Meetings: Every Tuesday at 5:00 – 6:00 PM @ TKD
General References
Coursework Outline
| Session # / Topics to Cover / Date | REQUIRED Studies Before Session | Bonus Materials |
|---|---|---|
| #1: Welcome to Amateur Radio: What is Amateur Radio, The FCC & Licensing, Amateur Radio Activities, and Getting your Ham Radio License Mar 5 | – Update your ARRL Ham Radio License Manual with the ARRL Errata Document – Read & Study Chapter 1 – Study US Amateur Bands (pg 1-22) – Study & Learn Metric Prefixes (pg 2-2) | – Watch A Brief History of the Discovery of Electricity – Watch W4EEY Chapter 1 |
| #2: Radio Signals and Waves: Metric Prefixes, Frequency & Phase, The Radio Spectrum, Wavelength, and Radio Equipment Basics Mar 12 | – Read & Study Chapter 2 – Watch What are Electricity and Electrical Circuits – Watch FIRST Half of Voltage, Current, Resistance – Watch W4EEY Chapter 2 | – Watch What are Electromagnetic Waves? – Watch The Speed of Electricity |
| #3: Electricity: Current & Voltage, Circuits, Multi-meters, Resistance & Ohm’s Law, and Power Mar 19 | – Read & Study Section 3.1 (pg 3-1 through 3-7) – Watch Conductors, Resistors, and Ohms Law – Watch What is Ohm’s Law in Circuit Analysis? – Watch FIRST Hour of W4EEY Chapter 3 | – Watch SECOND Half of Voltage, Current, Resistance |
#4: Components and Units: Basic Components, Reactance & Impedance, and Resonance Mar 26 | – Read & Study First HALF of Section 3.2 (pg 3-8 through 3-10) – Watch Voltage, Current and Safety – Watch SECOND Hour of W4EEY Chapter 3 | – Read/Watch Overview of Basic Electronics Components |
| #5: Components and Units: Diodes, Transistors, & Integrated Circuits, Protective Components, Circuit Gatekeepers, and Schematics & Component Symbols Radio Circuits: Oscillators & Amplifiers, Modulators, and Mixers Apr 2 | – Read & Study Second HALF of Section 3.2 & Section 3.3 (pg 3-11 through 3-18) – Watch Resistor, Capacitor, Inductor, Transistor, Diode, Transformer – Watch Dave Casler’s Radio Circuits: Oscillator, Amplifiers, Modulator, Mixers | – Watch Capacitors and Inductors in Parallel (Resonance) – Watch MOSFET – The Most significant invention of the 20th Century |
| #6: Propagation & The Ionosphere Antenna and Radio Wave Basics & Antenna Gain Apr 9 | – Read & Study Sections 4.1 & 4.2 (pg 4-1 through 4-8) – Watch Radio Propagation 101 – Watch FIRST Hour of W4EEY Chapter 4 * Let Mr. Reiss know this week if you would like to order a Baofeng UV-5R radio. Cost: $25. You can use it to receive now, but cannot transmit until you get your license. | – Watch Understanding HF Propagation – See Space Weather Woman – Watch W2AEW Decibels – See HF Propagation and Solar-Terrestrial |
| #7: Feed Lines and SWR: Coaxial Cable, Characteristic Impedance, Standing Wave Ratio Practical Antenna Systems: Dipoles & Ground-Planes, Directional Antennas, and Practical Feed lines & Associated Equipment Apr 16 | – Read & Study Sections 4.3 & 4.4 (pg 4-9 through 4-19) – Watch Understanding VSWR and Return Loss – Watch Introduction to Antennas – Watch Radio Antenna Fundamentals Part 1 & Part 2 – Watch The Dipole Antenna – Watch SECOND Hour of W4EEY Chapter 4 | – Watch DIY 10-meter dipole for under $10 – Watch Does manually tweaking your auto tuner mean more radiated power? – Watch some of W2AEW’s NanoVNA videos |
| #8: Modulation: Bandwidth, Modulation, Continuous Wave (CW), Single-Sideband (SSB), Frequency & Phase Modulation, and Bandwidth of Modulated Signals Transmitters and Receivers: Selecting Band, Frequency, & Mode, Transmitter Functions, Receiver Functions, VHF/UHF RF Power Amplifiers, and Transverters Apr 23 *** BRING YOUR RADIOS & MANUALS TO THIS AND ALL FUTURE CLASSES *** | – Read & Study Sections 5.1 & 5.2 (pg 5-1 through 5-11) – Watch AM & FM Modulation Explained with Demonstrations – Watch Understanding Single Side Band – Watch How AM and FM Work – Watch FIRST Hour of W4EEY Chapter 5 – Read Choosing a Ham Radio – Review Baofeng UV-5R: Manual, Crash Course & Teardown | – Read The Many Types of Radio Frequency Modulation – Watch The History of Single Sideband – Watch Basic Principles of Frequency Modulation – Review Ham Radio Outlet’s Summer 2023 Catalog & write questions |
| #9: Digital Communications (Amateur Digital Modes): Packet & Packet Networks, Keyboard-to-Keyboard, APRS, Setting up for Digital, and Gateways Power Supplies and Batteries: Power Supply Basics, Mobile Power Wiring, & Battery Basics Apr 30 | – Read & Study Sections 5.3 & 5.4 (pg 5-11 through 5-19) – Watch Intro to Ham Radio Digital Modes – Watch Get Started with FT8 – An Introduction for Beginners – Watch Batteries – Watch SECOND Hour of W4EEY Chapter 5 | – Watch DMR For Beginners – Watch at least first 3 Building a Linear Power Supply videos – Watch Why Don’t Batteries Discharge When You Connect Them End to End – Watch Mixing Old and New Batteries |
| THIS WEEK: * With your family, register for your FCC CORES login. SAVE your login and password — you’ll need to login again after your test. If you don’t have a Social Security Number (SSN) and are a Resident Alien, choose the option “don’t have an SSN” with the reason “Individual is a Foreigner“. * Write or print your unique FCC Registration Number (FRN), as you WILL need on the test application. * Email your FRN to Mr. Reiss immediately. * With your family, NOW review What to Bring to an Exam Session. Ensure you and your family have the necessary Identification(s) prepared NOW. Don’t wait! | ||
| #10: Band Plans, Definitions & Finding Band Plans Making Contacts: Repeater Contacts, Simplex Frequencies, SSB, CW, & Digital Contacts, Q-Signals, DX-ing & Contesting, and Video Using Repeaters: Finding Repeaters, Repeater Offset/Shift, Linked Repeater Systems, Repeater Access Tones, and Digital Repeater Systems May 7 | – Read & Study Sections 6.1, 6.2, & 6.3 (pg 6-1 through 6-16) – Review US Amateur Radio Bands – Study (& print) Q-Signals, ITU Phonetics, and Tech Bands and Q codes, abbreviations, and Morse code – Watch How to Make Your First Contact on 2 Meters and Repeaters – Watch Accessing a Ham Radio Repeater – Review New England Repeater Directory – Watch FIRST Hour of W4EEY Chapter 6 | – Check out QRZ.com GridMapper – Review CT Band Plans: 2-meters & 440 MHz – Watch My First Amateur Ham Radio Contact Attempt – Watch Ham Radio Fox Hunting 101 – Watch The Fun Of Ham Radio DX – Watch How to Call CQ |
| #11: Nets: Net Structure & Participation and Exchanging Messages Communications for Public Service: ARES & RACES and Threats to Life & Property Satellite Operating: Definitions, Tracking a Satellite, and Operating via Satellite May 14 | – Read & Study Sections 6.4, 6.5, & 6.6 (pg 6-16 through 6-25) – Watch How to Compose a Radiogram & Sending and Receiving Traffic – Watch Ham Radio Helping the Community: Manchester Road Race Communications – Watch SECOND Part of W4EEY Chapter 6 | – Watch ISS Crossband Repeater Ham Radio Contacts – Try AMSAT Online Satellite Pass Predictions – ISS – Read “Page 6-24” Explanation Re: T8B02 |
| #12: Licensing Terms, Bands, Privileges & International Rules Call Signs, Control Operators, Privileges & Guest Operating Identification, Interference, Third-party Communications, Remote and Automatic Operation, Definitions, and Responsibilities, & Prohibited Transmissions May 21 | – Read & Study Section 7 (pg 7-1 through 7-17) – Watch The Storied History of the Ham Radio Callsign – Check out QRZ.com’s Callsign Database – Watch W4EEY Chapter 7 – Read & Study Section 8 (pg 8-1 through 8-12) – Watch W4EEY Chapter 8 * Take a Practice Exam Online | – Read Experiences on a 70 cm band shared with radiolocation service & FCC Grants Secondary Service Allocation to Wireless Broadband Medical Micropower Networks – Find a used ham radio transceiver on eBay and bring the link to class to discuss in the group |
| #13: Electrical Safety, Managing RF in Your Station & RF Interference (RFI): Electrical Injuries, AC Safety & Grounding, and Lightning Protection, Filters, Interference from Amateur Transmissions, Harmonics, Spurious Emissions, & Leakage, Good Practices in Your Station, RFI & Neighbors, and Part 15 Rules RF Exposure: Exposure Limits, Averaging & Duty Cycle, Evaluating Exposure, and Exposure Safety Measures Mechanical Safety and Putting Up Antennas & Supports May 28 | – Read & Study Section 9 (pg 9-1 through 9-20) – Read Wikipedia Electrical Injury – Watch Station Grounding for Amateur Radio – Read ARRL Electrical Safety – Practice using ARRL RF Exposure Calculator – Watch W4EEY Chapter 9 * Take 3 Practice Exams Online | – Review and read at least 1 Article in each of Grounding, Lightning Protection, Electrical Safety, & RF Exposure – Watch ARRL Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) Interview – Read FCC Maximum Permissible RF Exposure Regulations |
| THIS WEEK: * Ensure you have ready your 2 Forms of Acceptable Identification (1 if Under 18 and Parent brings their ID) * Print & Complete FCC NCVEC Quick-Form 605 * If Under 18: Print & Complet Page 1 of ARRL Youth Licensing Grant Program | ||
| #14: REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!!! Jun 4 & 11 | * Take at least 6 Practice Exams Online | – Read AD7FO’s Technician License Question Pool with Answers |
| YOUR EXAM: SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 2024 @ 10:00AM Arrive at 9:45 AM at: Vintage Radio Museum of CT 115 Pierson Lane, Windsor, CT 06095 Bring: * Printed & Completed FCC NCVEC Quick-Form 605 * 2 Forms of Acceptable Identification (1 if Under 18 and parent provides their ID) * 2 Number-2 Pencils with Erasers * Calculator with Memory Erased * $15 cash ($5 cash if Under 18) * Consider giving a $5 cash donation to the museum After you have passed the test, the FCC will email you a link to make $35 payment. You will have 10 days to complete the payment online. Prior to the email, you can check your status anytime using your FRN at https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsApp/ApplicationSearch/searchAppl.jsp. As soon as you see “Pending Application” status, you can make payment. Once the FCC processes your payment, you’ll receive another email with your license! Be sure you print it out, as the email expires in 30 days. You can use the same link about to check regularly for your license even before the email arrives!! You may use your license as soon as your call sign appears in the FCC ULS Database!! CONGRATULATIONS!!! * If under 18, to receive $35 Reimbursement: AFTER you receive your license, Print and Complete Page 1 of ARRL Youth Licensing Grant Program. Then email it to the ARRL at . | ||
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