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General or Extra?

mr_fx

Sr. Member
Oct 8, 2011
1,536
172
173
Kansas City
So I have been studying for my ticket. I ran through all the questions for Tech and just kinda laughed at how stupidly simple it is. Further more I found the tech ticket to be far too restrictive in the HF bands

So I then decided to study for the General, now that proved to be a little more entertaining but nothing I could not deal with. It certainly allows for much more use of the HF bands

But then I was thinking... What about studying some more and getting the Extra at the same time. Or in doing this would I do getting into something I am not truly ready for?

I realize that book knowledge alone is no substitute for practice, practice, and a little more practice.

So should I just get my General and be done with it? Or Jump right to the Extra on the same day and hope that the book knowledge is enough?
 

Jump in as in just get the General which I have the knowledge to do now? or jump in as in go all the way to and study for the Extra?

Do whatever floats your boat!
When I aced the tech they offered the general free of charge, I declined. If and when I go for my general and will be acing it I will take the extra and pass it too...

Just whatever you want to do.
Good luck bro(y)
 
Go for extra but remember to stop and learn along the way as well as aftergetting the extra class ticket. I have heard plenty of extras sounding like techs so don't worry about soinding a bit green. Pay attention and learn and you will be a full fledged extra in no time.
 
I say if you can pass the tests, get them out of the way. You can have way more fun learning by doing than studying books.
 
So I have been studying for my ticket. I ran through all the questions for Tech and just kinda laughed at how stupidly simple it is. Further more I found the tech ticket to be far too restrictive in the HF bands
what may be simple to you,may be hard for others, i have boing pretests online i have not gotten a passing score yet, though i have gotten a 73% the last few times.:headbang
 
So I have been studying for my ticket. I ran through all the questions for Tech and just kinda laughed at how stupidly simple it is. Further more I found the tech ticket to be far too restrictive in the HF bands
what may be simple to you,may be hard for others, i have boing pretests online i have not gotten a passing score yet, though i have gotten a 73% the last few times.:headbang

I recommend Gordon West study books and audio CD.

Not only do you learn a little but you'll also pass. Yes your chances of doing something hands on is far greater than reading books.
 
Which way suits you the best? One step at a time, or all of it at one time? Think you may never need an Extra class license? Then don't get one. Nothing says you have to, but then, nothing says you can't. Up to'ya...
- 'Doc
 
To me the general test seemed very similar to the Technician test. The Extra test definately had more technical questions and required more study.

If you take the practice tests and do well, it doesn't hurt anything to go straight to Extra. You can learn as you go no matter what class license you have.

If you are going to be interested in working on the HF bands a lot, and especially working DX, then there is some great bandwidth reserved for Extra class.

If you are mainly going to be on VHF/UHF and maybe some casual HF then the difference is not so important.

From an operating standpoint, General gets the same modes and privilidges as Extra, with only some sub-bands on four of the ten HF bands reserved for Extra.

Of course, there is also the major increase in respect and prestige that comes with being an Extra! :)

Dave_W6DPS
 
I would recommend going for the Extra. No reason not too if you put in the study time. Study for extra and when you come to the exam session, you can do all three for just one fee. One I guy do Volunteer Exam sessions with did just that. Zero to Extra in one session.
 
So I have been studying for my ticket. I ran through all the questions for Tech and just kinda laughed at how stupidly simple it is. Further more I found the tech ticket to be far too restrictive in the HF bands
what may be simple to you,may be hard for others, i have boing pretests online i have not gotten a passing score yet, though i have gotten a 73% the last few times.:headbang

I do not mean to insult anyone, I just found that all I was actually learning was to be polite, use only what you need and a few proper terms. I my case it was way too simple to just get a tech ticket
 
I had a friend, his name is David, he went with us when we first went to go take the test back in 1994.
The guy did study hard, but he had such a hard time retaining the material, he failed the first test.
And the second
and the third
and the forth
It took him 5 tries to get the tech test, but he did it, he kept going back until he got it.
He is still a Ham to this day and proud of it.
Not everyone gets it all the first time.
Some do, some do not, but once you get it done you are good to go, don`t matter how many times it takes.


anyway, back on topic, good luck.

73
Jeff
 
I have a friend i mentored to get his ticket many years ago, in fact he got his ticket before I got mine!! Tom learned CW like it was second nature but just could not handle the theory. He wrote 5 or 6 times until he passed. For him CW was the easy part and he aced it but just barely passed the theory part. On the other hand a couple years later when I wrote, it was the CW that drug me down but I scored 100% on the theory and 98% on the regulations. each has their own level of what is easy and what is not. Given a choice I would rather someone know the rules and regulations than what _._./ _ _._ means.
 

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