Gaining your Licence

Becoming a radio amateur involves some learning. Exams are required by the international radio administration to ensure that all radio amateurs reach common standards of competence and safety. They are not designed to be a high barrier to entry.

There are three types of amateur radio licence available in the UK. They are;

• Foundation
• Intermediate
• Advanced
• Direct to Full

The intention of the three licences is that they become progressively more difficult to obtain but also reward you with more privileges on the air.

Direct to full is a new licence exam which if passed gives you the Full Advanced licence with only 1 exam, this is new from Jan 2023

Taken your exam

Each licence class is obtained by passing an exam that you can take at an examination centre. ANARC is registered as an examination centre. Although there is no requirement to take a course, we do recommend that you do take the course. Courses are taught by radio amateurs who have at least passed the level of licence that they are teaching. Teaching is designed to complement the published course booklets and help candidates by having people available to guide them through the process. Candidates are reminded that the final authority is the published course materials.

The examination is a multiple-choice question type that is pitched to allow an 8-year-old to pass the Foundation class of licence. Each licence has an accompanying booklet. At ANARC the course is free but you do have to pay for the course book, club membership and examination fees. If there is a practical element you may have to buy a small number of electronic components to complete the project.

If you would like to contact us please use the email address below or you can call into a club night for more information

• anarc.club@gmail.com
• Whitehall Road Methodist Church
  Whitehall Rd, Bensham, Gateshead NE8 4LH