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Ham Radio 360: Extra Class Upgrade with W4EDF

Discussion in 'Amateur Radio News' started by K4CDN, Aug 22, 2017.

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  1. K4CDN

    K4CDN Ham Member QRZ Page

    Ed Bradshaw (W4EDF) recently upgraded his Ham Radio ticket to Extra Class and he wants you to know-You Can Too!
    Former show guest, Ed decided he wanted a bigger slice of the pie and set his sights on passing the Extra Class Exam. Having put a great deal of effort into his studies and methods, Ed offered to come on this episode of the Ham Radio 360 Podcast to share what worked for him in hopes that you (and I) would get ourselves motivated to study-and Pass!

    Listen to the Podcast Here


    [​IMG]

    Show Notes, Mentions and Links Here on the show site

    Thanks for listening, K4CDN
     
    K2ADK and W5KV like this.
  2. KA1BSZ

    KA1BSZ Ham Member QRZ Page

    why upgrade to extra? for the weird call sign the FCC gives you? the added cw portion? the added portion on 75,40,20 and 15 phone? Most dx stations these days listen 2 khz below the general portion and listen up in the general portion. But if you want the pride of having a funky call sign and staying on 2 meters...THEN GO FOR IT,LOTTA DX ON 2 METERS!
     
    KA2LIM likes this.
  3. KG5THG

    KG5THG Ham Member QRZ Page

    Some advice from a new extra (for what it's worth). If you are starting your licensing process, then don't stop. If you are a new technician, start studying for general. If you are a new general, start studying for the extra. Much of the material carries forward from class to class. If you study for them one after the other, it will all be fresh in your head. Learn the formulas for the math questions. Easier to learn a few formulas then the answers to the questions. It may seem like there's a lot of material but a lot of it is reference and review and not part of the exams. The electronics section looks big, but it's really an expansion of the information learned in the previous classes and a lot of it is just reference and background. You'll learn some pretty cool stuff and if you are already operating as a general using digital for example, the new sections on propagation and digital modes will just be a nice read.

    Take the practice tests as you go along either on the PC or use the smart phone apps. Myself, I used the ARRL license manuals and read them from cover to cover. I also have no electronics background. If you do decide to become an extra, please consider going through the VE process. It's easy and it's fun to be part of the sessions and meet some of the guys you probably talk to on the radio and be part of creating new hams.

    Regardless of how you do it, don't worry! It's really no harder then either of the other two classes. Just a few more questions and a lot of those are just refreshers.
     
    K7BJS, KB8OTK, W4FJT and 4 others like this.
  4. KG5THG

    KG5THG Ham Member QRZ Page

    I became an extra only to become a VE. The area where I took my technician test, all the members are getting up there in years and it's getting harder for them to get meet the requirements of 3 extra VE's for the exam sessions. Just my way of giving back to the hobby and the local group that helped me get started.
     
    AG5IX, W4ISZ, W4FJT and 6 others like this.
  5. K3FHP

    K3FHP XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    There should be an experience requirement for Extra. There was at one time. The current Extra is like a Tech exam 0 years ago....without the 5wpm Morse requirement. I just love it when these EXTRA class hams ask how to run psk 31 or plug in their radio or put on a coax connector. My first suggestion is usually YouTube. After they learn the terminology I goes much easier in person. A year or two of experience before toe Extra would also help I believe.
     
    WB9AZA, KA2LIM and AD0JA like this.
  6. KB8OTK

    KB8OTK Ham Member QRZ Page

    It only took me 24 years 7 months, 4 attempts and $60 to pass the Extra exam and I'm proud of that. I wish I had kept my momentum going when I became a Novice at 18 years old. So for 24 years I missed out on a lot of dx that I never even knew existed until I became an Extra. My advice to new hams would be in agreement with KG5THG. I know I'm not super smart with electronics so it took me 4 tries to pass Extra. Thankfully I belong to the Massillon Amateur Radio Club, Massillon, Ohio ( W8NP ) and everyone has been a mentor to me. Even if it was just to motivate me to keep trying. I wish I had joined the club 24 years ago instead of just 6 years. That's an other tip of advice for new hams. Find a great local club to join, pick the brains of some elmers, ask lots of questions. Experienced hams are always willing to share knowledge. That's where the real learning begins. 73's ALL , GOOD DX de KB8OTK
     
    K7BJS, KA2PTE, WB9AZA and 3 others like this.
  7. F4HPX

    F4HPX XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    Actually I am thinking about passing American license because travelling often and I would need to pass Extra to have similar privileges as CEPT license because once licensed I can't no more use CEPT license when operating from within US. Therefore studying for extra is rather a necessity.
     
    KG4RAT, W8ASA and K2CAJ like this.
  8. AF7EC

    AF7EC Ham Member QRZ Page

    Getting an Extra ticket is great for unfettered access to all bands, but many 'old-timers' have no respect for the no-code Extra ticket, as evidenced by previous comments. :(
     
    N8XTH and K2MOB like this.
  9. F4HPX

    F4HPX XML Subscriber QRZ Page

    CW ? Yes, but even Technician can use it. That's now a new approach because lot of people are learning CW again not because they have to but because they want to.
    Many people do not like digital modes because this is a computer to computer dialog using radio waves.... but actually this is much more efficient than CW. You can make a "QSO" even if you don't hear the signal. This is less skills demanding than CW for sure (apart computer use general knowledge). Maybe this is no more ham radio as before, but all things are changing with the time and technical developments. And at the end ham radio is also about experimenting so why not try something new.
    Most of us do not build transceivers anymore and barely understand how this is actually working but in the past often the only way to get on the air was to build own gear. When today I open modern radio I see lot of "chips" that I could not even solder myself without specialized equipment. It's probably easier to damage something trying to fix it.
    Look at history of the cars... with all electronics under the hood that prevent to repair them on the road. We all passed driving license and get excited about driving them. After that the car become just a way to get from one point to another. In the future they will drive alone and most likely you won't be required to have a license as there won't be a steering wheel !
    Well, in meantime let's still enjoy our hobbies as long as we can.
     
    K9PLG, AG5IX, 2E1LEX and 5 others like this.
  10. AD0NP

    AD0NP Ham Member QRZ Page

    Some people have no respect for nothing, especially the older ones. Comes from that having to walk to school 10 miles, up hill both ways, 4 ft of snow and bare foot.
    I myself just let it go and never worry about some one's opinion. You did what was required by the FCC, and if all these geniuses where so smart they'd be heading FCC.
     
    N8XTH, AC4AT, AE1JB and 13 others like this.
  11. AB3TQ

    AB3TQ Ham Member QRZ Page

    Well said. I wish you success on your journey toward Amateur Extra.
     
  12. KE0GXB

    KE0GXB Ham Member QRZ Page

    HUH????? Why get a Lic. at all? Why Why Why, Who cares, Just do it, this (UHM GUY) knows nothing. Kinda sick of people that need to justify everything you do. Well, I'm gonna get mine now just because you don't have one. There now I have a reason, and it has been approved by 421 of my friends.
     
    W8YPV, KC0BBT and NU4R like this.
  13. LA6VQ

    LA6VQ Platinum Subscriber Platinum Subscriber QRZ Page

    Clyde, FCC will not force you to change your call sign, so if you like your call sign, keep it. There is quite a bit of good activity in the Amateur Extra only CW and phone portions. I challenge your view on where most DX Stations listen, but let that go. But, where is your ambition, and your drive to improve? As a golf pro, I guess you have som ideas why golfers try to lower their handicap? After all, anyone with a green card can rent some clubs, get on the tee and see if he can find find the fairways and greens, avoiding the roughs and bunkers, only to find a hole for the ball. So, after the green card, is there really any point in improving. So why do golfers still want to spend hours and hours, weekend after weekend, only to be allowed to pay a pile of money to do the same on a course requiring a lower handicap? The same applies to ham radio (and many other walks of life).

    On the other hand, Amateur Extra is much less of a deal than Technician and General licensees seems to believe. I fully agree with KG5THG's remark that there is nothing to worry about. Having had the opportunity to take many tests and exams through my life, I sincerely recommend that any candidate starts answering the many online questions very early in the study, and check out KE0OG Dave Casler's excellent videos on YouTube. Good luck!

    Frode LA6VQ & N2VQ
     
    NU4R likes this.
  14. LA6VQ

    LA6VQ Platinum Subscriber Platinum Subscriber QRZ Page

    If you hold CEPT Class 1 license from France, you will be entitled to full Amateur Extra class privileges, when operating from the U.S. (CEPT Recommendation TR 61/01 Annex 4). However, unless you move to the US permanently (under the HAREC rules, TR 61/02), you have to use your home call, e.g. W4/F4HPX from Florida, while a US Amateur Extra license will earn you a US call sign.

    Frode LA6VQ & N2VQ
     
    K2MOB likes this.
  15. AB3TQ

    AB3TQ Ham Member QRZ Page

    Lets look at what Thomas actually said. He has a DESIRE to get an FCC license. He did not say NEED. But possibly unknown to you, if Thomas did take an FCC license exam, and passed only the Technician portion - Technician privileges would be his ONLY legal privileges available to him in any area administered by the FCC. At that point, the way forward for him to regain full operating privileges in any FCC administered area is to upgrade to Extra. Back home he would still have his full native operating privileges.

    What he stated is absolutely true, and quite a few U.S. hams are totally in the dark about it. Now you know.
     
    F4HPX likes this.

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