Hamilton County Emergency Management (HCEM) will provide a 10-week Amateur Radio Technician licensing course beginning in August to anyone over 18 who volunteers for service in the emergency communications group of the agency.
FCC exams will be given at the last session of the course to obtain the federal radio license and unique call sign identifier.
The course is designed for beginners and will prepare you for the final date when you will take the FCC Technician class license exam. Graduates will receive a unique radio call sign renewable for 10 years. Participation in each night of the course is required. Seating is limited.
The course is free, but participants will need to obtain the ARRL Ham Radio License Manual, sixth edition, prior to the start of the course. Please ensure you have the correct version that covers the question pool from 2026 to 2030. Books are available online from ARRL (the national association of amateur radio), Amazon, and other sources.
Throughout the course, you will learn from members of the Comms Group who are active amateur radio operators. There will be some hands-on activities and slide presentations to prepare you for the exam. The exam consists of 35 multiple-choice questions drawn from a pool. You will study the answers to the questions on your own throughout the course.
This course is offered to those who apply to become an HCEM Volunteer. Completion of FEMA online courses IS-100, IS-200, and IS-700 will be required.
Once you sign up for this course, the system will complete a background check. You will be contacted within a few days to schedule an interview with Comms Group leadership.
Training will be held on the Hamilton County Sheriff’s campus and near the 4-H Fairgrounds on Tuesday evenings from 6:15 to 8:30 p.m. beginning Sept. 8.
For details and to apply for HCEM Comms Group membership, go to tinyurl.com/HCEMComms.
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