TexasCHLforum.com

hopefully some useful info for anyone wanting to get their Amateur Radio Operator License:

http://aa9pw.com/radio/
https://blog.hamstudy.org/faq/
https://hamexam.org/
http://www.gordonwestradioschool.com/

another resource here:


https://www.kb6nu.com/study-guides/

Thank you for providing the reference information. I have a slightly different problem and solicit your help with it.

I took my Technician test in 2011 and passed it. I took the General test on the same evening and came within a couple of questions of passing it, too. I bought the Gordon West book "General Class 2011-2015" but have not done well with mastering that material.

I like the way that the questions in West's book are grouped by category. That helps me. But I lack the "big picture" understanding of the categories that helps me tie all of those answers together. I find myself trying to memorize the questions and answers, something that I've never been good at. On the other hand, I've studied complex subjects like Acoustics where I did have that big picture perspective and have remembered most of that material 50 years later.

I'm a visual and and hands on learner. Are there any such paths for the General and Extra information?

The West books are geared to pass the test. The ARRl material takes a different and deeper path to learning which might help you. Like Acoustics, electronics can have a complexity to it too. I can't say that I know of any specific course material that directly ties it all together. Only missing a couple of question at the time you took the tech test is not bad. Answering all the question correctly is not a requirement, only passing. No assurance a perfect score means understanding all the information connections. I see ham radio a lot like old school blacksmithing as a master & apprentice relationship with someone else and that's when the learning starts to sticks.

Good Luck,
Mike

For me, I ended up using Gordon West because that's what someone told me to do. It gave me a good idea of what I really need to know about ham radio, not just what's in the test. It ended up being useful, even though it did end up teaching to the test.

Then I went here (https://www.eham.net/exams/) to take a ton of practice exams. When taking the test, the questions will be in a random order with the answers in random order. The eham website does just that, something the Gordon West books can't do because, well, they're books.

mcscanner wrote: Fri Jun 22, 2018 8:07 am The West books are geared to pass the test. The ARRl material takes a different and deeper path to learning which might help you. Like Acoustics, electronics can have a complexity to it too. I can't say that I know of any specific course material that directly ties it all together. Only missing a couple of question at the time you took the tech test is not bad. Answering all the question correctly is not a requirement, only passing. No assurance a perfect score means understanding all the information connections. I see ham radio a lot like old school blacksmithing as a master & apprentice relationship with someone else and that's when the learning starts to sticks.

Good Luck,
Mike

I'm not a stranger to electronics. I was hired for and worked at water cooled computer mainframe repair for 9 years. I ended up as a regional specialist on the largest mainframe of the time. We serviced all of the peripheral gear. In addition, I played with really old radios and stuff when I was a kid. Then everything was tubes. So I learned resistors, capacitors, etc. Where I seem to fall flat is in the theory and keeping all the band stuff straight in my head. Maybe I just need to be more intense about it and try to take the test quickly afterward rather than studying a little bit at a time.

Sorry, can't help with that as I have not yet looked into the General license.

maybe an online class?

http://www.nc4fb.org/wordpress/general-2015-2019-class/

I recently purchased the Gordon West study guide and software that Charles Cotton recommended: http://www.w5yi.org/catalog_details.php?pid=82&sort=5.

Be advised that it is PC only - which I learned to my chagrin when it arrived, because I’m a wall-to-wall MAC guy. :/

Fortunately, both my son and DIL have PC’s they’ll let me install the software on so I can study.

The Annoyed Man wrote: Sat Jun 23, 2018 12:25 am I recently purchased the Gordon West study guide and software that Charles Cotton recommended: http://www.w5yi.org/catalog_details.php?pid=82&sort=5.

Be advised that it is PC only - which I learned to my chagrin when it arrived, because I’m a wall-to-wall MAC guy. :/

Fortunately, both my son and DIL have PC’s they’ll let me install the software on so I can study.

Does wine run on MacOS? The Gordon West guide runs under wine (Version 3.0) on Linux for my desktop. You have to launch it from the CD directory, but aside from that runs for me.

G.A. Heath wrote: Sat Jun 23, 2018 12:52 am

The Annoyed Man wrote: Sat Jun 23, 2018 12:25 am I recently purchased the Gordon West study guide and software that Charles Cotton recommended: http://www.w5yi.org/catalog_details.php?pid=82&sort=5.

Be advised that it is PC only - which I learned to my chagrin when it arrived, because I’m a wall-to-wall MAC guy. :/

Fortunately, both my son and DIL have PC’s they’ll let me install the software on so I can study.

Does wine run on MacOS? The Gordon West guide runs under wine (Version 3.0) on Linux for my desktop. You have to launch it from the CD directory, but aside from that runs for me.

Yeah, I could partition the drive and install an old copy of Windows XP i have, using Boot Camp to boot into either OS; or I could install a virtual machine and install the XP on that, and run the study guide that way. But nah. My son’s perfectly capable Windows laptop, or my DIL’s Surface II can install and run it .......and we all live under the same roof, so not that big of a deal.

It's not all that complicated. My slow leaky aging mind accomplished the passing the test. This way.
1: buy the AARL book, its worth it and is good for a reference later.
2: Read the book front to back. Try to understand it, but at this point don't attempt to memorize stuff. Understanding is the goal at this point.
3: Take the practice tests over and over again. When you miss a question, make an attempt to memorize the correct answer. It won't take long before you start acing the tests.
4: try to take the tests as soon as you've mastered the practice test.

I was thinking about wine as it is essentially just windows APIs for the host OS. I should look into it myself with my macbook pro, but I lack a CD drive on it.

G.A. Heath wrote: Sat Jun 23, 2018 10:34 am I was thinking about wine as it is essentially just windows APIs for the host OS. I should look into it myself with my macbook pro, but I lack a CD drive on it.

MacBook Pro here too. I use a remote USB cd drive.