WC4DC RADIO LIBRARY · GUIDED PATH
New Ham Starter Pack
A guided path from “I am interested” to understanding the Technician license and getting ready to operate.
New / Prospective Hams
Beginner
60–90 min to explore
New / Prospective Hams
Beginner
60–90 min to explore 5 steps
Use this collection when amateur radio is still new. Work through it in order: understand the FCC account/licensing path, study from the official Technician pool, learn the core rules, then become familiar with where different activities belong on the bands.
When you finish this path
Know what to study, where the rules live, and what your first licensing steps look like.
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01Getting Started · Licensing
FCC CORES — Get or Manage an FRN
Federal Communications Commission
Official FCC system for creating and managing the FCC Registration Number used for licensing transactions.
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02Getting Started · Licensing
2026–2030 Technician Question Pool
NCVEC Question Pool Committee
The current official Technician-class question pool, syllabus, errata, and diagrams from NCVEC.
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03Licensing · Operating
47 CFR Part 97 — Amateur Radio Service
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
The current federal rules governing the U.S. Amateur Radio Service.
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04Licensing · Operating
ARRL Amateur Radio Band Plan
ARRL — The National Association for Amateur Radio
A practical voluntary band-plan reference showing common operating segments and activities.
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05Antennas · Operating
ARRL RF Exposure Calculator
ARRL — The National Association for Amateur Radio
Interactive calculator for estimating RF-exposure compliance distances for an amateur station.