Amateur Radio · Technician Class

FCC Technician
License Crash Course

Pass your HAM radio exam in 7 days or less — no prior experience needed.

Start Learning →

Based on official FCC Technician Question Pool

Core Concepts

The Exam Cheat Sheet

← Lower Frequency Higher Frequency →
HF
VHF
UHF
SHF+
3 MHz 30 MHz 300 MHz 3 GHz 30 GHz+
⭐ Technician privileges: VHF + UHF (full) + 10m HF (limited voice)
HF
3 – 30 MHz
Long-distance communication via ionospheric skip. Techs have limited access — mainly 10 meters (28 MHz).
VHF
30 – 300 MHz
Best for open terrain, mountains, rural. Line-of-sight. 2-meter band (144 MHz) is the most popular Technician band.
UHF
300 – 3000 MHz
Penetrates buildings better. Best for cities, indoors. 70-cm band (440 MHz) is widely used for repeaters.
Critical: 10 Meter
28.300 – 28.500 MHz
Technicians can use voice (SSB/phone) on this HF segment only. Everything below 28.300 MHz on 10m is CW (Morse code) only for Techs — no voice.

28.000–28.300 → CW only · 28.300–28.500 → voice allowed
FCC ID Rules
Call Sign Timing
You must give your call sign:

① At the start of a communication
② Every 10 minutes during a contact
③ At the end of the last transmission

❌ No music, no advertising, no obscene language.
🏙️
UHF vs VHF — Where Each Wins
UHF (cities): Shorter wavelength → passes through walls and buildings better. Use in urban environments.

VHF (open): Longer wavelength → travels farther over open terrain. Use on mountains, rural areas.
📶
Range: Height > Power
VHF/UHF signals travel line of sight. The single most effective way to extend range is to:

↑ Raise antenna height

More power helps, but height matters more. A hilltop antenna at 5W beats a valley antenna at 50W.

Line-of-Sight Illustration

TX HIGH BLOCKED TERRAIN RX HIGH LINE OF SIGHT = CLEAR PATH

Higher antenna → clears terrain → longer range · Power is secondary

License Tiers
3 License Classes (Exam Focus: Technician)
Technician
Entry level · VHF/UHF + limited HF
General
More HF bands · worldwide contacts
Amateur Extra
All privileges · all bands
Key Frequencies to Know
144–148 MHz 2m band — most popular Tech VHF
420–450 MHz 70cm band — UHF, repeaters
28.000–28.300 MHz 10m CW only for Techs
28.300–28.500 MHz 10m voice (SSB) for Techs ✓
146.520 MHz National 2m FM simplex calling freq

Electronics Basics

Essential Formulas Only

Ohm's Law
V = I × R
V = Voltage (volts) · I = Current (amps) · R = Resistance (ohms)

Intuition: Resistance squeezes current — more squeeze = more voltage needed to push the same current through.
Power Formula
P = V × I
P = Power (watts) · V = Voltage · I = Current

Intuition: Power is how fast energy is used. Double the current → double the watts consumed.
Circuit Rules — Quick Reference
Series Circuit
  • › Same current through all
  • › Voltage divides across parts
  • › Total R = R1 + R2 + …
  • › One break = all off
Parallel Circuit
  • › Same voltage across all
  • › Current divides into branches
  • › Total R is LESS than smallest R
  • › One break = others still work

Practice Test

Interactive Quiz

Score: 0 / 0 Question 1 of 15

Watch Out

Common Exam Traps

Trap #1
"UHF travels farther than VHF"
✓ VHF travels farther over open terrain. UHF is better for urban/indoor penetration.
🧠 Memory: "UHF = Urban Hi-Freq" — buildings don't stop it, but it's shorter range.
Trap #2
"More power = more range"
✓ Antenna height is more effective than power for extending VHF/UHF range.
🧠 Memory: "Go HIGH before going LOUD."
Trap #3
"Parallel circuits have higher total resistance"
✓ Parallel resistors DECREASE total resistance — always less than the smallest resistor alone.
🧠 Memory: "More paths = less resistance." Like adding lanes to a highway.
Trap #4
"ID every 15 minutes"
✓ FCC requires call sign every 10 minutes and at the END of the last transmission.
🧠 Memory: "10 minutes, 10 fingers. Count your fingers, say your call sign."
Trap #5
"Technicians can use all of 10 meters for voice"
✓ Voice (phone) only from 28.300–28.500 MHz. Below 28.300 is CW (Morse) only.
🧠 Memory: "28.3 is the gate — phone above, code below."
Trap #6
"Technicians can use all HF bands"
✓ Techs only have HF privileges on 10 meters (28 MHz). All other HF bands require General or Extra.
🧠 Memory: "Technician = 10m only on HF. Everything else = VHF and above."

Final Prep

10-Minute Final Review

Skim this the morning of your exam. Everything you need, nothing you don't.

📡 Frequency Bands

  • HF: 3–30 MHz (long distance, skip)
  • VHF: 30–300 MHz (open terrain)
  • UHF: 300–3000 MHz (buildings/cities)
  • Tech: full VHF + UHF privileges
  • Tech: 10m HF only (28 MHz)

🎙️ 10-Meter Technician Privileges

  • 28.000–28.300 → CW (code) only
  • 28.300–28.500 → voice (SSB/phone) ✓
  • NO voice below 28.300 MHz

🪪 FCC ID Rules

  • Give call sign at START of contact
  • Every 10 minutes during contact
  • At END of last transmission
  • No music, no advertising
  • No obscene or indecent language
  • English is OK; other languages OK too

📶 VHF/UHF Range

  • Line-of-sight propagation
  • Height beats power for range
  • VHF = open areas, mountains
  • UHF = urban, indoor, better penetration
  • Repeaters extend range dramatically

⚡ Ohm's Law

  • V = I × R (voltage = current × resistance)
  • I = V / R (current = voltage / resistance)
  • R = V / I (resistance = voltage / current)
  • P = V × I (power = volts × amps)
  • P = I² × R (power from current + resistance)

🔌 Circuits

  • Series: same current, voltage divides
  • Series: R total = R1 + R2 + R3…
  • Parallel: same voltage, current divides
  • Parallel: R total is LESS than smallest R
  • Series break = all off; Parallel break = others stay on

📻 Key Frequencies

  • 2m band: 144–148 MHz (most popular)
  • 70cm band: 420–450 MHz (UHF repeaters)
  • 146.520 MHz = 2m national calling freq
  • 446.000 MHz = UHF national simplex

🪝 Safety & Emergency

  • Antenna safety: never transmit into open connector
  • MAYDAY = life-threatening emergency
  • Monitor 146.520 while mobile
  • Phonetic alphabet: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie…
  • RF exposure: more power = more caution needed

📋 Exam Format

  • 35 multiple-choice questions
  • 26 correct needed to pass (74%)
  • Question pool publicly available
  • $15 exam fee (VEC administered)
  • License valid for 10 years