Enter a callsign and country/state in the top right. AI Elmer uses that location plus the current solar numbers to explain which HF bands are most likely to work. Solar values are pulled from NOAA SWPC when available, with a safe fallback if the feed is unavailable.
FCC License & New Ham Guide
Everything a new ham needs — from zero to first QSO. Click any button to get a real AI Elmer answer right here on this page, or open a free study resource below.
Technician
Your entry into amateur radio. Full VHF/UHF privileges, repeaters, local nets, APRS, satellites, and limited HF on 10m, 15m, and 40m CW.
- 35-question written exam, no code required
- Valid 10 years, renewable for free
- Exam fee: ~$15 at most VE sessions
- Study time: 2–4 weeks at 20 min/day
General
The major HF upgrade. Unlocks most of 80m, 40m, 20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, and 10m for worldwide DX, POTA, contesting, and digital modes.
- 35-question exam, taken same day as Tech
- HF is where ham radio gets truly global
- Many hams test Tech + General same session
- Study time: 3–5 weeks if upgrading
Amateur Extra
Full amateur privileges — every band, every mode, every segment. Also required for certain club trustee and repeater coordinator roles.
- 50-question exam, most technical of the three
- Adds exclusive sub-band privileges on HF
- Deeper electronics, antenna theory, rules
- Study time: 4–8 weeks for serious study
📖 HamStudy.org
The best free study tool. Adaptive flashcards, full practice exams, tracks your weak spots, and shows the real question pool with explanations.
📝 Practice Exams
Take full simulated exams before your test day. Aim for 85%+ consistently before scheduling. These use the real FCC question pool.
📅 Find an Exam
Schedule your VE session — online or in-person near you. Most sessions cost $15 or less. You can test for multiple licenses in one sitting.
📡 After You Pass
You passed — now what? Get on the air fast. Your callsign appears in the FCC ULS database within a few days of passing.
📚 Study Guides
Full textbooks if you prefer reading over flashcards. ARRL and Gordon West are the gold standards used by VE teams nationwide.
🆘 Ask Elmer Directly
Have a specific question not covered by the buttons above? Type anything into the main Elmer chat — licensing, gear, antennas, your first QSO.
Ham Radio Tools
Practical calculators every new ham needs. All math done instantly — no internet required.
Find the wire length for a dipole, vertical, or OCF dipole. Uses the standard 468/f formula.
How much signal are you losing in your feedline before it even reaches the antenna?
Convert between watts and dBm, or calculate how many dB a power change represents. Essential for understanding gain and loss.
Enter your SWR reading and see how much power actually reaches the antenna vs. bounces back. Helps you decide if your SWR is acceptable.
Excellent
Good
Acceptable
Fix it
New hams always struggle with repeater offsets. Enter the output frequency and get the input (where you transmit) automatically.
Convert between frequency and wavelength. Useful for understanding band names, antenna spacing, and propagation.
Calculate voltage, current, resistance, or power. Fill any two fields and get the other two. Essential for understanding radio circuits.
The two things every new ham needs to memorize. Click any letter or Q-code to hear how it's used on the air.
RST stands for Readability, Strength, Tone. Used in every contact to rate the other station's signal. Build a report and understand what it means.
Which frequencies can you use? Where is SSB vs CW vs FT8? Click a band for a summary. Tech, General, and Extra portions shown.
First QSO Script Builder
The #1 fear of every new ham is “I don’t know what to say.” Fill in three fields and get a word-for-word script you can read right off this screen.
⚠ Most common mistakes
- Saying “over and out” (pick one)
- Not identifying with your callsign
- Holding the PTT before speaking
- Transmitting without listening first
- Saying “radio check” repeatedly
✓ Procedure words to know
- Over — your turn to transmit
- Out — conversation is done
- Go ahead — please transmit
- 73 — best regards / goodbye
- QRZ? — who is calling?
🔐 ID rules (FCC)
- Say your callsign at start and end
- ID every 10 minutes during contact
- Use English for station ID
- Portable: add “/portable” or location
- No ID needed for unmodulated testing
🎙 What to actually say
- Signal report: “You are 5-9”
- Your name and location
- Your antenna and radio setup
- Weather if nothing else comes to mind
- Ask what they are running for equipment
POTA & SOTA Guide
Parks on the Air and Summits on the Air are the fastest-growing activities in amateur radio. Click any question to get a real Elmer answer, or use the hunter/activator planner below.
🏈 Parks on the Air (POTA)
Operate from any of 30,000+ designated parks, forests, wildlife refuges, and protected lands worldwide. Activate a park as an operator or hunt activators from home.
⛰ Summits on the Air (SOTA)
Hike to designated summit peaks and operate from there. Points are awarded based on summit difficulty. Both the activator and hunters score points.
Antenna Advisor
Answer 5 questions and AI Elmer gives you a specific antenna recommendation with installation tips — matched to your lot, license, goals, and budget.
FREE Elmer Quiz
Real FCC question pool questions — the exact questions used on actual Technician, General, and Amateur Extra exams. AI Elmer explains every wrong answer so you learn the WHY, not just the answer.
Morse Code Trainer
Two modes: Send — type anything and hear it in Morse. Copy Practice — Elmer transmits random callsigns and words, you copy what you hear.