Many local ham clubs give FREE classes to help you pass the exams with flying colors. Many years ago one would be tested in an FCC office. Nowadays, hams can choose to become Volunteer Examiners "V.E.'s", and are allowed to set up exams for the participants. Usually clubs run ham classes one or two days a week for a few weeks and culminate in exams being given soon after. Check the papers, schools, and local popular radio outlets where they usually post flyers for their free classes and nominally charged about six dollars per exam session. There are a number of tests that one can take. Each step or class of license rewards the operator by allowing for more access or "privileges" to a particular ham band in terms of frequencies to be able to transmit on. This is called "incentive licensing". There are 2 starting licenses. One is called "no-code technician" that does not require knowledge of morse code. The other is called "novice". The novice must be tested to prove to be able to receive 5 words of morse code per minute. From there a no-code technician can be bumped-up to a regular "technician" by taking the 5wpm code test. The next class license is the "General". This class must take a written exam and must be able to receive 13wpm code. The license after this is the "Advanced". This license requires only a written exam and no further morse expertise than the general. Finally there is the "Extra" license requiring the passing of an exam and the ability to receive code at 20wpm. This class allows the radio operator to have maximum frequency privileges in all the ham radio spectrum allotted. People of all ages have become ham radio operators. So go for it, and have fun! I hope to catch you on the air. 73's! By the way, that ARRL diamond stands for The American Radio Relay League. That is an American organization, as old as Ham Radio itself, dedicated to the preservation and advancement of Amateur radio as both an art and as a public service. They issue a magazine called QST where a subscription also includes ARRL membership. They have a GREAT Ham starter page listed below:

UPDATE as of April 15th 2000 - There are now only 3 license classes!!!
Technician, General , Extra
The 5wpm code is the maximum code test speed required to go on HF (shortwave) bands
You can still become a ham by passing the entry-leven Technician exam WITHOUT taking the code test. The ONLY difference is that you will not be allowed to transmit on ANY band below 30MHz.

UPDATE as of January 1st 2007 - The FCC just announced that a Morse Code proficency test will no longer be needed to obtain any class license level. Morse code will still be used but the FCC is also alotting more space to voice communication on the shortwave bands.

How to get started in Amateur Radio at http://www.arrl.org/newham.html/

Another fine site is:

Beginner's Guide to Ham Radio at: http://www.irony.com/ham-howto.html

Visit the
Kings County Radio Club - W2RAK
in Brooklyn, New York USA

La Famiglia:
My family's history in America
a pictorial essay