From your first question to your first contact.
Study for the US amateur radio license with the official question pools, learn what each band is for, and use the calculators you will reach for once you are on the air. Free, with no account; your progress stays in your browser.
Tune across the bands
Who may transmit where, from 160 m to 70 cm. Lanes on the dial show Extra, General and Technician.
2 m
144 MHz to 148 MHz
Heavily used for short-range contacts through FM repeaters and simplex, and also for APRS, weak-signal SSB and CW, and satellites.
2 m privileges in detail- Amateur Extra
- Full privileges
- General
- Full privileges
- Technician
- Full privileges
Drag the pointer, tap a band, or use the arrow keys. Bands are evenly spaced, not to frequency scale.
Three licenses, earned in order
Technician
35 questions, 26 to pass
All privileges on 50 MHz and up (local FM, repeaters, satellites) plus limited HF.
409-question pool, valid through 2030
General
35 questions, 26 to pass
Most of the HF bands for nationwide and worldwide contacts.
423-question pool, valid through 2027
Amateur Extra
50 questions, 37 to pass
Every amateur privilege, including the Extra-only HF segments.
599-question pool, valid through 2028
Sources: 47 CFR 97.301, Authorized frequency bands (eCFR); 47 CFR 97.503, Element standards (eCFR); Amateur question pools (NCVEC)
Tools for the shack
- Antenna lengthDipole and quarter-wave lengths for any frequency, plus feed line wavelengths.
- Wavelength explorerDrag across the spectrum to see wavelength, antenna size and who may transmit.
- Ohm's law and powerSolve voltage, current, resistance and power from any two values.
- SWR and matchingSWR, reflection coefficient, return loss and power delivered to the antenna.
- DecibelsConvert power changes to decibels, and watts to dBm.
- Morse code trainerHear text as Morse at any speed and practice Koch lessons.
Start reading
- What is amateur radio?What the Amateur Radio Service is for, what licensed operators do on the air, who can get a license, and the rules that set it apart.
- How to get your licenseThe steps from first study session to a call sign in the FCC database, with the fees and rules that apply in 2026.
- License classes and privilegesWhat the Technician, General and Amateur Extra licenses each let you do, with the exact HF segments, power limits and the 2026 60 m rules.
- Choosing your first radioHow to think through a first station without brand advice, from handheld or mobile and antennas to programming, power, feed line and listening first.
- Making your first contactHow to listen, use FM simplex and repeaters, identify correctly and make your first VHF or UHF contact as a new Technician.
Where the content comes from
- 2026-2030 Technician Class (Element 2) question pool, effective July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2030, including errata through February 19, 2026.
- 2023-2027 General Class (Element 3) question pool, effective July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2027, including errata through February 4, 2026.
- 2024-2028 Amateur Extra Class (Element 4) question pool, effective July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2028, including errata through February 4, 2026.
- Band privileges from 47 CFR Part 97 as published in the eCFR on October 8, 2026, including the 60 m changes effective February 13, 2026.