I passed my Technician and General tests last night, scores of 96 and 100.
As a web designer, artist and climber, the electronic theory and math was quite a stretch for me. Technician wasn't too bad, but the first time I cracked open the General book, I freaked. Sooo many formulas. And the explanations are so foreign to anything I've ever known...initially it was hopeless trying to understand them. I mean...rectifiers, inverse voltages, capacitance versus inductance...sheesh.
The secret to my success was the low cost online learning tutorials. There are some that are completely free:
AA9PW FCC Exam Practice
where you can take practice tests, and those were good, but this one was the best: HamTestOnline™ - Ham Radio Exam Courses even though it cost a little bit.
That one is connected to a database, and each time you log in to your account it remembers you. It explains the theory, then asks you questions about it. If you blow an answer, it remembers, and relentlessly asks you the question over time until you have it nailed. Sort of like forgetting your wife's anniversary, she is gonna remind you about it for years. You can also take sample tests, and have it drill you on just your weak points, or true random.
I probably spent about 2 to 3 hours a night reading the books, and studying online, for about 2 weeks. Plus about 3 full weekend days. It's been raining, nothing else to do.
I did buy both of the ARRL books (technician and general) from my local ham club. By combining the books with the online testing resources, my knowledge grew quickly. I actually miss the challenge of gathering the knowledge, one question at a time. It's fun stuff, in a geeky sort of way. Guess I always wanted to take a class in electronics, but never had a reason until now.
But I'm done with that. Now I need to start hanging my dipole in my hundred foot fir trees, and hook up my new Yaesu ft-857.
See you guys on the air soon!
As a web designer, artist and climber, the electronic theory and math was quite a stretch for me. Technician wasn't too bad, but the first time I cracked open the General book, I freaked. Sooo many formulas. And the explanations are so foreign to anything I've ever known...initially it was hopeless trying to understand them. I mean...rectifiers, inverse voltages, capacitance versus inductance...sheesh.
The secret to my success was the low cost online learning tutorials. There are some that are completely free:
AA9PW FCC Exam Practice
where you can take practice tests, and those were good, but this one was the best: HamTestOnline™ - Ham Radio Exam Courses even though it cost a little bit.
That one is connected to a database, and each time you log in to your account it remembers you. It explains the theory, then asks you questions about it. If you blow an answer, it remembers, and relentlessly asks you the question over time until you have it nailed. Sort of like forgetting your wife's anniversary, she is gonna remind you about it for years. You can also take sample tests, and have it drill you on just your weak points, or true random.
I probably spent about 2 to 3 hours a night reading the books, and studying online, for about 2 weeks. Plus about 3 full weekend days. It's been raining, nothing else to do.
I did buy both of the ARRL books (technician and general) from my local ham club. By combining the books with the online testing resources, my knowledge grew quickly. I actually miss the challenge of gathering the knowledge, one question at a time. It's fun stuff, in a geeky sort of way. Guess I always wanted to take a class in electronics, but never had a reason until now.
But I'm done with that. Now I need to start hanging my dipole in my hundred foot fir trees, and hook up my new Yaesu ft-857.
See you guys on the air soon!
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