Thank you for joining us today at Fresh's Workshop. If this is your first visit, welcome! If you're returning, we appreciate your continued support.
This is the spot where we build and repair all kinds of cool stuff, along with making a ton of saw dust. (Man Glitter.)
During our last session in the Workshop, we showed you Part 2 of our Digital Clock for the bedroom project.
Before we begin today's project, let's take a moment and talk about shop safety:
Be sure to read, understand and follow all of the safety rules that come with your power tools. Knowing how to use your power tools properly will greatly reduce the risk of personal injury. And remember this, there is no greater safety rule than to wear safety glasses.
It’s been a long summer at the shop. We started a woodturning project but haven’t finished it yet. That project will be coming up in a later episode.
Then came a total knee replacement, which sidelined me for a few months.
Before and after
Between the surgery and the scorching weather, I haven’t spent any time in the shop. While recuperating (and waiting for SEC football),
I decided to study for a Ham Radio upgrade.
I currently hold a General Class license, which is the most popular, but I’ve always aspired to achieve the top-tier Ham Radio Extra Class license.
Since ham radio is considered a hobby for smart individuals, I decided to get the license meant for the truly intelligent.
Here is how it works. You start with a Technician Class. (a 35-question test) then work up to the General Class. (A 35-question test) The questions get harder with each level. And your radio privileges grow as you upgrade. This is the license that I have held for many years.
Then comes the top tier. A 50 question test derived from a 600+ question pool. So you have to know ALL the answers, since you have no idea what the 50 questions will be. You must answer 37 questions correctly in order to pass the exam. It's not as easy as you think it is.
"So Fresh, how did you do it?"
First of all, full disclosure: I spent my career in radio, mostly on the engineering side. While that type of engineering is different, there are many aspects that relate to ham radio.
I started with an online study guide with practice tests. There are many to choose from, and I found four that looked promising.
1) HAM RADIO PREP
This was my go-to for studying. You need to purchase a plan, but it’s definitely worth the price. Keep in mind that each class of license has a separate charge. The Extra Class course was about $60.00. There’s no time limit to finish your studies. I bought my plan five years ago, but my wife's broken leg, and my prostate cancer got in the way. And no, I was NOT compensated for this endorsement.
2) ARRL American Radio & Relay League
This site is complicated, as they are trying to do too many things at once. I will link to the pages of interest. I used this site primarily for the practice tests.
You do not have to join the ARRL to use the practice test, but you will have to set up a free account. (OH BOY! another password.)
3) HAM EXAM . ORG
I like this site due to it's simplicity, but don't let that fool you. This site is loaded with info and is easy to maneuver. And you get to learn yet another password.
4)RADIO QTH As you take their practice test, you can track your progress as you answer each question. I liked that option. This site will test your skills in speed. If you take too long to answer a question, it will 'time out' and you get to start over.
We will start with HAM Radio PREP. Once you enroll you can start your studies.
The course is set up in individual sections or lessons.
Each lesson begins with a video, followed by the same content in text form. Next, you proceed to the quiz, which you can retake as many times as you want. I kept retaking each quiz until I achieved a perfect score of 100%. Then, I reviewed it the following day and again the day after that.
(Spoiler Alert....The answer is "C")
After going through the lessons, I decided to start practice tests early, completing about 75% of the lessons first. My initial scores were around 50-60%, but I didn’t let that get me down. I kept practicing, and my scores steadily improved. By the time I finished all the lessons, I was scoring around 70-75%.
One drawback of Ham Radio Prep is that the questions and answers are always presented in the same order. This made me focus on memorizing the position of the correct answer rather than the answer itself.
So, I moved on to taking practice tests on the ARRL site.
After working on the ARRL version, I added the Ham Exam site. Now I am taking all THREE practice exams every day. On all three sites. That's NINE practice exams a day!
One great feature of Ham Exam is the ability to track your progress and identify areas that need extra study.
I need to spend more time on E5!!
Another site that I found is Radio QTH . (Yes. another damn PASSWORD) Luckily, I have a way to keep track of them)
Anyway, I did take a practice exam on this site. I like the fact that you can see you result as you take the test.) And you can track your test history as well:
Watch the videos, then take the quizzes. After reaching the 75% mark, I returned to HAM RADIO PREP and reviewed the text version of the course. It helped fill in a few gaps as I prepared for this moment.
In a separate file, I tracked my test scores.
It looks like I am ready to take the test! But I have to wait until September 9!!I could schedule a test via Zoom but have elected to take the test at our local Ham Club.
Here we are on September 1! Testing day is just 8 days away, and I’m still doing well on my practice tests. A couple of the math questions have finally clicked in my brain. With the help of my new calculator (TI-30X IIS), there are 4 or 5 math questions I never miss. Plus, memorizing some charts has locked in 3 more questions I always get right..
I am continuing my daily tests.
I started to take my first test in the morning with my coffee. Then I throw that score in the dumpster. Now that I am awake, I can start the tests that I count.
Yes, I got a 100 % on one of my tests today!
Sept 9 - Day of the test.
I think I am ready. They say I am ready.
Not wanting to distract the other test takers, I refrained from taking pictures during the exam. There was one candidate taking the Technician test, three taking the General test, and three of us, including myself, tackling the Extra Exam.
Thirty minutes later, I walked out with my completed paperwork.! I now have the highest Ham Radio license you can have!
F.A.Q.'s
How much time did you study each day?
It depended on my schedule. Typically, I started my day with coffee and then headed to the radio room. (It is nice to be retired) While making FT8 contacts on the radio, I took sample tests. However, Saturday mornings were reserved for watching cartoons on METV.
I usually studied until around 11 AM. Then I took a nap!
Was it hard?
YES
Was it worth the effort?
YES
And now, some final thoughts.
I had many reasons for starting this journey, some of which I mentioned earlier. I also wanted to see if my 74-year-old brain still had room for new information.
My biggest worry was the math required to pass this test. I’ve always struggled with math, and by the time I got to college, I never wanted to deal with it again.
They say anyone can pass the Ham Radio tests with the right attitude and effort.
I realized that passing doesn't require being a math genius; like any test, it just takes some memorization.
I have heard that if you know the rest of the test, you can skip all the math and still get a passing grade.
I did not go that route. I wanted to see if I could do at least some of the math.
I found a number of questions that I just couldn't memorize. So, I thought if I could learn some of the math, that would counter act my lack of memorization.
I found it was easy. All I needed to do was memorize the equation and have a good calculator. (They are allowed when you take the test).
There were two math question where I just memorized the answer.
With a passing grade of 96% (I missed two questions) I earned my upgraded license.
All I need to do now, is wait for the 'Friendly Candy Company' (ie: F.C.C.) to issue my new license. That takes about 48 hours. In the meantime, I am authorized to use my new Ham privileges.
My mornings are no longer spent on endless practice tests, so now I need a new project to focus on. Maybe I'll learn Spanish—or even Klingon!
qorDu'ghotpu' je
But for now, it's time for an adult beverage.
And into the radio room I go for some Ham Radio fun.
Thanks for joining us, and we hope to see you again in the shop. Maybe next time we can actually build something.
Gator football looks like it is headed down the porcelain appliance, so I should get some extra time in the workshop as well as my Audio Mixer Project.
Be sure to visit some of my other blogs:
DISCLAIMER The information contained here is for ENTERTAINMENT purposes only. Working with woodworking tools can be dangerous. The user of these tools should have a basic knowledge of woodworking and be familiar with the proper use and safety precautions associated with these tools. Always wear appropriate personal protective equipment, such as safety glasses, ear protection, and a dust mask. Always use the tool in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions and guidelines. Always maintain a safe and organized work area.
God Speed, Mother Nature
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