Exam & Class Schedules
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? 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).
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? 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).
We recently completed General Class classes and will be scheduling new classes for all license levels in the new year. Check back here for updated information as it becomes available.
License Exams (All license levels)
License exam testing is sponsored by The Villages Amateur Radio Club and the American Radio Relay League. Exam sessions are conducted by volunteers working under the direction of the ARRL, and FCC, by the local team in liaison with the Amateur 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.
License exam testing is sponsored by The Villages Amateur Radio Club and the American Radio Relay League. Exam sessions are conducted by volunteers working under the direction of the ARRL, and FCC, by the local team in liaison with the Amateur 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).
- 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.
- NOTE: 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 above Technician), and by passing the current Element 2 Technician Class license exam, under certain circumstances, your original license privileges can be re-instated.