Joining W6RFU and Amateur Radio

I’m glad you’re interested in joining us! Use of the station is limited to licensed radio amateurs, but all are welcome to join the club and became a licensed radio operator. Getting started in HAM radio is easier than ever since the FCC implemented several changes to reduce the barrier to entry on HAM radio. Here is your step-by-step guide to getting a Technician Class Amateur Radio License for FREE!

First steps

The first steps is to register for a FCC Registration Number (FRN). All you have to do is go to the FCC’s website linked here and follow the instructions. You will need to provide an address, a Social Security Number if you have one, and a password of your choosing. Write down your FRN since you will need it to take the test.

Studying for the test

The Technician Class test consists of 35 multiple choice questions, and you’ll need to get 26 of them right to pass. All questions in the test come from a public question pool, so by going through the entire question pool, you’re guaranteed to have seen every question on the test. The best way to study for the test is therefore just going through every question and understanding the concepts. Two materials I recommend is hamstudy.org and KB6NU’s No-Nonsense Study Guide. Once you’re fairly confident (and preferably taken a few practice tests and scored consistently. Once you done that, you’re ready to take the test.

Taking the test

FCC had allowed for remote testing for some time now. You can find an online test session easily, but I recommend taking the test with the [https://hamstudy.org/sessions/glaarg/remote](Greater Los Angeles Amateur Radio Group). They are held very frequently (usually daily) and the testing fee is waived for active students. Once you scheduled for a test, you’ll get an email informing you of the next steps. I recommend booking a study room in the library for the duration of the test(usually around 1 to 1.5 hours including wait times).

I’ve passed. Now what?

Congratulations on passing the test! Now that you’re a Technician Class operator, you’ve unlocked the world of Amateur Radio. The first step is obviously joining the UCSB Amateur Radio Club if you haven’t already, and you can learn more at the Resources tab on top of this website. Once again, welcome to the world of Amateur Radio!