Pathway Licences · 1 min
Get your amateur radio licence
From listening to transmitting: what an amateur licence lets you do, how the exams work, and how to prepare.
Draft. Not yet checked by an editor.
Listening to radio needs no permission. Transmitting does. An amateur ("ham") licence lets a private person transmit on the bands set aside for amateurs, for talking with other operators, experimenting, and helping in emergencies, but never for broadcasting to the public or for money.
Every country runs its own scheme. This pathway explains what they have in common, with examples from the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada, and points you to your own regulator for the rules that apply to you. Nothing here replaces the regulator's own material.
How the levels work
Most countries have two or three levels. The first is easy enough to pass with a few weeks of study and gives limited privileges; higher levels add power and frequencies.
| Country | Levels | Who runs the exams |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Technician, General, Amateur Extra | Volunteer examiners, under the FCC |
| United Kingdom | Foundation, Intermediate, Full | The RSGB, for Ofcom |
| Canada | Basic, Basic with Honours, Advanced | Accredited examiners, for ISED |
The lessons
Work through them in order. Each ends with questions to check yourself; the practice set at the end mixes them up.