A funny thing happened at my ham test today...

[Lscott]

Congratulations are in order then!

[LeeBo]

On 5/13/2023 at 7:29 PM, back4more70 said:

I have a GMRS license and I decided I wanted my amateur radio license as well.  So I studied for the Technician test for the last few weeks off and on, and I took the test this morning.  (Side note: I live in California, but currently visiting Wyoming, so I took my test in Wyoming.  The VE's were happy to have me.)  I passed the Technician test 100%.  Then the VE's asked if I wanted to try the General test, which I was completely unprepared for.  Turns out I am pretty good at guessing, I almost passed (I scored 25 out of the required 27 to pass).  My favorite part was when the VE was grading my general exam, he was shocked that I actually got as many correct as I did.  "Unbelievable" was his exact word.  Just thought I would share.  I guess my point is that for the folks that complain about the testing, it really isn't that hard.

I probably should have done that also. I nailed my tech exam and was asked if I wanted to try for general.  I declined.

[AdmiralCochrane]

There is a lot of redundancy between the 2 tests.  My advice to any newcomer would be to study for both.   It is quite possible to get a test with huge overlap and only need to guess on a few.

 

If you can score 100 on Tech, you can PASS General

[WRUU653]

7 hours ago, WSDT603 said:

I probably should have done that also. I nailed my tech exam and was asked if I wanted to try for general.  I declined.

I did this as well. Aced the tech and I wanted to go out on a high note. as Arnold says “I’ll be back”

[WRXB215]

I agree with @AdmiralCochrane. I studied for both. Got 100% on the tech and 80something on the general. The difference in HF privileges is quite substantial between tech and general.

[Lscott]

3 hours ago, WRXB215 said:

I agree with @AdmiralCochrane. I studied for both. Got 100% on the tech and 80something on the general. The difference in HF privileges is quite substantial between tech and general.

Most Hams quit there. The tiny extra sliver of spectrum you get as an Extra Class for many wasn't worth the effort. Nothing wrong with getting it. It might make you feel better.

[FlatTop]

On 5/7/2024 at 3:04 PM, n2877 said:

Take it all the way to extra. Just passed my extra exam. It feels good to completely finish something. 

Belated congrats!  From a fellow Extra class amateur. 

[FlatTop]

I got my Novice in 1988...back when only 5 wpm CW was required.  Passed that thanks to the Indianapolis Red Cross amatur classes.  They taught us enough theory to pass Novice and enough CW to pass 5 WPM.  

Got my Technician license about 5 months later....decided I wanted to get into 2m Packet real bad.  That was my motivator. 

Me and the boys joined the Boy Scouts...laid radio down for the next ten years. 

Got back into amateur radio in September 98.  Built a CW transceiver from a kit (NorCal 40a), built a dipole, built a antenna tuner from a kit (ZM-2) back then Novice and Technician had a sliver of 40m for CW (7100-7125 I think....Might have been 7100-7150 I just don't remember). So I got on the air, made some QSO's was shocked I remembered CW as well as I did.  Took my General and 13 wpm test in early 99 and BARELY passed....but hey...I passed.  I think I pass my extra just before they ended the 20 wpm CW test. 200?  Advanced class had already been eliminated. 

I've been a QRP CW op since 1998.  No barefoot in the snow, no uphill both ways...

I upgraded to Extra so I didn't have to remember where I wasn't supposed to go.