Amateur Radio Service Operator Classes

Amateur Extra Class License
Image: arrl.org

Paul Angelides leverages decades of forensic engineering experience as the president of his own engineering firm in Syosset, New York, where he is responsible for daily operations and quality control. Outside of his professional work, Paul Angelides enjoys amateur radio and holds an Amateur Extra Class License.

The Amateur Extra Class License, and the other licenses issued to “ham” operators, are administered by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in Washington DC. The classes are designed for individuals of any age who have a personal interest in radio operation. These main classes include:

– Technician – Allows the operation of amateur radio equipment on frequency bands above 50 MHz, as well as four lower-frequency bands. Requirements include a written examination.

– General – Allows operation on all amateur frequency bands. Requirements include the Technician written examination and a General written examination.

– Amateur Extra – To obtain the Extra license, an individual must pass the Technician and General exams prior to completing a new 50-question exam. Once passed, a radio operator has access to additional high frequency bands.

– Novice – One of three “grandfathered” classes from previous years, the Novice license allows access to four high frequency bands, one very high frequency (VHF) band, and one ultra-high frequency band.