Posted: 3/5/2012 6:25:29 PM EDT
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Renewing one that expired 25 or so years ago?
Suppose to get Extra, would have to retest and such. TNX! Have the time now, would like to get back on HF. |
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Is what I figured, technical\written test would be a breeze, getting up to code speed, another story. Ears, are not so good anymore. Have lot's of time on my hands now, TNX. Code has been dropped, just take the written tests and you are good to go. The VEC process is very nice, I am sure you tested at the FCC office for your original license. Get it done, we have a lot of fun trying ARFCOM nets and working digital, need some stations that are between the west and the east for some net relays, and of course the more people on the nets the better. |
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The test doesn't have Morse code anymore, so no worries there.
Yet CW is more popular than ever. Amazing isnt it! It has no longer become a burden of the licensing process, and has become the status symbol. CW ops are being looked up too and admired now instead of being just another ham. People want to keep the tradition alive. |
You're several years beyond the grace period (23 yrs based on your post  )
http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_22/653728_How_to_go_from_Zero_to_Extra_Class_HAM_radio_license_in_30_min_or_less.html eta: this method is good until June 30, 2012. On July 1 the Extra level question pool becomes revised. |
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Pardon the copy/paste, but here goes:
Go to this site: http://www.w5ddl.org/ And on the left side you will see links to Classroom Presentations (in PowerPoint) for Tech and General, as well as links to practice exams for Tech, General, and Extra class. If you don't have PowerPoint, there is a link for a free PowerPoint Viewer. In each of those two links you will find both the separate chapters, as well as a zip file containing all of the chapters. Here is another site with classes: http://www.rarchams.org/class/technician/chartsppt09/index.htm There are also courses of study that may be subscribed to at: http://www.hamtestonline.com (NOTE- When you print out these guides, yes, print them... take a Magic Marker and black out all the wrong answers. This way you study only the correct answers and everything else looks unfamiliar. Seriously, print, black out, study. Just take my word for it and do it.) Study Guides - right click on these links and Save As: Tech: http://www.kb6nu.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/2010_Tech_Study_Guide.pdf General: http://www.ncvec.org/page.php?id=358 2011 General Test Pool links Extra: http://abacus.nmsu.edu/~shoran/PDF/Extra%20Class%20Amateur%20Radio%20Course.pdf http://www.arrl.org/files/file/Instructor%20resources/ExtraClassSylalbus2009jan-AD7FO.pdf http://w5jck.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=15&Itemid=28 http://www.nyc-arecs.org/2008-2012%20Extra%20Study%20Guide.pdf and http://kb6nu.com/extra-class-easypass-how-everybody-can-be-an-extra/ Podcasts: http://hamradioclass.com/ http://hamradioclass.com/shownotes/ Practice Tests: http://www.qrz.com/ham/ http://www.radioexam.org/ http://aa9pw.com/radio/ http://www.eham.net/exams/ http://www.w8mhb.com/exam/ http://www.hamtestonline.com http://hamexam.org/ Testing Locations http://www.w5yi-vec.org/exam_locations_ama.php (Search by State) http://www.arrl.org/arrlvec/examsearch.phtml (Search by State, Country, or Zip Code) Here's what to do... study the study guides a few evenings. Then begin doing the W5DDL classroom presentations. You can do one or two a night. Also begin taking the practice tests. With all of those sites, each time you take the test it will have a different random draw of questions from the question pool... just like the real test you will take. I would also suggest you take the practice test on a different site each time. This will help you get used to the appearance of the test being different, just as it will be when you take the actual test. Take two or three (or more if you have time) of the practice tests each night after going through a chapter from W5DDL. By the time you are finished with the W5DDL classes you will be ready for the Tech test, and you will pass. BUT WAIT!!! There's more!!! When you are confident that you will pass the Tech, and are passing by 90% or more, begin study for the General. If you are smart enough to pass the Tech, you are smart enough for the General, too. 73, AFM |
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The test doesn't have Morse code anymore, so no worries there.
Yet CW is more popular than ever. Computers are playing a big part in that, no? No, there is not that many computer programs that can accurately decode CW. Most of the newbs on CW are pounding it out. And surprising there are a bunch of new guys like myself using only a strait key. You can here them every night, they are very easy to hear 
I know a couple of CW ops on other forums bitching about the bad CW all over the place, but many of the older CW ops tell them to shove it, it is great to hear new CW ops on the air, and good skills take some time. It is good to see, and I hope to be pissing off the grumpy bastards really soon. 
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You will have to retest as you've far exceeded the 2 year grace period. But as others have stated the code requirement has been dropped. With you're prior experience and a touch of study on current rules, technology, and operating you should be able to test Tech and General at the same sitting and get back on HF in no time.
If you need help don't hesitate to ask. |
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The test doesn't have Morse code anymore, so no worries there.
Yet CW is more popular than ever. Computers are playing a big part in that, no? No, there is not that many computer programs that can accurately decode CW. Most of the newbs on CW are pounding it out. And surprising there are a bunch of new guys like myself using only a strait key. You can here them every night, they are very easy to hear
I know a couple of CW ops on other forums bitching about the bad CW all over the place, but many of the older CW ops tell them to shove it, it is great to hear new CW ops on the air, and good skills take some time. It is good to see, and I hope to be pissing off the grumpy bastards really soon. I have a straight key, but about all it does is give me a carrier for tuning.
My luck with computer aided CW is hit and miss. Some come in very well... like W1AW. Others....not so much. As for transmitting, I've heard mixed reports. Some claim MCW is no go, others claim that it is mis-labeled in DM780 as MCW, and is legal to use. I'll probably build a com port CW relay eventually. But it's not very high on the list. |
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Never would have guessed you could go 'Extra w\o CW.
As far as computers, when I was into it big, the Commodore C-64 and Micro-Log SWL, or similar cartridge were the big thing. Could us C-64 to type, then send it as CW. This developed into packet radio. Still have all that old stuff, Thanks! Something to look forward to. Used to love tuning in long wave beacons, the I.D. ing the location. Antenna design design, etc. Am actually getting excited! So long $$$! |
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Never would have guessed you could go 'Extra w\o CW. As far as computers, when I was into it big, the Commodore C-64 and Micro-Log SWL, or similar cartridge were the big thing. Could us C-64 to type, then send it as CW. This developed into packet radio. Still have all that old stuff, Thanks! Something to look forward to. Used to love tuning in long wave beacons, the I.D. ing the location. Antenna design design, etc. Am actually getting excited! So long $$$! Break it out! A few of us here have played with packet on HF recently. We haven't had alot of success, but we need more stations on the air to "hop". Where in Ohio are you? |
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IF you had a Technician class license any time before 1987 (and can prove it) you will not need to take the General exam, see here:
Pre-1987 Technician License "Grandfather" Element Credit- The FCC does not offer any credit for expired Novice, General, Advanced or Extra class licenses. However, per FCC Rule 97.505(a)(4), the FCC does offer partial credit to pre-1987 Technician licenses. If an applicant was ever a "Technician" prior to 3/21/1987, and has proof, the FCC will afford credit for the General (Element 3) written exam only. The FCC does not require the applicant to have been continuously licensed. At VE exam sessions it is the applicant (not the VEs or coordinating VEC) who is responsible for supplying the evidence of holding valid grandfather credit. The following section explains how to verify the Technician grandfather credit status of someone eligible for such credit under Section 97.505 of FCC Rules. At a test session, the VEs will review all credit documents presented by applicants. For General written exam (Element 3) credit, persons who took a 50-question Technician/General written exam before March 21, 1987 receive Technician grandfather license credit per FCC Rules. This can be verified if an applicant presents any of the following: –– Per FCC Rule 97.505(a)(4)s, a FCC Technician license issued before March 21, 1987, as indicated on the license. –– An original Element 3 Certificate of Successful Completion of Examination (CSCE) issued before March 21, 1987. –– If licensed in the mid-'70s or after, FCC will issue a 'License Verification Letter' indicating that the applicant was licensed as a Technician licensee prior to March 21, 1987. The FCC stated any requests for verification must be submitted in writing to: FCC, ATTN: Amateur Section, 1270 Fairfield Rd, Gettysburg, PA 17325. The request must include name, address, telephone number, date of birth, call sign issued at that time, and when the Technician license was granted (if exact date is not known, give the approximate timeframe). The FCC asks those inquiring to include any information that may be helpful in researching these requests, but it does not need to know details of the examination session, such as where the test was administered or who gave it. "These requests must be researched on microfiche, so they will be very time-consuming," an FCC spokesperson said, adding that no one should expect an overnight response. –– For 1966 or more recent records, the FCC's research retrieval service contractor, Best Copy & Printing, Inc. (BCPI), will obtain the pre-1987 technician certification from FCC records. There is a charge for this service. For assistance in purchasing copies of FCC documents, please contact BCPI directly. Phone: 202-488-5300 or 1-800-378-3160. TTY: 202-488-5562. Fax: 202-488-5563. Email: [email protected]. Web: http://www.bcpiweb.com/fcc_research.php. –– A 1987 Edition, or earlier, Radio Amateur Callbook listing is acceptable as proof provided the ' T' (Technician) license class appears on the page next to the call sign listing. Only Callbooks issued Fall 1967 or later will show the license class. Be sure to copy the year of publication reference, if not printed on the page. –– QRZ.COM has posted on their website a copy of their very first Amateur Radio CD ROM product as originally published in 1993. This searchable database contains license records from 1983 to 1993. A printout of such a listing from the CD ROM or the web page, showing a Technician license effective or begin date prior to 3/21/87 is acceptable. It is screwed up - with the credit you will still need to take the current Technician exam, and even if you held a General class license, if you never had a Technician you won't get the credit. Glad you're coming back! I took a ten year break once myself, but didn't let anything lapse. I used the grandfather credit for General, but I passed my Extra fair and square! |
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Thanks for the help, am in Boardman area, and agree with post regarding picking up CW from other noise, with a good filter like my old Yaesu FT-101E has.
Can still picture it, eyes closed, listening through headset, then ears hear it, both eyes roll to the left, just my way of focusing I guess? Sure the new gear is much better. What do you guys on this board call BRD? Black Radio Disease? |
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My interest in CW stems from its 10 dB advantage over SSB: a 5 watt CW signal has the punch of a 50 watt SSB signal. Also, if you're S9 with 100 watts you're nearly S7 with only 5 watts. That's why they say CW gets through whe nothing else works.
Learned CW as a kid from a BUNCH of 78 rpm records from the Army Signal Corps. First record had morse code of, then, voice over; "Get the Message Through, That's The Motto of The Army Signal Corps." Wow, LONG time ago, not so much me, the records. |
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It has been 5 years since the code requirement was dropped. Dig through the archive posts and you would have thought that CW will die, 20m will become "10-4 good buddy", and the universe will implode on 23 Feb 2007.
Didn't happen. What did happen was that the artificial barrier, the secret handshake if you will, to becoming a amateur radio operator was removed and thousands are now getting licensed. I'm one of those. Yet myself and many of the rookies are now learning CW on our own. As a mode it stands the test of time. 100w, a key, and propagation for the signal, you CAN work the world. There's something about CW in that you have to be engaged in it for the contact to be possible. You have to pay attention to the incoming signal to be able to copy it. It's not like JT65 where I can hit the TX button, get up, go pee, grab a beer from the fridge and be back in the 1 minute 50 seconds before I have to send a reply. And I didn't miss a thing in the process. I didn't learn CW for the romance of it. Far from it. I had selfish reasons. There was DX there that I couldn't get to and I wanted it. Six months of learning code and practicing I finally got on the air. Thanks to the ops who worked with me doing ragchews at 5 to 7wpm to help get my speed up. I'm now confortable at 15wpm and still pushing for more. When I upgraded to Extra in Nov 2011 my first QSO in the Extra sub-band was Puerto Rico on 20m CW. #100 QSL for DXCC was YO8TTT Romania on 40 CW. Something just right about that. Back to our OP. Do you have a game plan for brushing up prior to re-testing? |
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Back to our OP.
Do you have a game plan for brushing up prior to re-testing? I found the ARRL materials quite good many moons ago. Their Ham Radio License Manual gets good reviews at Amazon. I used Just Learn Morse Code to brush up on CW. Armed with a Technician-class license and some CW, I'd get on HF, and work on upgrading to General and Extra after getting on the air. |
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Back to our OP.
Do you have a game plan for brushing up prior to re-testing? I found the ARRL materials quite good many moons ago. Their Ham Radio License Manual gets good reviews at Amazon. I used Just Learn Morse Code to brush up on CW. Armed with a Technician-class license and some CW, I'd get on HF, and work on upgrading to General and Extra after getting on the air. Study for general and tech at the same sitting. The two tests were maddingly similar. Had I spent any time on general I think I would have passed both in one sitting. |
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The ARRL study guides for Tech and General is what I used and recommend them. For Extra I'd go with the Gordon West study guide. Gordos books tells you what time it is while the ARRLs book tells you how to build an atomic clock to find out what time it is. What is available now that wasn't available then is online practice tests. I used the free ones at QRZ.com. There are others out there. The questions and answers are taken word for word from the question pool. Score 85% or better consistently on the practice tests and you'll have a high probability of passing the test at the VE session.
Back to our OP.
Do you have a game plan for brushing up prior to re-testing? I found the ARRL materials quite good many moons ago. Their Ham Radio License Manual gets good reviews at Amazon. I used Just Learn Morse Code to brush up on CW. Armed with a Technician-class license and some CW, I'd get on HF, and work on upgrading to General and Extra after getting on the air. For CW Just Learn Morse Code is also what I used. There's also a lesson plan called "Zen and the Art of Radiotelegraphy" that may be of interest. Churched up name but solid lesson plan. Google search will quickly find it. Myself and many here will tell you to study and take both Tech and General at the same sitting. Once you're hitting 85% or better on the Tech tests start working on General. There is a lot of overlap between the two tests. |