Amateur Radio/Full Study Group 2015
Info
This information is intended for amateur radio enthusiasts already operating with an intermediate licence in the United Kingdom. If you're new to the hobby and want to know more, go here first.
The final full amateur radio licence can be a challenge and self-study can be overwhelming. The exam is 62 questions which you need to correctly answer a minimum of 37 questions (60% correct). Unlike other countries (such as the United States), the amateur radio exam questions in the United Kingdom are not published ahead of time. If you study the material and understand the fundamentals, you will pass handily.
A typical exam breakdown would be as follows:
| Questions | Syllabus Topics | Number of Questions |
|---|---|---|
| 1-10 | Licensing | 10 |
| 11-22 | Basic electronics | 12 |
| 23-35 | Transmitters and Receivers | 13 |
| 36-40 | Feeders and Antennas | 5 |
| 41-43 | Propagation | 3 |
| 44-51 | Electromagnetic Compatibility | 8 |
| 52-55 | Operating | 4 |
| 56-58 | Safety | 3 |
| 59-62 | Measurements | 4 |
As this is a living document (wiki), we'll continue to combine self-study with helpful documentation, discuss aspects of the syllabus, and arrange exams based upon the RSGB-mandated dates. We're not planning on doing full classes as it is quite a bit more content than the previous two licences.
Getting the full amateur radio licence means that you will have many operating privileges. Some highlights are as follows:
- All existing (foundation, intermediate) licence privileges
- Access to all amateur radio bands
- 400 watt transmission power
- Operation in foreign (CEPT) countries
- Operation at sea (maritime mobile)
- Operation and supervision of club stations
The exams are invigilated just like the others, but the results are graded centrally at RSGB HQ and you are informed in the mail. If you get a big envelope, you've passed! Congrats and go pick your M0 callsign! If you're impatient or like to know your callsign options ahead of time, you can contact OFCOM directly and ask about the availability of callsigns and they will typically reply within a few days.
Protip for examinees who received a failing grade: Don't panic! If you get a small envelope from the RSGB, you have likely not succeeded this time, but you can request a summary of results broken down by categories to assist in your further study and subsequent exam. You can succeed: lather, rinse, repeat!
Requirements
Studying for the exam:
Leading up to the exam, you will need to be naturally brilliant with a perfect memory or 'normally technical' and have the following:
- Motivation for self-study with external encouragement via buddy-system, informal 'elmering' and perseverance
- Ability to learn and understand mathematical formulas and rules on electromagnetism, best practices, and regulations.
Exam requirements:
- An existing UK 2E0 or 2E1 callsign (or alternately a pass at the previous exam level.)
- A current passport, photo ID driving licence, or other legal document showing name, photo, printed name and signature
- If you're under 16, you must let us know in advance as we'll require signed documentation from a parent/guardian and they are to be on the premises and responsible for you at all times.
- £45 exam fee (payable in advance, you'll have information on how to pay the fee in your 'exam acceptance' email.)
- A basic, silent, non-programmable (ideally scientific) calculator
- Pens/Pencils, including a black pen for the exam
Practicals & Essential Reading
- Note: there are no practicals for the full licence!
- RCF Advanced Level Syllabus is essential reading - there are many easy regulation / terminology questions in this
- Advance: The Full Licence Manual is important to have. Please buy a copy.
- CARS slides are very good for explaining various things
- QADV software is good for mock test feedback. Works fine under wine emulation for OS X / Linux workstation users
- kraptv also maintains a Dropbox/Google Drive share of mock-tests and other supplemental information. Contact him for the share.
Learning via Bath & District Advanced Remote Correspondence Course
In addition to the local group support and the resources above, a bit of structure can be helpful in getting to the goal: successful pass at exam time. Steve Hartley (G0FUW) is the co-author of the Advance: The Full Licence Manual and conducts a distance learning programme twice a year (Jan to Jun-Jul / Jun to Dec). The students that follow the course to its completion typically have better odds than just going it alone.
Blog post: One person's advanced course experience via Bath correspondence course.
If interested, contact Steve here.
Staff
Since this is not a structured course, we have a lot of people that are often available for explanations on the #lhs-radio Internet Relay Chat (IRC) channel.
Sign up & more information
Please post on the mailing list or get in the #lhs-radio chat channel and express your interest!