Is Ham Technician Enough

[pdenton]

I have a Marine SSB which requires a station license. But to transmit on the available ham bands, I need a ham license.
I would like to be able to join into chat groups and my question is does a Technition Level liscense allow me to do that? Or do I need the next level?
pdenton

[ejs]

Hi,
No, you will need the next level up, a general class license to transmit on the Ham bands that your SSB radio allows. The tech license allows voice only above 30 MHz and Marine SSB is all below 30 MHz. It requires another multiple choice test, but there is no longer a morse code requirement.

Cheers, Eric

[denverd0n]

And, honestly, the test isn't all that hard.

[roverhi]

Didn't find the General exam much if any harder harder than the Technician. A days study on online exams is all I did for the General. Studied more for the Technician. Must have done well on the General exam as the people doing testing were surprised when I didn't take the Extra exam as well.

Technician doesn't allow you to talk on HF frequencies so is virtually useless if you are Morse Code challeged like me.

[pdenton]

good to hear it's relatively easy, but do you know in advance how many questions need to be answered correctly to pass the test?

[Celestialsailor]

When I did it a few years back, it was 100 questions, I believe. I did a cram class, where you show up, study only the answers for 1 hour, then write the test. I think most of the class passed this way. But yes, you need a general at least for using voice.

[jewt]

The AARL website has practice exams using the actual test question bank.
Take the practice exams until you are sure you can pass the actual test. I took the tech and general at the same setting and passed both without problems.

jewt
S/V Bifrost

[roverhi]

FYI, if you plan on sailing to Europe you might want to go all the way to the Extra License. Britain, for one, doesn't accept the General License for guest priveleges, you need the Extra to transmit legally there. Think same goes for the rest of the EU.

[pdenton]

But again what is the passing score?
pdenton

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by pdenton

But again what is the passing score?
pdenton

35 questions on the exam. Need 26 correct to pass.

For amateur extra class license - 37 out of 50 to pass.

Most countries do not recognize the US General license plus the frequencies on which Generals may operate is very limited but can be used for some marine nets.
Six yr old children have passed both if that gives you any motivation.

[SteveSails]

Take the technician and general class tests at the same time, easy enough to pass both with a bit of cramming especially if you already know something about electricity. As far as passing scores, what's on the tests, and testing locations/schedules go to the AARL website for the latest info, order a study guide while your there.

ARRL | Licensing, Education & Training | Getting on the Air

Good luck.

[Rorzech]

I believe it was a 100 questions and 75% got you a basic license which is pretty much useless, and 80% got you an Honours license. Then you can talk on the whole spectrum. I studied the One Thousand question, bank on the internet for 8 hours. Wrote the test of 100 of those questions randomly picked and got 78%. so I wrote it again with completely different set of random questions and got over 80% like nothing. Some types of questions you'll be good at and some you won't. So its like a crap shoot , that's all. Now I've got it for ever and am really happy about it.There's a lot to learn yet , but now that I've got my foot in the door i can study the areas that pertain to my needs at my own leisurely pace.

[Celestialsailor]

Originally Posted by Rorzech

I believe it was a 100 questions and 75% got you a basic license which is pretty much useless, and 80% got you an Honours license.

This is incorrect information. There is a Technical exam and a separate General exam. There is no "honours" license.

[S/V Illusion]

Originally Posted by Celestialsailor

This is incorrect information. There is a Technical exam and a separate General exam. There is no "honours" license.

You mean in the U.S.
There is a big world out there.

[SteveSails]

Originally Posted by S/V Illusion

You mean in the U.S.
There is a big world out there.

Good point, the OP never mentioned where in the world he or she is. We just assumed USA but maybe in our defense the mention of technician class was a clue.

I also noticed two of us (myself included) typed AARL instead of ARRL for American Radio Relay League. That would have been a big help if the OP Googled AARL instead of ARRL.