New here? Start with these questions
No jargon, no assumptions. Pick a question and read for two minutes.
What is ham radio?
A licensed hobby and public service that lets you send and receive radio signals on frequencies set aside for the public.
Who gets licensed?
Kids, retirees, nurses, truck drivers, engineers. There is no age limit and no technical background required.
Why get licensed?
Because a licence is what makes it legal to transmit - and it opens up equipment and privileges you cannot get any other way.
What can you do with it?
Chat locally, reach other continents, bounce signals off satellites, send data, and help out when phones fail.
How do I get started?
Four steps: study, get an FCC FRN, take a 35-question exam, and get on the air.
Got your licence - what next?
Already passed? Your first radio, your first contact, a club, an antenna, and where to go from there.
Get on the air
What to say on your first transmission, how repeaters work, and everything radio does besides voice.
Who is behind this site?
The National Amateur Radio Alliance - a volunteer-run national association for operators, clubs and newcomers.
Newly licensed? Practical advice
Your first handheld
What to buy, what it costs, and the cheap upgrade that makes the biggest difference to your range.
A first contact, word for word
An actual script for what to say, so you never have to invent it with the button pressed.
Introduction to HF
Shortwave: how a hundred watts and a wire in a tree reach across an ocean with no infrastructure at all.
Guides for how you'll use it
A guide for parents
Is it safe, what does it cost, and can a ten-year-old really pass the exam? (Yes.)
Schools, troops and clubs
Get a whole class or troop licensed in a term - including the Scout Radio merit badge and Jamboree on the Air.
Camping, hiking and the outdoors
Kayaking, off-roading, Scouting and backpacking - communications that keep working where the cell signal stops.
The short version
Amateur radio is a hobby you need a licence for. In the United States the entry-level licence is called Technician. You pass a 35-question multiple-choice test, there is no Morse code requirement, the exam fee is small, and the licence lasts ten years. Most people study for a few weeks. See the four steps →
Ready when you are
Find a test session near you on HamStudy, or read how to get licensed first. If you already know the basics and want the technical detail, the wiki covers bands, antennas, propagation, digital modes and more.