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What is Ham Radio? (click here)
What is Ham Radio? Amateur Radio (ham radio) is a popular hobby and service that brings people, electronics and communication together. People use ham radio to talk across town, around the world, or even into space, all without the Internet or cell phones. It's fun, social, educational, and can be a lifeline during times of need. You can set up a ham radio station anywhere! In a field... ...at a club station.... ...or at home. Although Amateur Radio operators get involved for many reasons, they all have in common a basic knowledge of radio technology and operating principles,...
Why should I get licensed? (click here)
Why should I get licensed? Before you can get on the air, you need to be licensed and know the rules to operate legally. US licenses are good for 10 years before renewal and anyone may hold one except a representative of a foreign government. In the US there are three license classes—Technician, General and Extra. Technician License The Technician class license is the entry-level license of choice for most new ham radio operators. To earn the Technician license requires passing one examination totaling 35 questions on radio theory, regulations and operating practices. The license gives access to all Amateur Radio frequencies above...
Ham Radio History (click here)
In 1873, James Clerk Maxwell presented his theory of the electromagnetic field. In 1901 Guglielmo Marconi communicated across the Atlantic with a radio device using high power and giant antennas. To curb interference, Congress approved the Radio Act of 1912, which required amateurs to be licensed and restricted to the single wavelength of 200 meters. In 1914 the American Radio Relay League was founded by Hiram Percy Maxim, who found that messages could be sent more reliably over long distances if relay stations were organized. Transatlantic transmitting and receiving tests began in 1921 and by July 1960 the first two-way contact...
Your First Station (click here)
Your Amateur Radio station may change, but you have to start somewhere, right? Here are some fundamentals that all Amateur Radio stations have in common: Transceiver Power Supply Antenna System The Transceiver Selecting your transceiver will largely depend on how much you want to spend and what you hope to do. If you want to explore long-distance contacts on the HF bands, you’ll need an HF transceiver. If you are interested in chatting with local friends on the VHF or UHF bands, look for a VHF+ FM transceiver. Build Your Own Radio Most hams buy their radios factory assembled,...
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What is Ham Radio? (click here)
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Why should I get licensed? (click here)
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Ham Radio History (click here)
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Your First Station (click here)
Why should I get licensed? (click here)
Why should I get licensed?
Before you can get on the air, you need to be licensed and know the rules to operate legally. US licenses are good for 10 years before renewal and anyone may hold one except a representative of a foreign government. In the US there are three license classes—Technician, General and Extra.
Technician License
The Technician class license is the entry-level license of choice for most new ham radio operators. To earn the Technician license requires passing one examination totaling 35 questions on radio theory, regulations and operating practices. 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. It also allows for some limited privileges on the HF (also called "short wave") bands used for international communications. Learn More
General License
The General class license grants some operating privileges on all Amateur Radio bands and all operating modes. This license opens the door to world-wide communications. Earning the General class license requires passing a 35 question examination. General class licensees must also have passed the Technician written examination. Learn More
Amateur Extra License
The Amateur Extra class license conveys all available U.S. Amateur Radio operating privileges on all bands and all modes. Earning the license is more difficult; it requires passing a thorough 50 question examination. Extra class licensees must also have passed all previous license class written examinations.Learn More
For more information, submit our online Prospect Package Request form or call: 1-888-277-5289.
BCARA provides testing opportunities to obtain your amateur radio license without a fee!
This content was created by ARRL.ORG The direct link is:
http://www.arrl.org/getting-licensed
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American Radio Relay League | Ham Radio Association and Resources
The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the national association for amateur radio, connecting hams around the U.S. with news, information and resources.-
A Weekend of January Contests
There are two great contests for amateur radio operators this weekend, January 18 - 20, 2025, and a bonus opportunity for a college club station to win a national championship. Whether you’re interested in contesting on the HF bands, the VHF bands of 50 MHz and above, or both, there’s likely a contest to fit your needs this weekend. ARRL Contest Program Manager Paul Bourque, N1SFE, said there i...
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The K7RA Solar Update
Sorry to say this is the last ARRL Propagation Forecast Bulletin Iwill write. I took over in 1991 from Ed Tilton, W1HDQ when he wastoo ill and weak to continue, and now with ALS I have similarproblems.Geomagnetic influencers were more stable this week (planetary Aindex shifted from 16.9 to 10.7) and solar indicators were weaker.Average daily sunspot number changed from 159.1 to 103.3 and avera...
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DXCC Application Processing Caught Up
DXCC® application processing is back to typical processing times.In October, we reported that the ARRL DXCC® System had been returned to service following work that was completed to ensure the security and integrity of the system following the cyber-attack in May. Over 4,000 DXCC applications have been logged into the system for processing since returning the system to service.We are currently ...
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Dennis Motschenbacher, K7BV, Silent Key
Former ARRL and Yaesu employee, World Radiosport Team Championship competitor, and award-winning radio amateur Dennis Motschenbacher, K7BV, has become a Silent Key. Motschenbacher passed away on January 9, 2025, after a long illness.Motschenbacher was first licensed at the age of 13. According to his obituary, “His Amateur Radio activities took him to 35 countries and his ham radio call sign, K...
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Ham Radio Operators Serving During California Firestorms
As the firestorms across Southern California continue to threaten millions of residents, trained amateur radio operators are serving critical volunteer roles to help officials spot fires before they get out of control. Dry conditions and wind gusts of 100 miles per hour have fueled days of devastating wildfires. Entire neighborhoods have been leveled by infernos.The Eaton fire burned to the top...
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FCC Upholds Record $34,000 Forfeiture Against Amateur Licensee
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) assessed a record $34,000 forfeiture against an amateur radio licensee for “willfully and repeatedly operating a radio station without authorization and interfering with the radio communications of the United States Forest Service … while the U.S. Forest Service and the Idaho Department of Lands were attempting to direct the operations of fire suppres...