TVARC Education Committee
The Villages Amateur Radio Club is active in education of HAMs and future HAMs of all ages. We hold public events several times each year to demonstrate our emergency communications capability. We are always glad to show off our radios from the size of postage stamp books to table top vacuum tube sets. Our club members setup radios in parking lots, parks or downtown on the square and send radio messages across the country under simulated emergency conditions. At our events we bring the latest in digital HF, VHF and UHF Band radios and the always present voice and Morse code stations. Plus we hold FCC license exam preparation classes every year. You can be a HAM too; each year our classes produces ten or more new operators. Before you can get on the air, you need to be licensed and know the rules to operate legally. Still concerned? Most every student who completed our classes since 2009 has passed their exam! The classes are provided free of charge to the public by the club, you will need a $30 text book available from the big online book stores (or normally $25 through the club, if available). 
Exam & Class Schedules
Technician Class License class schedule
DATES
​Chapter(s)
Course Outline
Wednesday, January 15
1
Welcome to Amateur Radio
​Wednesday, January 22
2
Radio and Signals Fundamentals ​
Wednesday, January 29
3
Electricity, Components and Circuits
Wednesday, February 5
4
Propagation, Antennas and Feed Lines
Wednesday, February 12
5
Amateur Radio Equipment
​Wednesday, February 19
6 & 7
Communicating with Other Hams & Licensing Regulations​
Wednesday, February 26
8 & 9
Operating Regulations, Safety, & Course Review​
Wednesday, March 9
-
​FCC Amateur License Testing Open to all Levels ​
Class Location and Times
  • Classes will be held in the Eisenhower Regional Recreation Center, Admiral King Room 
    3560 Buena Vista Blvd., in The Villages, Florida 32163. (NW corner of Buena Vista Blvd and CR 44A - Traffic Circle).
  • Classes meets Wednesday evenings, 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM, see schedule above.
  • An exam session will be held on Monday evening, March 9. See additional information below.
Text Book required for this course    Class supplies you will need for this course
  • Calculator, just a simple add, subtract, multiply, divide (NO Memory Functions)
  • Notebook and pen, just a simple spiral bound pad
​Useful links for Students ARRL/TVARC Sponsored FCC License Exams
  • Monday, March 9, 2020, 6:00 PM (Date/Time tentative)
  • EOC Classroom, Fire Station #44 in The Villages
    ​3035 Morse Blvd, The Villages, FL 32163 (SE corner Morse Blvd, and Pinellas Place/Moyer Loop - Traffic Circle). 
  • See additional info below at bottom of page.
To sign up for classes, click here.
General Class License class schedule
DATE
Chapter(s)
Course Outline
Tuesday, January 21
1 & 2 
Introduction & Procedures and Practices
Tuesday, January 28
 3
Rules & Regulations
Tuesday, February 4
4
Components & Circuits
Tuesday, February 11 **
5​
Radio Signals and Equipment
Tuesday, February 18
6
Digital Modes​
Tuesday, February 25
7​
​Antennas 
Tuesday, March 3​​
8 & 9​
Propagation, Safety, & Course review
​Monday, March 9
-
FCC Amateur ​License Testing Open to all Levels ​
Class Location and Times
  • Classes will be held in the Rohan Regional Recreation Center, Mulberry Grove Room.
    850 Kristine Way, The Villages, FL 34785. (NE corner of Morse Blvd and FL SR 44).
    ​** NOTE: the February 11 class will be in the Colony Cottage Room.
  • Classes will meet Tuesday evenings, from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM, see schedule above.
  • An exam session will be held on the following Monday evening, March 9. See additional information below.
Text Book required for this course Useful links for Students ARRL/TVARC Sponsored FCC License Exams
  • Monday, March 9, 2020, 6:00 PM (Date/Time tentative)
  • EOC Classroom, Fire Station #44 in The Villages
    ​3035 Morse Blvd, The Villages, FL 32163 (SE corner Morse Blvd, and Pinellas Place/Moyer Loop - Traffic Circle). 
  • See additional info below at bottom of page.
To sign up for classes, click here.
Extra Class License class schedule
DATE
Chapter(s)
Course Outline
​Self-Study
1, 2, & 3
Introduction, Operating Practices, & Rules and Regulations
​Monday, January 20
4
Electrical Principles
​Monday, January 27
5
Components and Building Blocks
Monday, February 3
6
Radio Circuits and systems
Monday, February 10
7
Radio Signals and Measurements
Monday, February 17
8
Modulation, Protocols and Modes
Monday, February 24
9
Antennas and Feed Lines
Monday, March 2
10 & 11
Topics in Radio Propagation, Safety, & Course Review 
Monday, March 9
-
FCC Amateur ​License Testing Open to all Levels
Class Location and Times
  • Classes will be held in the Eisenhower Recreation Center, Admiral Halsey Room 
    3560 Buena Vista Blvd., in The Villages, Florida. (NW corner of Buena Vista Blvd and CR 44A - Traffic Circle).
  • Classes will meet Monday evenings, from 6:00 PM to 8:50 PM, see schedule above.
Text Book required for this course Useful links for Students ARRL/TVARC Sponsored FCC License Exams
  • Monday, March 9, 2020, 6:00 PM (Date/Time tentative)
  • EOC Classroom, Fire Station #44 in The Villages
    3035 Morse Blvd, The Villages, FL 32163 (SE corner Morse Blvd, and Pinellas Place/Moyer Loop - Traffic Circle)
  • See additional info below at bottom of page.
Additional Extra Class Material (Click to Open File)
Extra Class Exam Study Guide 
NOTE1: file is large and may take a few minutes to download
To sign up for classes, click here.
FCC Amateur License Exam Information (All levels)
License exam testing is sponsored by The Villages Amateur Radio Club (TVARC) and the American Radio Relay League (ARRL). Exam sessions are conducted by volunteers working under the direction of the ARRL, and FCC, by the local team in liaison with the American Radio Relay League Volunteer  Examiner Program. 
The fee for testing is $15 and paid directly to the Team Liaison (Test Session Manager) on the day of the exam.
​The test session manager requests you bring exactly $15 CASH, as change is not available.
  • Please bring Photo-ID, CASH $15, copy of your current license (if you are upgrading), and a copy of any valid/current CSCE(s).
  • You must provide a valid US Mailing address.
  • If you are testing for a new license, it is encouraged that you go to the FCC/ULS website and enroll for an FRN number before the exam session.
  • If you are upgrading, insure that you have your FRN number with you. 
    NOTE: It is preferred to NOT use your SSN on the Form 605 when you fill it out at the exam sessions. Using your SSN will only slow down the processing time it will take to get your new license or upgrade into the FCC database.
  • If you want to take the next exam up from the one you passed at this session, you can on the same $15 fee, so long as we have the time to accommodate you. If you should fail an exam, and wish to re-take it, this would cost you an additional exam fee, as it would count as another exam candidate for processing, and this, too would be subject to remaining time available.
  • If you have an expired amateur license that is beyond the 2 year renewable grace period, you can bring proof of your expired license (of any level), and by passing the current Element 2 Technician Class license exam, under certain circumstances, your original license privileges can be re-instated.