K6ORI: Orinda Radio:
Amateur Radio License

K6ORI How To Get Your Ham License

You DO NOT need an amateur radio license to use Family Radio Service (FRS) radios! You need a General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) license to operate FRS radios on channels 11 to 14 and to use higher power GMRS licenses. The GMRS license applies to you and your family only!

FRS and GMRS are very useful for neighborhood communications and for talking in and around the house or campsite. They are not very useful for long distance radio communications, especially in the hilly country around Orinda and Moraga. To have really reliable personal radio capabilities you need an Amateur Radio (ham radio) license issued by the US Federal Communications Commission.

Ham radios cost from about $150 for a very useful hand-held unit up to thousands of dollars for fancy short-wave gear. For personal communications in the Bay Area, you can get really nice handheld, mobile, and home units for under $300. We have a ham radio retail store in Oakland where you can go and see the radios and choose which one makes the best sense for you.

The only obstacle to getting on the air is an easy test and we'll help!

Ham Radio Licenses Are EASY to Get

• You only need the basic level of FCC License (Technician Class) ... if you love the hobby you can get more advanced ratings (General Class and Extra Class) later
• You take a 35 multiple choice question test and need 26 right (74%) to pass.
• Only a few of the questions are very technical at all.
• There is no requirement for Morse Code any more.
• All the questions and answers they can ever ask on your test are published on the Internet and in study guides.
• There are excellent study guides that you can read through quickly and that may be all the preparation you need.
• We teach 12 hour (6 2-hour session) courses if you want to go to a class and most of our students pass on the first try, no problem.
• There are practice tests on the Internet you can take for FREE!
• You can take the test here in Lafayette for $14 which includes the fee to the government. Tests are given all over the Bay Area by volunteers.
• When you pass the test your license is issued in under a week!

The study guide we use is Technician Class Amateur Radio Element 2 FCC License Preparation by Gordon West WB6NOA. It is readily available locally at Ham Radio Outlet in Oakland and we get copies at a slight discount for classes.

Talk To Us

If you are interested, send email to Marty W6MDH and let him know. He can help you figure out the best way to get licensed and answer other questions you may have.

For More Information

Email Marty Heyman - W6MDH or call him at 510-290-6484. For emergency communications and other interesting local frequencies, see our Frequencies Page.

Copyright © 2007, Orinda Radio Interest Group.
This page inspected by Jordan H. Heyman. No rabbits were harmed in the production of this Web page.