Interest in becoming a HAM?
You don't have to be a genius to get your ham radio license. But before you can get on the air, you need to be licensed and know the rules to operate legally. US licenses are good for 10 years and are renewable. In the US there are three license classes currently issued by the FCC; you start as a Technician, progress to General and then Extra. Each license level has more privileges, but they do come with additional knowledge requirements.
Before you can get on the air, you need to be licensed and know the rules to operate legally. Just like driving a car, you need to take a test to get your license.
The Villages Amateur Radio Club is active in education of HAMs and future HAMs of all ages. We hold four or more classes each year for people to become HAMs and HAMs to advance to a higher level. TVARC offers Technician (entry level), General Class and Amateur Extra Class license preparation classes that are free and open to the public. The only cost is a $30 text book available from online sellers in paperback and eBooks. The rest of the course material is free to download.
TVARC will hold a class anytime ten or more people signup. This normally results in classes during October to mid-November and mid-January to the end of February. Those who signup will be notified about classes by email as soon as classrooms are reserved. Later class information is posted on the TVARC website prior to class start.
For information about taking an exam with us, please click here.
Before you can get on the air, you need to be licensed and know the rules to operate legally. Just like driving a car, you need to take a test to get your license.
The Villages Amateur Radio Club is active in education of HAMs and future HAMs of all ages. We hold four or more classes each year for people to become HAMs and HAMs to advance to a higher level. TVARC offers Technician (entry level), General Class and Amateur Extra Class license preparation classes that are free and open to the public. The only cost is a $30 text book available from online sellers in paperback and eBooks. The rest of the course material is free to download.
TVARC will hold a class anytime ten or more people signup. This normally results in classes during October to mid-November and mid-January to the end of February. Those who signup will be notified about classes by email as soon as classrooms are reserved. Later class information is posted on the TVARC website prior to class start.
For information about taking an exam with us, please click here.
Amateur Extra Class License class schedule - Winter 2022
DATE |
Course Outline (Question Group) |
Monday, January 31 |
Class 1: Regulations (E1 & E2) |
Monday, February 7 |
Class 2: Radio Components & Subsystems (E6 & E7) |
Monday, February 14 |
Class 3: Waveforms, Modulation, Receivers, Operating, Space & TV (E2, E4, E8) |
Monday, February 21 |
Class 4: AC Waveforms, Transmission Characteristics (E5 & E9) |
Monday, February 28 |
Class 5: Propagation, Antennas & Safety (E0, E3, E9) |
Monday, March 7 |
FCC Amateur License Testing - Open to all Levels |
Text Book required for this course
- Amateur Extra Class Study Guide (revised), Download PDF
- Chapter 1 of the Study Guide covers everything about how the class will work and what you need to study.
- Classes will be held in the Eisenhower Recreation Center, General Marshall 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 8:45 PM, see schedule above.
- Extra Class Exam Class Videos Online, courtesy of Dave Casler, KE0OG - https://dcasler.com/ham-radio/extra/
- Monday, March 7, 2022, 6:00 PM (Date/Time tentative)
- Eisenhower Regional Recreation Center, General Marshall Room
- 3560 Buena Vista Blvd., in The Villages, Florida
- See additional info below at bottom of page.
To sign up for classes, click here.
January 2022 Technician Class cancelled as the minimum signup was not met
January - February Amateur Technician Class License classes (new HAMs).
A Technician Class may be held mid-January 2022 to the end of February 2022 subject to ten or more people signing up by mid-November 2021. Those who sign-up will be notified about classes by Email as soon as a quorum is met.
Must sign up for classes in advance, click here.
January - February Amateur Technician Class License classes (new HAMs).
A Technician Class may be held mid-January 2022 to the end of February 2022 subject to ten or more people signing up by mid-November 2021. Those who sign-up will be notified about classes by Email as soon as a quorum is met.
Must sign up for classes in advance, click here.
February 2022 General Class cancelled as the minimum signup was not met
February Amateur General Class License classes
A General Class may be held during February 2022 subject to ten or more people signing up by mid-November 2021. Those who sign-up will be notified about classes by Email as soon as a quorum is met.
Must sign up for classes in advance, click here.
February Amateur General Class License classes
A General Class may be held during February 2022 subject to ten or more people signing up by mid-November 2021. Those who sign-up will be notified about classes by Email as soon as a quorum is met.
Must sign up for classes in advance, click here.
The Silver Springs Radio Club (SSRC) also provides monthly exams. The SSRC offers exams on the 2nd Tuesday of each ODD month in Ocala. For information, and to register for an exam, click here.
The Lake Amateur Radio Association (LARA) offers monthly exams in Leesburg. For information and to register, 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.
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.
- A basic calculator with simple memory functions is allowed. Scientific and programmable calculators will not be allowed to be used.
- Bring one (or two) #2 pencils. The exam is completed on an answer sheet not unlike what we used in school where your answers are recorded by filling in a bubble that indicates your choice. Bring a good eraser should you change your mind with an answer as the exam is now graded by camera.
- Exam Candidates are NOW REQUIRED to register in the FCC CORES system and receive a Federal Registration Number (FRN) before exam day. To obtain an FRN you must go to the FCC CORES User Account and Registration page: https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/userLogin
Here is a video that may help how to register and create the FRN: www.fcc.gov/rofrn
Here is a Users Guide with lots of information: Users Guide
If you are upgrading, insure that you have your FRN number with you. Hint: it is on your current license. - 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 will cost you an additional exam fee, as it would count as another exam candidate for processing, and this too, would be subject to the 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.
- Beginning with our August 31, 2021 Exam Session, candidates must be "Pre-Registered" . The VE team is transitioning to an electronic format for all paperwork/documents, and grading of the exams by software controlled camera.
- To Pre-Register a candidate will need to go to https://hamstudy.org/sessions/nd4g
- Bring a printout copy of the Email you receive from HamStudy.org as proof of your pre-registration. On it is a pin number you will use to take your exam(s).