After much thought, you have made the decision to obtain your Ham Radio license. What steps do you need to follow now to verify that you have what you need in order to start broadcasting and transeiving on your new ten meter radio?

There are three different types of licenses that you can obtain and two of them have specific requirements in order to obtain them. The first license is the Technician’s License. This license has few requirements one of which is passing a short test in order to confirm that you understand how to broadcast properly. The other license is the General license, and the third is the Extra Class license.

In order to start your journey into the world of Ham radios, it is suggested that one start with the first license while learning how to properly broadcast over the FCC regulated airwaves. The Technician’s license was designed to cover this situation. You don’t need to qualify beyond one 35 question multiple choice test that evaluates your basic understanding of how to operate a radio. Almost anyone can now qualify for this test and it is free because it is sponsored by the government.

The second license is the General license. This license is a little harder to obtain, because you need to learn to transmit Morse code at a rate of 5 words a minute. The general license allows you to broadcast on a wider band than the Technician class license. You are allowed to broadcast over 27 bands and you will be allowed to use two meter and 10 meter radios. Two meter radios allow you to be mobile while ten meter radios are meant to be stationary.

Our third license is the Extra class category. A license like this allows you to broadcast over the available service bands and facilitates the use of the radios that are available to amateur radio operators. Again, this license is free to the public with minimal testing and a Morse code rate of 5 wpm.

Choosing the proper radio is also very important for your new hobby. A two meter hand held radio is an inexpensive way to stay in contact with your other ham radio buddies while you are on the go. You can transmit from your boat, your car, or from your favorite lakeside fishing spot. 10 meter radios are made by a variety of manufacturers and are offered at a wide range of prices, depending on the features that you choose. The prices range form 150 dollars for the two meter hand held to 800 dollars for the top of the line home base 10 meter radios.

Choosing to become a radio operator is a very simple decision. It is a fun and exciting way to stay in touch with the world and can actually prove to be a life saver in emergencies. Another option is to start small with a handheld or portable device. These radios do not cost much and you can get a lot of bang for your buck.

Author Bio: An inexpensive and fun way to get into CB or amateur radio is with a portable cb radio you can find the right Hand held cb radio here.

Category: Computers and Technology
Keywords: cb radio, ham radio