Obtaining Your Amateur License in the LA Area

[Haroldo]

Last month I passed the Technician class amateur license exam. With some studying, the test can be successfully passed on the first attempt.

I scheduled my exam with the Greater Los Angeles Amateur Radio Group that was held at a Sizzler restaurant in Fullerton, CA. It cost $10 to take the test. They submit your license to the FCC electronically. I took the test on Saturday, paid my fee ($35) on Monday, and had my ticket and call sign by 1:00 AM Tuesday. It is very quick with their system.

Those who pass the exam are given a 5W TYT TH-UV88 handheld radio, already programmed with the repeaters for the Papa System repeaters. They provide it to welcome you to the world of amateur radio. The whole environment was welcoming and fun.

The Papa System has repeaters all over the southern California area and they have many modes, analog and digital. It's a great system to gain experience with your new license. They even hold a new hams net every Wednesday night at 7:00 PM. You can talk with others from the Mexican border, out to Yuma, all the way north to Ridgecrest and Santa Barbara on the coast. All of the repeaters are linked, so you can hear/talk over a very wide area.

Just wanted to let people know that you can obtain your license in the LA area in an easy, convenient manner if you are in the area. The whole process was smooth and easy.

 

[SteveShannon]

6 minutes ago, Haroldo said:

Last month I passed the Technician class amateur license exam. With some studying, the test can be successfully passed on the first attempt.

I scheduled my exam with the Greater Los Angeles Amateur Radio Group that was held at a Sizzler restaurant in Fullerton, CA. It cost $10 to take the test. They submit your license to the FCC electronically. I took the test on Saturday, paid my fee ($35) on Monday, and had my ticket and call sign by 1:00 AM Tuesday. It is very quick with their system.

Those who pass the exam are given a 5W TYT TH-UV88 handheld radio, already programmed with the repeaters for the Papa System repeaters. They provide it to welcome you to the world of amateur radio. The whole environment was welcoming and fun.

The Papa System has repeaters all over the southern California area and they have many modes, analog and digital. It's a great system to gain experience with your new license. They even hold a new hams net every Wednesday night at 7:00 PM. You can talk with others from the Mexican border, out to Yuma, all the way north to Ridgecrest and Santa Barbara on the coast. All of the repeaters are linked, so you can hear/talk over a very wide area.

Just wanted to let people know that you can obtain your license in the LA area in an easy, convenient manner if you are in the area. The whole process was smooth and easy.

 

That’s a wonderful model. 

[WRUU653]

3 minutes ago, Haroldo said:

way north to Ridgecrest and Santa Barbara on the coast.

The system goes all the way north to San Luis Obispo County, up to Paso Robles now with the addition of PAPA 34 repeater. Congratulations, it's great to hear you had such a positive experience. 

[wayoverthere]

5 hours ago, WRUU653 said:

The system goes all the way north to San Luis Obispo County, up to Paso Robles now with the addition of PAPA 34 repeater. Congratulations, it's great to hear you had such a positive experience. 

They're also well into the San Joaquin valley as well, with the Joaquin Ridge machine; I can hear that one in Fresno area, and if the range is anything like the CARLA machine, it's likely got some coverage to parts of the Sierras.

[TrikeRadio]

6 hours ago, Haroldo said:

Last month I passed the Technician class amateur license exam. With some studying, the test can be successfully passed on the first attempt...

Congratulations! I have only been into GMRS for hte past 6 months and have considered going for a Ham ticket too... but have just been waiting to feel more comfortable with what I am doing now. Thanks for the inspiration.
 

6 hours ago, Haroldo said:

...I scheduled my exam with the Greater Los Angeles Amateur Radio Group that was held at a Sizzler restaurant in Fullerton, CA. It cost $10 to take the test. They submit your license to the FCC electronically. I took the test on Saturday, paid my fee ($35) on Monday, and had my ticket and call sign by 1:00 AM Tuesday. It is very quick with their system.

Those who pass the exam are given a 5W TYT TH-UV88 handheld radio, already programmed with the repeaters for the Papa System repeaters. They provide it to welcome you to the world of amateur radio. The whole environment was welcoming and fun...

That is pretty cool. Will keep it in mind. I am very local in Central OC. I listen only to some of the PAPA system on their nets and have been pretty intrigued listening in. I know there is a repeater in their system up in the central valley too... and my parents live up that way so that intrigues me.. the idea of being able to communicate that far north on a repeater system form home!

[Haroldo]

To study, I used the ARRL Technician Class Study Book. It gives a good fundamental overview of what is being asked in the questions, so you can answer, knowing why you answered it that way.

To prepare for the tests, I  used the flash cards and tests at https://hamstudy.org . The test layout on hamstudy.org is the exact layout that they used for testing. The testing with GLAARG is based upon the same backend. So, it looks exactly like what you see at hamstudy.org. You use a tablet to take the test, and all of the test results are immediately gathered. That is how they can send your results to the FCC so quickly. This electronic integration is why you do not have to wait for weeks to get your ticket.

There are some people who simply study the questions at hamstudy.org and pass the test. They say pass the test, then learn from experience to round out your knowledge. I prefer to learn the material first, then test. It just felt better that way. In computer networking, those kind of people were referred to as "Paper CCNAs" for just learning the answers, not the concepts.

One plus of the radio that the Papa Systems provides to the new licensees is that it can be easily modified to transmit on GMRS frequencies, also. One radio for both services. Not that I would encourage people to become scofflaws and perform such a dastardly deed.