Ian, age 12, and Dan, KB6NU at the Field Day Get on the Air (GOTA) station. Photo: Dave New, N8SBE.
The ARROW Communications Association is ready to help you become an amateur radio operator.
- Our mentors can help you study for the exam.
- Our Volunteer Examiners hold monthly test sessions.
- We can advise you on equipment purchases.
- Our club meetings and activities provide opportunities to visit with and learn from active hams who live in the Ann Arbor area.
- Our one-day Tech classes are designed to teach you what you need to know to pass the Technician Class license exam in a single day. Immediately after the class, you take the test so that you don’t forget anything.
Are you ready to get started?
- Click here to go to our Contact Us web page where you can send us an email. In the email, tell us about yourself and the facet of ham radio that interests you most.
- Explore the web sites mentioned at the bottom of the page
- Come to ARROW club meetings and activities. Our general membership meeting is the second Wednesday of every month.
- Connect with one of our mentors, find out when the next one-day Tech class or license exam session will be held, and start studying!
- Morse code testing is no longer required, so entry level licensing is easy
- Usually no more than a week or two of study
- Study on your own and take the licensing test at one of our monthly license testing sessions or sign up for our next one-day Tech class.
While you are getting started, if you have a radio or scanner:
- Listen to our club repeater (146.96 MHz)
- Monitor a repeater during bad weather. Try 145.15 MHz, the repeater used by the local SkyWarn team. (For information on Skywarn, go to http://www.skywarn.org)
Odds are there’s a ham operator in your neighborhood who would be happy to help you get started. Here’s a web page that shows a map of ham operators in your zip code. Select to look up by zip code or address and enter the required information.
What does it cost?
- About $40 in books and fees
- About $200 for first radio and other gear
- Used equipment is available
Where can I find more information about ham radio?
- Wikipedia on Amateur Radio — a quick overview
- www.arrl.org – the national club — a great resource — covers all aspects of our hobby
- Getting Started with Ham Radio — Good info on setting up a station after you get your license
- FCC | Public Safety and Homeland Security Service Bureau | Amateur Radio Services
The FCC established amateur radio as a voluntary, non-commercial, radio communications service. It allows licensed operators to improve their communications and technical skills, while providing the nation with a pool of trained radio operators and technicians who can provide essential communications during emergencies. … more