ARRL or Gordon West w5yi

[KC2USH]

Hello,
Im looking to upgrade to extra but as far as buying a study book Im stuck between buying the ARRL licence manual or the W5YI Gordon west book. What do you guys suggest?
Thanks KC2USH

[KL7AJ]

Hello,
Im looking to upgrade to extra but as far as buying a study book Im stuck between buying the ARRL licence manual or the W5YI Gordon west book. What do you guys suggest?
Thanks KC2USH

I'm not a reliable source since I've written material for both entities. :)

Eric

[KI6DKC]

I like them both. I used ARRL for tech and Gordon West for General. Both are well written. Currently have Gordon West for Extra but if I had the extra $$$ I would also get the ARRL.

[WC5B]

If you want exact questions and the exact answers and nothing else, Gorden West. If you want more of a classic text book that lead into the question pool, ARRL. It depends on your learning style. Personally I love Gorden West and his drive to educate new hams and many of his products, but I prefer the ARRL manuals better.

[KD8OQM]

Personally I love Gorden West and his drive to educate new hamsi would have to agree. i passed my test with Gordo but have not tried ARRL. i would suggest gordo to anyone who wants to pass their tech test. Go, Gordo, GO!!!!!!!!

[AB8RU]

I used both ARRL and Gordon West also the math formulas you can only use certain calculators for the exam and examiner must verify it.

Unlike NCEES exams they will list either


Casio fx155xxx series
HP35S
the HP 35S has programs written for loading into the calculator so I would not reccomend that one VEs please note this one .

so my Texas Instruments TI89 may squeek by for a graphing Eng / Sci calc in a exam depends on the Exam Manager .

also brush up on your math free sites and ipod-casts are out there

Good Luck!:cool:

[KJ6KUW]

also the math formulas you can only use certain calculators for the exam and examiner must verify it.

Where does this info come from?

I haven't taken my Extra exam yet, but I've never heard of this. I was at a testing site last week and none of the VEs checked the calculators of the guys taking their Extra exams.

[KB1NXE]

Which entity do you plan on taking you test with? That's hoiw'd I'd make the choice.

[NC9Z]

Well I just passed my Extra test this past weekend, and I can't vote.

To prepare I used the W5YI book, the ARRL book, the AD7FO study guide and the AA9PW and QRZ practice tests. I also picked up two basic electronics books from the library.

W5YI and the practice tests are great for getting the right answer out of the bunch and the terminology down. The ARRL book and the electronics books gave me the theory needed to reason with the electronic and circuit theories, and the AD7FO study guide helped me break down the steps for the math.

For the Tech I read the ARRL book cover to cover and passed 1st try but without much breathing room, for the General I read the book cover to cover, didn't grasp the material well enough to pass so I had to take the question pool and hand write out a study guide to cement the information covered in the book to memory, only missed one; when the Extra rolled around I missed a couple out of the 15 allowed. The good news is the tests are just the start so as I progress deeper into the hobby I can learn more and more, but from here on out I can check to make sure I have the right formula.

[NA0AA]

If you want exact questions and the exact answers and nothing else, Gorden West. If you want more of a classic text book that lead into the question pool, ARRL. It depends on your learning style. Personally I love Gorden West and his drive to educate new hams and many of his products, but I prefer the ARRL manuals better.

I have nothing against Gordo, but I too prefer the ARRL manuals for their more detailed background. More like traditional learning. Gordo is ham-cram style, IMHO.

I have his code CD's and oh, my, he's way too perky for my taste - sort of like Richard Simmons...<G>

"OK, Now, what we want to do is remove the Liver: cut the suspension ligiments and get ready to life it out of the abdomen...ISN'T THIS FUN!?!?!"

[AF6LJ]

I used the ARRL license manuals.
The theory covered is good and easily understandable. For me they were helpful for the regulations and non theory stuff. :)

[W1RFI]

If you want exact questions and the exact answers and nothing else, Gorden West. If you want more of a classic text book that lead into the question pool, ARRL. It depends on your learning style. Personally I love Gorden West and his drive to educate new hams and many of his products, but I prefer the ARRL manuals better.
I sure agree about "Gordy." His passion for Amateur Radio and helping bring people into runs to the essence of his being. His enthusiasm and entertainment very much contribute a positive message for the sheer fun someone can have with Amateur Radio. I have talked with him on a number of occasions and found him to be a gentleman and most pleasant. I wish we had 650,000 more just like him! W5YI, although moving towards a semi-retirement, also has his heart in exactly the right place and the W5YI books and methods are also good. I don't know of a bad study guide being published today.

ARRL also does a Q&A book, focused on those that want to concentrate on the questions. All of everyone's study guides are good, and if a prospective ham has a local radio dealer, go there and flip through the pages of each he has in stock and see which one best suits your needs and style.

The larger ARRL ham-radio license manual is, as some have noted, more comprehensive, but some consider that a drawback when trying to pass the test. It serves as a first reference manual, of a sort, although its need to focus on the test makes is second best in that regard to books written specifically to be a reference manual. To each his own.

I did once give an older Now You're Talking to a guy whose kids were interested in Amateur Radio. He took one look at the 200 pages in the book and (correctly) figured that it was way too much for his kids, who never would read a 200 page book to be a begineer in ham radio. When I told him that in 1963, when I had to read to be a beginner in ham radio, the Novice section of the ARRL study guide was a whopping 3.5 pages, he had a very puzzled look on his face. :-)

The important thing is to really learn the material on the test. Some find a Q&A format to be more useful; others prefer a larger book with more of the "why" explained. The REALLY important thing it to take the test, then start the lifetime of learning that is Amateur Radio, so if all else fails, flip a coin and order a book -- any of them After all, if Amateur Radio could survive after having me read 3.5 pages to get a license in 1963, any of the books will work well for you.

73.
Ed Hare, W1RFI

[W1RFI]

I'm not a reliable source since I've written material for both entities. :)
I think that would make you a great source, Eric. :-)

And I still remember my visit to KL7 fondly!

73,
Ed, W1RFI

[K9IBM]

I just passed my extra with a 94% using both Gordo's extra class book and Hamtestonline.com. The online course is super by it's use of repetitive questioning along with gradually introducing you to new material as you answer correctly. If you just want to pass the test and not exactly learn the material this is the way to go. Lets face it.... if you want to learn it you'll have to spend more than $50 bucks and a few years of your life. Your goal is to get the extra class license and use the ticket to be able to do more to enhance your hobby. I used the Gordo book to enhance and clarify the answer when I didn't completely understand it (most of the time!)

[N0AZZ]

The ARRL manuals are the best if you desire to learn the material the W5YI if you just want to pass the test. I'm a VE for both of them and a liaison for ARRL for my own testing group I still help a W5YI group once a month also so can compare both.

[KF5IBA]

I passed my General using the Gorden West and the ARRL book. I didn't learn much with the Gorden West and did best using the ARRL book. However, my Dad recently passed his Tech (this weekend), by cramming for 3 hours during a Hamfest and taking the test at the end! He used a Gorden West for that. I think it depends on what type of learner you are.