Would you like an amateur radio license for $5? *
Tests available to students and the public.
Contact: Spencer, KM6SJO for more details - email
his call sign (at) gmail (dot) com
What: Exams for Technician, General, Amateur Extra
When: Saturday, TBA, 2025, 10 am - noon.
Where: Heritage High School,
101 American Ave,
Brentwood CA 94513.
Room C-114
Hosted by www.qrz.com/db/W6HHS
Heritage High School and
members of www.darc.club and
members of www.mdarc.org
* If you are under 18 years old the $5 is a discounted exam fee. The regular fee is $15.
Required: Obtain An FRN
Required: $5 (under 18) or $15 exam fee.
Recommended: Access to your email address.
Recommended: bring your own device (tablet or phone) or
borrow one of our 10" tablets if available.
Optional: account at ham.study/register
(can use Facebook Auth, Google Auth or your email address)
Optional session pre-registration (can be done on site)
to register: ham.study/sessions/DARC-CLUB/all
Team Identifier: DARC-CLUB
On-site: exam.tools/portal/applicant/DARC-CLUB
On-Site Pin: <four digits from registration>
Successful Candidates
After passing, resist the urge to log out of exam.tools.
Results must be certified by the VE team before you log out.
You will immediately receive an email with your
Certificate of Successful Completion of Exam (CSCE).
This is proof of your successful exam and is good for one year.
Exam session data is uploaded to the ARRL, processed then
uploaded to the FCC (next business day)
New Technicians will receive an email from the FCC requesting a $35 fee within 10 days.
Under 18 fee reimbursement is available from the ARRL using this form.
You are assigned your callsign. after you pay the FCC fee.
Callsigns are assigned alphabetical within region 6 (California),
something like KO6JRH as of June 7, 2025
This is called a 2x3 callsign. two letters before the six, three letters after the six.
Technicians can look for and request available 1x3 callsigns from the FCC
as a vanity callsign. People often prefer their initials.
Shorter 2x2, 1x2 and 2x1 callsigns are available after upgrades.
The view from the other side of the table
is a lot of fun. Generals and Extras
can join other Volunteer Examiners
helping people get and/or upgrade
their license.
Learning Amateur Radio & Passing The Technician Exam
The advice of Briggs Longbothum AB2NJ (SK) is the best we know for passing your exam.
There is plenty of time for deep learning after you pass and get on the air.
Here are the question pool questions and correct answers (592 kb) to prepare. Use this for final prep along with any other method you prefer.
Several online, e-book, print and video resources may help.
ham.study aka hamstudy.org practice tests are in the same format as exam.tools
ARRL offers arrlexamreview.appspot.com to take practice tests
KB2NU PDF study guides, specifically the technican pdf v2 (1.7MB)
ARRL manuals: ebook, paper or study guides, see curated links at the bottom of mdarc.org/education-and-testing/class-details who also offer courses
learn.arrl.org online courses free for members
KB2NU video (seven hours) KC6HWB of Ham Radio 2.0 four part videos (seven hours)
Benicia one day Ham Classes
Stockton-Delta offers one day w6sf.org/hamcramsignup.html
Annual October one day pacificon.org/education/license-classes/technician-class (next is Sat, Oct 11, 2025)