://www.amazon.com/2014-Handbook-Radio-Communications-Softcover/dp/1625950012/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1411084493&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=arrl

http://www.amazon.com/Ham-Radio-License-Manual-arrl/dp/1625950136/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1411084493&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=arrl

u/K1WDY · 1 pointr/amateurradio

You didn't say which country but I'm going to assume USA. The ARRL technician license manual is really good and explains everything really well.

The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual https://www.amazon.com/dp/1625950136/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_GXwHyb2JYRWAP

u/nrobinson · 0 pointsr/HamRadio

I recently got a Baofeng BF-F8HP. Its my first ham radio and it is serving me very well.

I also got the Nagoya NA-771 Antenna, and this programming cable.

The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual is the book I bought to study.

I am using CHIRP to program my BF-F8HP.

I am new to ham radio and I would like to get my license too.

u/tausciam · 0 pointsr/amateurradio

Then you're wanting 2 meter. You're in luck! You get access to the 2 meter band with your very first test!

A good place to start is the ARRL website. They're the big ham radio club.

But, as far as studying for that test? What I'm doing is going through all the flashcards and practice tests at hamstudy.org and reading the book The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual. The book tells you all about ham radio and explains everything you need to know to pass the first test.