In the US, there are three classes — or levels — of Amateur Radio license. From the easiest to the most difficult, they are Technician, General and Amateur Extra class. You must only take and pass a written examination for each license. The higher you climb up the ladder, the more challenging the test and the more generous the privileges the FCC grants. To reach the top — Amateur Extra — you must pass the examinations for all three license classes.
This website’s Guru has an Amateur Extra Class license and a FCC First Class license with Radar Endorsement that authorizes him to install, repair and operate any transmitter on ships and boats or even Commercial Radio and TV stations. He also has an FAA license to install and repair commercial and private aircraft radios, radar and navigation electronics. So if you have any questions – this is the place to ask them on the contact page.
The “Tech ticket” is a great introduction to the fun and excitement of ham radio and to the ways of the hobby. The sole requirement for the Technician license is passing a 35-question written exam. It covers FCC rules and regulations that govern the airways, courteous operating procedures and techniques and some basic electronics. The privileges granted give Technicians plenty of room to explore and activities to try. For some, the Technician is the only ham license they’ll ever want or need. With your ham radio license in hand, you can meet new friends, win awards, exchange “QSL cards” to confirm radio contacts by mail, challenge yourself and others, learn and educate, contribute to your community, travel, generate international goodwill and continue a century-old wireless communication tradition.
You can prepare for the exam on your own, with a group of friends or by taking a class sponsored by a ham radio club in your area. Many Amateur Radio clubs hold periodic free classes, usually for the Technician license. Check the ARRL Web site, www.arrl.org, for classes, clubs or volunteer examiners (VEs) in your area.
To find a ham in your area just look for a house that has the biggest TV antenna (a beam) that you ever saw and many smaller antennas and wires on the roof.