July 30 - August 29, 2024
Introduction to Amateur Radio
Culpeper County Fieldhouse • 16388 Competion Drive Culpeper, VA 22701 Organized by Culpeper County Parks and Recreation DepartmentAbout this event
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Description
Successfully completing this course will put you on the air as a licensed Amateur Radio Operator with your first radio in less than two (2) months. This class includes: instruction, course book, testing and FCC licensing/Radio Kit, if you successfully pass the exam.Would you like to speak to someone on the other side of the world?
Would you like to help your community with special events?
Would you like to learn how radios work?
How can you tell distant friends and relatives you are ok, when your power is off and the Internet is down?
Would you like to operate a station in another part of the country without leaving your home?
Are you interested in building your own radio and antennas?
How would you like to spend a beautiful afternoon in a state or national park and have people across the nation and world line up to contact you on a portable radio?
What would you do to help in the wake of a regional or national disaster?
Would you like to talk to an astronaut on the space station?
Do you know who Homeland Security looks to when all other forms of communication fail?
Did you know you can send and receive email using amateur radio? These are just a few of the things amateur radio operators do.
The Culpeper Amateur Radio Association (CARA) in association with Culpeper County Parks and Recreation is proud to offer a five-week (5) course to earn an amateur radio Technician License. If you complete the course and pass the exam, we will give you your first radio (included in the program).
The course will be presented at the Culpeper County Fieldhouse every Tuesday and Thursday evening from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. starting July 30th and finishing with you passing the license exam on August 29th.
You will need to spend an additional 4 hours each week for study and practice. That’s only 40 hours of your time, just 8 hours a week for 5 weeks, to launch a hobby that will last a lifetime!
There is no age limit or requirement for earning an amateur radio license, although we will start at 14+. Have you considered amateur radio as a family hobby? Financial assistance is available through Parks & Recreation. You may click here for more information on how to apply:
Financial Aid or Access Assistance Program
Introduction to Amateur Radio Sample Syllabus
To earn your Amateur Radio Technician license, you need to prove you know:
• What the rules are so you can avoid offending others and keep your license• How to setup and operate a station safely so that you don’t endanger yourself or others• How to setup and operate a station correctly so that you don’t interfere with other amateur radio stations, your neighbors or other radio service users
Module 1 – Welcome to Amateur Radio1.1 What is Amateur Radio1.2 The FCC and Licensing1.3 Amateur Radio Activities1.4 Getting Your Ham Radio License
Module 2 – Radio and Signals Fundamentals2.1 Radio Signals and Waves2.2 Radio Equipment Basics
Module 3 - Electricity, Components, and Circuits3.1 Electricity3.2 Components and Units3.3 Radio Circuits
Module 4 - Propagation, Antennas, and Feed Lines4.1 Propagation4.2 Antenna and Radio Wave Basics4.3 Feed Lines and SWR4.4 Practical Antenna Systems
Module 5 – Amateur Radio Equipment5.1 Modulation5.2 Transmitters and Receivers5.3 Digital Communications5.4 Power Supplies and Batteries
Module 6 – Communicating With Other Hams6.1 Band Plans6.2 Making Contacts6.3 Using Repeaters6.4 Nets6.5 Communications for Public Service6.6 Satellite Operating
Module 7 – Licensing Regulations7.1 Licensing Terms7.2 Bands and Privileges7.3 International Rules7.4 Call Signs
Module 8 – Operating Regulations8.1 Control Operators8.2 Identification8.3 Interference8.4 Third-party Communications8.5 Remote and Automatic Operation8.6 Prohibited Transmissions
Module 9 – Safety 9.1 Electrical Safety9.2 Managing RF in Your Station9.3 RF Interference (RFI)9.4 RF Exposure9.5 Mechanical Safety
License Exam• No time limit• 35 Multiple choice questions (you need to get 26, 74% right)• All the 412 possible exam questions and their answers are publicly available, and you are encouraged to study them• You can use a calculator, but you probably won’t need one• Online practice exams with the real questions and answers are available online and you will have taken them successfully several times before you get to exam night
Please sign in when you arrive, at the Front Desk. If you have not pre-registered, you will need to pay at that time before class.
Location
Culpeper County Fieldhouse (Classroom #2) 16388 Competition Drive
Instructor
Culpeper Amateur Radio Association
Age and Gender
Ages 12-255 · Co-Ed
Location
Sessions
Introduction to Amateur Radio
$50.00