Question pools:
The written "theory" questions found on all tests come from a common "question pool". Only those questions that are found in the pool are permitted to be used on exams. The question pools are publicly available, and you can access them directly on the web. The questions are prepared and approved for use by a national committee made up of representatives from all the VEC's (Volunteer Examiner Coordinators) nationwide.The Anchorage Amateur Radio Club is registered as a VEC.
One place you can find the question pools is the ARRL (American Radio Relay League) web site. You can visit the ARRL site at www.arrl.org and follow the search directions to find the question pools. You can also go directly to the applicable section at www.arrl.org/arrlvec/pools . You will need to have "Acrobat Reader" on your system to view the graphics (wiring drawings and charts) that are part of some questions. If you do not already have this plug-in on your system, it is available for free via download. The questions themselves are presented as "straight text" and do not require any special software to display. You can, of course, print the questions via your local printer for later use.
License Manuals:
Most people preparing to take the test for a new license, or to upgrade an existing license, prefer to use a "license manual". License manuals are typically arranged so that each book covers one of the "elements" that make up the complete series of exams. The most popular study materials are published by 2 sources. They are:
ARRL (American Radio Relay League): The ARRL offers several different publications. The ARRL book series are very well written, offering substantial amounts of additional information with each group of questions. This additional material is designed to help the student gain a more complete understanding of the "why" behind the questions. You can telephone them (toll free) at 1-888-277-5289 to order books, or you can go directly to the license manual section on their web site at: www.arrl.org/catalog/index.php3?category=Licensing . In addition to the license manuals, they also offer tapes (and CD's) to assist in learning and improving Morse code skills.
Gordon West Publications: Gordon West, WB6NOA, has earned substantial respect among the ham community for his clearly written and "to the point" study guides. The Gordon West series of books are preferred by some students because they have a sharper "focus" on the questions (and their answers), with less of the added fine detail found in the ARRL books. Descriptions of some of the Gordon West materials can be found at: www.w5yi.org/Technic . This page features the material for the Technician exam. Once you have looked at this page, you can move to other pages for information on other Gordon West publications.
Video tapes:
The ARRL (American Radio Relay League) offers a video course for Technican / General licensees. This course consists of 3 video tapes, and runs for a total time of about 12 hours. This course is priced at about $150.00, and is available on special order from the SCRC bookstore. While the course is intended to assist an instructor, some individuals have used it to successfully pass their written exams.
Ham Radio classes:
Formal classes are offered from time to time. Typically, these classes meet 2 days per week, usually in the evening, and run for 4 to 6 weeks. Check with your local radio club for classes in your area. When we are aware of an upcoming class, we will list it under "sources". below.
No classes nearby? While many people feel comfortable with the structured learning environment of the classroom, it is definitely not a requirement that you attend classes to gain new or upgraded Amateur Radio license privileges. It is entirely possible to study alone or in a small group, using nothing but one or more of the license study guides offered by the various publishers, and successfully pass your exam, usually on the first try.
On-Line education: The ARRL and other vendors offer on-line and CD-ROM based instruction for all classes of amateur radio licenses. Here are some links that may be useful:
http://www.arrl.org/cce/Tech.html
On-Line Practrice Exams: There are a few web sites that offer on-line practice exams. One of the best is offered by a fellow in Wisconsin, amateur radio station AA9PW. He operates this free service as AA9PW.COM. Here is a link to his web site:
On line practice exams use the same questions as the "real" exams. Each practice exam offers a random selection of questions, and scores each attempt as you proceed. The questions are drawn from the same master pool of questions. The exam you receive for your actual exam will use a sub-set of questions drawn at random from the master question pool. 35 questions for the Technician and General exams, or 50 questions for the Amateur Extra Class license. As soon as you can regularly score 80 percent or above on the prctive exams, you are ready for the real thing. Look at the bottom of this page for exzam session locations and times.
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Sources:
Study materials are generally not available locally, and must be mail-ordered. Occasionally one of the local bookstores will have some publications, but they do not stock them with any reliability. In any case, be absolutely certsain that the study materials you are using are for the current question pool! The question pools are updated every 4 years, and there are generally enough changes that using an obsolete pool (and obsolete study guides) will probably result in your failing the exam. If you have any question about which pool is in effect, you may visit the NCVEC web site www.nevec.org or the ARRL web site to verify the effective dates of any pool.
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Classes:
Anchorage area: Depending on demand, from time to time a Technician level class is sometimes available. Such classes are usually held in the Spring or Fall. Also occasionally offered are accellerated "2-day" cram classes. These classes are intended for beginners, but occasionally are held for higher license classes as well. The exact days of the class are not known at this time. Check the AARC main web site and newsletter for class information and updates.
Anchorage area: A general class upgrade course is offered from time to time. This class is intended for those who already have their Technician class license, and are wishing to upgrade to General. The class offers instruction in Amateur Radio regulations and Electronics practices and principles applicable to passing your General Class license examination. The class normally runs about 6 weeks, 2 times per week (12 sessions total). The class features extensive demonstrations of technical subject matter and "guest" appearances by local area hams on specific subjects, such as kit building, low power and portable operation, practical antennas, contest operating, communicating during emergencies, and how to build an effective and safe ham shack To find out more about when and if a General Class course will be offered, check the AARC newsletter or announcements.
Fairbanks area: No classes are scheduled at this time
Kenai-Soldotna area: No classes are scheduled at this time
Palmer-Wasilla area: No classes are scheduled at this time
Juneau area: No classes are scheduled at this time
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If you have other questions about Amateur Radio in general, or specific questions about the testing program, you may send an e-mail to us. To send us an e-mail, Click here
Use the links below to learn more:
List of Volunteer Examiners by name
List of Volunteer Examiners by location
When and where can I find a testing session?
What do I need to bring to the exam session?
What happens after I pass my exam?
Learning the Morse Code - tools and techniques.
How can I become a Volunteer Examiner?
Volunteer Examiners Instruction Manual