Amateur Radio Licensing Options and Tips on Studying for Amateur Radio Exams

August 2, 2003

Written by Matthew Braun VK3 JDK

Are you interested in becoming involved in Amateur Radio but don't know where to start, or find the whole process of acquiring an Amateur Radio license too complicated and difficult or are simply having trouble studying for the Amateur Radio exams? If so, this article may help and contains:

• A brief explanation of the Amateur Licensing options available
• Tips on studying for the Regulations Exam
• Tips on studying for the NAOCP Exam
• Tips on studying for the AOCP Exam
• Tips on studying for the Morse Code Exam(s)
• How to acquire your Amateur Radio Certificate(s) of Proficiency
• How to acquire an Amateur Radio Call-sign
• Author

If you have already had a chance to look at the Australian Communication Authorities (ACA), Apparatus Licensing - Amateur License Information Paper, you will have found that there is more than one Amateur Radio license available, namely; Unrestricted, Intermediate, Limited, Novice, Novice Limited and Repeater/Beacon. (Table 1 in the Apparatus Licensing - Amateur License Information Paper gives a good summary/overview of each amateur radio license).

Each Amateur Radio license option gives you certain privileges (such as access to Amateur Radio bands/frequencies and transmitter power levels), requiring you to have passed a number of exams in order to become eligible for a particular license, as shown below in Table 1.1

Table 1.1

For example, the Novice Limited Amateur Radio license only requires you to have passed the Regulations and NAOCP (Novice Operator Amateur Certificate of Proficiency) exams and is easiest to acquire. At the other end of the scale, the Unrestricted Amateur Radio license requires you to have passed the Regulations, AOCP (Amateur Operator Certificate of Proficiency) and 10 words per minute (WPM) Morse Code exams, making it more difficult to attain as a higher degree of learning is required. (Each exam is described in detail later).

There is no exam required to operate an Amateur Beacon/Repeater however, applications for Amateur Beacon/Repeater licenses are generally only accepted by the ACA from Amateur Radio clubs or qualified Amateur Radio operators.

Although the system as described in Table 1.1 may seem a little confusing at first, it makes it easier to 'upgrade' to a different license in the future if need be. Once you have successfully passed your Regulations exam for example, you don't have to sit it again in order to upgrade to a different license. Instead you only have to pass any additional exams required for the license you're upgrading to. E.g. If you have already passed the Regulations and NAOCP exams (which makes you eligible for a Novice Limited License), but want to upgrade to the Novice License, you only have to pass the 5 WPM Morse Code exam and don't have to sit the Regulations and NAOCP exams again.

In trying to determine what amateur radio license you need to aim for, it's important to also have a think about what aspects of the amateur radio hobby you're interested in and what your needs are. (Note: If you're unsure at this stage, try aiming to obtain the Novice Limited license first and then upgrade to another licensing option later, when the need arises). Not everyone for example will need an Unrestricted license (which is the hardest to acquire), in order to enjoy the benefits of becoming involved in Amateur Radio.

It's also worth pointing out that as of July 12 2000, the ACA lifted previous HF band restrictions on the Intermediate radio license allowing anyone who can qualify for an Intermediate license to use all Amateur Radio bands below 30 MHz. This effectively gives holders of Intermediate licenses the same privileges as those holding Unrestricted licenses, without the need to sit the 10 WPM Morse code exam, although the 10 WPM exam is still available (e.g. for those who intend to travel overseas and want a reciprocal license(s))

[ Table of Contents ]

Exam Description. The Regulations exam is designed to test a candidate's knowledge on the rules/regulations governing all Amateur Radio licenses/stations. The exam itself is a multiple-choice exam, consisting of 30 questions of equal value, that must be completed within 30 minutes and is the easiest Amateur Radio exam to study for and successfully pass. In order to pass however, a candidate sitting the exam must get 70% of the answers correct or higher (ie. At least 21 answers correct out of 30).

Theory covered in exam. All the theory that is applicable to the Regulations exam that you need to know/learn is derived from four Australian Communication Authority (ACA) documents available from the ACA web-site. A brief description of each is given below.

How to prepare for the Regulations exam.

Preparing for any exam will vary greatly from person to person however the following points may help for the Regulations exam.

1. If you haven't already, consider joining an Amateur Radio club in you're local area. One of the many advantages of joining a club is that it's a great way to meet other people interested in the Amateur Radio hobby. Most fellow amateurs would be more than glad to help in answering any questions you might have about the theory covered in Amateur Radio exams or Amateur Radio hobby in general. Visit the WIA website to find an Amateur Radio club closest to you.

2. Many Amateur Radio clubs also run education classes each year, to help candidates study for their Amateur Radio exams. The fee required to join an education class will vary from club to club, so it's worth "shopping round". For example, some clubs only require you to join as a member, usually only for a small fee (such as the Eastern and Mountain District Radio Club) whereas others have been known to charge exorbitant amounts of money (I know of one club that was charging in excess of $100 for their education service, which didn't even include the cost of textbooks or exam fees).

If you have the opportunity to join one of these classes then do so (I highly recommend it), as these classes probably offer the best way to help you learn the theory required, to successfully pass the Regulations exam, in a group learning environment. Usually the Amateur Radio club providing the education classes will also take care of exam arrangements (i.e. arrange a time and a venue for the exam and fill in some of the paperwork) making life a little easier for candidates sitting for Amateur Radio Exams, such as the Regulations exam.

3. The ACA's Apparatus Licensing - Amateur Examinations Paper, outlines what theory is examinable for the Regulations exam. Using this as a guide, read the relevant theory and write it down in your own words in a notebook. For example, one of the things you need to learn for the Regulations exam is Emergency Procedures, including Distress and Urgency communications. Read the section in the ACA, Apparatus Licensing - Amateur Operating Procedures Paper on Emergency procedures and write it down in a notebook in a format that will help you remember the theory, summarising it in your own words. You'd be surprised how much you learn just by doing this.

4. It's often easier to split the theory you need to learn for the Regulations exam up into smaller sections and learn one section at a time rather than trying to learn all the theory at the same time (otherwise it's easy to become overwhelmed). Only once you fully understand one section (e.g. Emergency Procedures) should you move onto the next section. It's also important to go over and test yourself on the theory you've learnt once in a while to refresh your memory leading up to the exam.

5. Find a time to study when it best suits you. It's also useful to set aside some specific time(s) each week to study and study for shorter periods of time on a regular basis (e.g. 2 hours, twice a week) as opposed to long periods of time on an irregular basis (e.g. 4 hours once a week).

6. Set yourself a target/goal as to when you plan to sit for the Regulations exam and think about how you're going to achieve it. Although you may have to alter the time frame you've set yourself, setting a target/goal can be really useful as a motivational factor.

7. Remember to pass the Regulations exam you only need to get 70% of the answers correct. This means that if there's only one or two sections of the Regulations theory you're not too confident with, don't worry, as you can afford to get a few questions wrong and still pass the exam (although this is no excuse for not preparing adequately for the exam). Note: When you receive your results, no indication is given as to how many answers you get right or wrong, only whether you passed or failed the exam.

8. All Amateur Radio exams (except Morse code) are multiple choice. Each question will usually have 4 possible answers to choose from and it's important to read each before answering the question.

There is always only one correct answer to each multiple-choice question.

If you have prepared adequately for the exam, it is usually possible to always discount 2 out of the 4 questions, as these are only there to catch out those people who haven't bothered studying for the exam at all. This leaves 2 answers to choose from, so even if you're a little unsure as to which one of the 2 is correct, you have a 50% chance of getting the question right.

You should always answer every multiple-choice question (even if you don't have a clue, you've always got a 25% chance of getting it right) as no marks are taken off for choosing the incorrect answer.

As there are 30 multiple choice questions to answer in 30 minutes, you should be aiming to spend about 1 minute per question. If you find you're unsure about a particular question, put a mark next to it and move onto the next question, coming back to the questions you're unsure about at the end.

If you have any spare time at the end, it’s a good idea to use this time to recheck over your answers.

9. Once you feel confident you know all the theory for the Regulations exam, have a go at the online Regulations exam available from the WIA Victoria website and test yourself under exam conditions (i.e. Answer the questions within 30 minutes and don't refer to your notes whilst answering the questions). This is a great way to find out which areas of the Regulations theory you need to improve on.

[ Table of Contents ]

Exam Description. The Novice Amateur Operators Certificate of Proficiency (NAOCP) exam is designed to test a candidate's knowledge on basic electronic/electrical theory relevant to Amateur Radio. The exam itself is a multiple-choice exam, consisting of 50 questions of equal value, which must be completed within 60 minutes. In order to pass, a candidate sitting the NAOCP exam must get 70% of the answers to the questions correct or higher (ie. At least 35 answers correct out of 50).

Theory covered in exam. The section titled "NAOCP and NLAOCP Syllabus" in the ACA's, Apparatus Licensing - Amateur Examinations Paper, outlines what theory is required to be learnt by candidates studying for the NAOCP exam.

Some useful textbooks that cover the theory applicable to the NAOCP exam are:

Note: I would highly recommend purchasing the "Novice Operators Theory Handbook" and "1000 Questions for Novice License Candidates". The "Novice Operators Theory Handbook" covers all the theory required to pass the NAOCP exam in an easy to read/understand format and the "1000 Questions for Novice License Candidates" as if you can answer all 1000 questions and understand the theory behind them, you should have no problems passing the exam itself.

Preparing for any exam will vary greatly from person to person however the following points may help for the NAOCP exam.

1. Many Amateur Radio clubs also run education classes each year, to help candidates study for their Amateur Radio Exams. The fee required to join an education class will vary from club to club, so it's worth "shopping round". If you have the opportunity to join one of these classes then do so (I highly recommend it), as these classes probably offer the best way to help you learn the theory required, to successfully pass the NAOCP exam, in a group learning environment. Usually the Amateur Radio club providing the education classes will also take care of exam arrangements (i.e. arrange a time and a venue for the exam and fill in some of the paperwork) making life a little easier for candidates sitting for Amateur Radio exams, such as the NAOCP exam.

2. If possible, purchase (or borrow) the "Novice Operators Theory Handbook" and "1000 Questions for Novice License Candidates". Each chapter in the "Novice Operators Theory Handbook" closely follows the section in the ACA's, Apparatus Licensing - Amateur Examinations Paper entitled "NAOCP and NLAOCP Syllabus", that outlines what theory needs to be learnt for the NAOCP exam. The "1000 Questions for Novice License Candidates" booklet is also structured in a similar way.

In studying for the exam, first read the theory for one of the chapters in the "Novice Operators Theory Handbook". Once you feel confident you understand the theory for that chapter, test yourself by attempting the relevant questions from the "1000 Questions for Novice License Candidates" booklet.

For example, Chapter 1 of the "Novice Operators Theory Handbook", covers the theory on Electrical laws. After reading this, you should be able to attempt chapter 1, Electrical Laws, chapter 2, Direct Current and chapter 3, AC Circuits from the "1000 Questions for Novice License Candidates" booklet.

If you've joined an Education Class run by a local amateur radio club, make sure you ask the person taking the class about any questions or theory that you're having trouble with, so that these are resolved as soon as possible. You'd be surprised how many other people in the class may be experiencing the same problems that you've encountered, so don't be afraid to ask.

3. After reading the theory and attempting the questions from the "1000 Questions for Novice License Candidates" booklet, it's often very useful to prepare a set of notes, summarising the most important theory required to be learnt for the NAOCP exam in a format that will help you remember it. In doing so, use your answers to the questions from the "1000 Questions for Novice License Candidates" booklet as a guide, to working out which formula's you need to learn "off-by-heart" and what parts of the theory you need to concentrate on learning, more than others. Preparing a set of notes is in my opinion, one of the best ways to prepare for the NAOCP exam as it really forces you to think about the theory you need to learn. Simply reading the required theory and attempting the questions by themselves aren't enough to learn what you need to know to pass the exam.
4. It's often easier to split the theory you need to learn for the NAOCP exam up into smaller sections and learn one section at a time rather than trying to learn all the theory at the same time (otherwise it's easy to become overwhelmed). Only once you fully understand one section (e.g. Electrical Laws) should you move onto the next section. It's also important to go over and test yourself on the theory you've learnt once in a while to refresh your memory leading up to the exam.

5. Find a time to study when it best suits you. It's also useful to set aside some specific time(s) each week to study and study for shorter periods of time on a regular basis (e.g. 2 hours, twice a week) as opposed to long periods of time on an irregular basis (e.g. 4 hours once a week).

6. Set yourself a target/goal as to when you plan to sit for the NAOCP exam and think about how you're going to achieve it. Although you may have to alter the time frame you've set yourself, setting a target/goal can be really useful as a motivational factor.

7. Remember to pass the NAOCP exam you only need to get 70% of the answers correct. This means that if there's only one or two sections of the NAOCP theory you're not too confident with, don't worry, as you can afford to get a few questions wrong and still pass the exam (although this is no excuse for not preparing adequately for the exam). Note: When you receive your results, no indication is given as to how many answers you get right or wrong, only whether you passed or failed the exam.

8. All Amateur Radio exams (except Morse code) are multiple choice. Each question will usually have 4 possible answers to choose from and it's important to read each before answering the question.

There is always only one correct answer to each multiple-choice question.

If you have prepared adequately for the exam, it is usually possible to always discount 2 out of the 4 questions, as these are only there to catch out those people who haven't bothered studying for the exam at all. This leaves 2 answers to choose from, so even if you're a little unsure as to which one of the 2 is correct, you have a 50% chance of getting the question right.

You should always answer every multiple-choice question (even if you don't have a clue, you've always got a 25% chance of getting it right) as no marks are taken off for choosing the incorrect answer.

As there are 50 multiple choice questions to answer in 60 minutes, you should be aiming to spend about 1 minute per question. If you find you're unsure about a particular question, put a mark next to it and move onto the next question, coming back to the questions you're unsure about at the end.

If you have any spare time at the end, it’s a good idea to use this time to recheck over your answers.

9. Once you feel confident you know all the theory for the NAOCP exam, have a go at the online NAOCP exam available from the WIA Victoria website and test yourself under exam conditions (i.e. Answer the questions within 60 minutes and don't refer to your notes whilst answering the questions). This is a great way to find out which areas of the NAOCP theory you need to improve on.

[ Table of Contents ]

Exam Description. The Amateur Operators Certificate of Proficiency (AOCP) exam is designed to test a candidate's knowledge on electronic/electrical theory relevant to Amateur Radio, which is covered in more depth compared to the NAOCP exam. The exam itself is a multiple-choice exam, consisting of 50 questions of equal value, which must be completed within 60 minutes. In order to pass, a candidate sitting the AOCP exam must get 70% of the answers to the questions correct or higher (ie. At least 35 answers correct out of 50).

Theory covered in exam. The section titled "AOCP and AOLCP Syllabus" in the ACA's, Apparatus Licensing - Amateur Examinations Paper, outlines what theory is required to be learnt by candidates studying for the AOCP exam.

Some useful textbooks that cover the theory applicable to the AOCP exam are:

As the AOCP theory on the most part, simply builds upon the NAOCP theory, all the textbooks for the NAOCP exam are still useful. Ron Bertrand (VK2 DQ) also has an excellent web-site (http://www.radioelectronicschool.com), on which information explaining the theory for the AOCP exam can be downloaded for free.

Note: I would highly recommend purchasing the "500 Questions for AOCP Candidates". If you can answer all 500 question's and understand the theory behind them, you should have no problems passing the exam itself. Downloading the course readings for the AOCP exam from Ron Bertrand's site, is also a good idea, especially if you're on a tight budget. The course readings cover 90% of the material you need to know for the AOCP exam. The remaining 10% of the theory can be found in either the ARRL Handbook or Swainston's Radio Theory Handbook for Amateur Operators and although both reference books go well beyond what you need to know for the AOCP exam, it’s often useful to have access to at least one of them.

Preparing for any exam will vary greatly from person to person however the following points may help for the AOCP exam.

1. Many Amateur Radio clubs also run education classes each year, to help candidates study for their Amateur Radio Exams. The fee required to join an education class will vary from club to club, so it's worth "shopping round". If you have the opportunity to join one of these classes then do so (I highly recommend it), as these classes probably offer the best way to help you learn the theory required, to successfully pass the AOCP exam, in a group learning environment. Usually the Amateur Radio Club providing the education classes will also take care of exam arrangements (i.e. arrange a time and a venue for the exam and fill in some of the paperwork) making life a little easier for candidates sitting for Amateur Radio Exams, such as the AOCP exam.

2. If possible, purchase (or borrow) the "500 Questions for AOCP Candidates". In studying for the exam, first read a section of theory (e.g. Power Supplies) required for the AOCP exam (using Ron Bertrand's course notes or other reference book(s)). Once you feel confident you understand that section of theory, test yourself by having attempting the relevant questions from the "500 Questions for AOCP Candidates" booklet.

For example, read the theory on Power Supplies. After reading this, you should be able to attempt chapter 2, Power Supplies from the "500 Questions for AOCP Candidates" booklet.

If you've joined an education class run by a local amateur radio club, make sure you ask the person taking the class about any questions or theory that you're having trouble with, so that these are resolved as soon as possible. You'd be surprised how many other people in the class may be experiencing the same problems that you've encountered, so don't be afraid to ask.

3. After reading the theory and attempting the questions from the "500 Questions for AOCP Candidates" booklet, it's often very useful to prepare a set of notes, summarising the most important theory required to be learnt for the AOCP exam in a format that will help you remember it. In doing so, use of your answers to the questions from the "500 Questions for AOCP Candidates" booklet as a guide, to working out which formula's you need to learn "off-by-heart" and what parts of the theory you need to concentrate on learning more than others. Preparing a set of notes is in my opinion one of the best ways to prepare for the AOCP exam as it really forces you to think about the theory you need to learn. Simply reading the required theory and attempting the questions by themselves aren't enough to learn what you need to know to pass the exam.

4. It's often easier to split the theory you need to learn for the AOCP exam up into smaller sections and learn one section at a time rather than trying to learn all the theory at the same time (otherwise it's easy to become overwhelmed). Only once you fully understand one section (e.g. Electrical Laws and Circuits) should you move onto the next section. It's also important to go over and test yourself on the theory you've learnt once in a while to refresh your memory leading up to the exam.

5. Find a time to study when it best suits you. It's also useful to set aside some specific time(s) each week to study and study for shorter periods of time on a regular basis (e.g. 2 hours, twice a week) as opposed to long periods of time on an irregular basis (e.g. 4 hours once a week).

6. Set yourself a target/goal as to when you plan to sit for the AOCP exam and think about how you're going to achieve it. Although you may have to alter the time frame you've set yourself, setting a target/goal can be really useful as a motivational factor.

7. Remember to pass the AOCP exam you only need to get 70% of the answers correct. This means that if there's only one or two sections of the AOCP theory you're not too confident with, don't worry, as you can afford to get a few questions wrong and still pass the exam (although this is no excuse for not preparing adequately for the exam). Note: When you receive your results, no indication is given as to how many answers you get right or wrong, only whether you passed or failed the exam.

8. All Amateur Radio exams (except Morse code) are multiple choice. Each question will usually have 4 possible answers to choose from and it's important to read each before answering the question.

There is always only one correct answer to each multiple-choice question.

If you have prepared adequately for the exam, it is usually possible to always discount 2 out of the 4 questions, as these are only there to catch out those people who haven't bothered studying for the exam at all. This leaves 2 answers to choose from, so even if you're a little unsure as to which one of the 2 is correct, you have a 50% chance of getting the question right.

You should always answer every multiple-choice question (even if you don't have a clue, you've always got a 25% chance of getting it right) as no marks are taken off for choosing the incorrect answer.

As there are 50 multiple choice questions to answer in 60 minutes, you should be aiming to spend about 1 minute per question. If you find you're unsure about a particular question, put a mark next to it and move onto the next question, coming back to the questions you're unsure about at the end.

If you have any spare time at the end, it’s a good idea to use this time to recheck over your answers.

9. Once you feel confident you know all the theory for the AOCP exam, have a go at the online AOCP exams available from the WIA Victoria website and Ron Bertrand's website, testing yourself under exam conditions (i.e. Answer the questions within 60 minutes and don't refer to your notes whilst answering the questions). This is a great way to find out which areas of the AOCP theory you need to improve on.

[ Table of Contents ]

Exam Description. There are two Morse code exams available. The difference between each is determined by the speed at which a candidate must send and receive Morse code, namely at 5 words per minute (WPM) or at 10 WPM. The section titled "Telegraphy Examination" in the ACA's Apparatus Licensing - Amateur Examinations Paper, sets out the sending and receiving requirements for both the 10 WPM (see Table 5) and 5 WPM (see Table 6) exams.

It's also worth noting that as of July 12 2000, the ACA lifted previous HF band restrictions on the Intermediate radio license allowing anyone who can qualify for an Intermediate license to use all Amateur Radio bands below 30 MHz. This effectively gives holders of Intermediate licenses the same privileges as those holding Unrestricted licenses, without the need to sit the 10 WPM Morse code exam (although the 10 WPM exam is still available).

One way of learning Morse code and preparing for the 5 WPM exam is described as follows (although there are many other techniques/methods available also).

• Before attempting to send Morse code, it is important to first learn how to receive and decipher Morse code messages. One way of achieving this is to, work through the 'Receiving Morse code' exercises in the "Learning Morse Code, A Course for Novice License Candidates" textbook using the tapes provided in the Learning Morse Code pack. The exercises are an excellent way to learn Morse code as they assume no prior knowledge, with the learning curve required being nowhere near as steep as other methods/techniques available for learning Morse code.

• As learning Morse code requires a high level of commitment and practice, it's important to set aside some regular time(s) each week for studying purposes, especially when learning to receive Morse code. There's no use working through one learning exercise on Monday for example and then having 4 days off, before working through the next exercise on Saturday, as new exercises build upon the knowledge learnt from previous ones. Instead, look at trying to spend at least 1-2 hours every second day to work through the exercises.

• Working through all the exercises in the "Learning Morse Code, A Course for Novice License Candidates" textbook, is probably not enough to guarantee a pass for the receiving part of the Morse code exam. The WIA and some Amateur Radio clubs offer Morse code practice sessions (To find out what time and frequencies are used, check out the WIA web-site) which can be listened to using a short wave radio, radio scanner or amateur radio. These practice sessions are an excellent way to fine-tune your Morse code receiving skills in preparation for the exam. If you live in Melbourne, the beacon VK3 RCW (145.650 MHz), transmits both 5 WPM and 10 WPM 24 hours a day and the Eastern and Mountain District Radio Club conducts Morse practice sessions each week night from 9 pm, on 147.425 MHz (VK3 COD).

• Only once you're confident with receiving Morse code, should you attempt to practice sending Morse code. One way to test whether your sending is up to the standard required for the exam itself is to:

1. Find some text from any source (e.g. the newspaper) that is roughly the same length as what you would expect to have to send as Morse code in the exam (try to include a few figure's (e.g. 7, 4 etc) also).
2. Using a tape recorder and a blank tape/cassette, record your Morse code transmission, trying to keep within time allowed in the exam itself (e.g. For the 5 WPM exam this is two and a half minutes). If you find that you're not getting through the text within the given time, try keying a little faster. (Note: In either Morse code exams, you can send as fast as you like, providing it's legible).
3. Replay the recorded Morse Code transmission and try writing it down. This is a good way to test whether what you send is legible and also tests your Morse code receiving skills. If there are some letters/figures that you have trouble recognising from your recorded Morse code transmission, then it's likely the Examiner will also have trouble. Therefore continue to repeat steps 1 to 3 (try using a variety of text sources) until you're confident that your Morse code sending skills are good enough to enable a pass in the exam.

Useful Link

Further hints, tips and other methods/techniques available on learning Morse code can be found at: http://www.arrl.org/FandES/ead/learncw/

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Once you have successfully passed the exam(s) required for a particular Amateur Radio license, the next step is to apply for your Amateur Radio Certificate(s) of Proficiency, which make you a qualified amateur operator. Table 2 below, outlines which certificates are required for each amateur radio licensing option:

Table 2

For example, if you have passed the Regulations exam and the NAOCP exam (not to be confused with the NAOCP certificate), this makes you eligible for a Novice Limited License. Therefore you need to apply to the ACA for the NLAOCP certificate thus making you a qualified amateur operator, before you can operate a Novice Limited station.

To apply for your certificate(s) of proficiency you'll first need to fill in an ACA form entitled "Application for initial issue or replacement issue of certificate of proficiency or endorsement", available from any ACA office or from the ACA web-site (rf107.pdf). You'll also need to attach 2 recent passport photos to your application (one appears on your certificate and the other is held by the ACA) and the results from your exams.

An example of how to correctly fill in the form when applying for an Amateur Operator's Limited Certificate of Proficiency (in this case) can be found here.

Note: If you are eligible for an Intermediate license and haven't held a previous Amateur Radio license before (e.g. Novice, Novice Limited etc) tick both the Amateur Operator's Limited Certificate of Proficiency (AOLCP) and Novice Amateur Operator Certificate of Proficiency (NAOCP) boxes under the section "Certificate/endorsement issue required", as you'll need both certificates and attach 3 (as opposed to 2) passport photos with your application.

If possible, hand your application for your Amateur Radio Certificate(s) of Proficiency to the closest ACA in person, rather than send it in by mail, as this can avoid complications later on.

An example of an Amateur Radio Certificate of Proficiency can be found here.

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Contrary to what many people think, it's not actually necessary to have your own callsign to operate a club station or a fellow amateur's station, providing you have acquired your Amateur Radio Certificate(s) of Proficiency and operate the station under the conditions specified by your particular Amateur Radio license. (e.g. If you hold a Novice Limited license, and the club station has an Unrestricted license, you can only operate the club station using power levels and frequencies allowed for a Novice Limited license).

However, if you want to operate an Amateur Radio station from home, car, boat etc you'll need a callsign of your own. You can apply for a callsign by filling in an ACA form entitled "Application for apparatus license(s)", available from any ACA office or from the ACA web-site (rf57.pdf).

An example of how to correctly fill in an apparatus license application form, (in this case, when applying for an Intermediate callsign) can be found here.

Most sections of the form are fairly self-explanatory although there are a few things worth pointing out (It's a good idea to have the form in front of you at this point, so that you can refer to it):

• Under the section "Required License Period", you can specify the number of years (up to five) for which the apparatus license will be issued for. If you aren’t planning on upgrading to another Amateur Radio license (e.g. from Novice to Intermediate) for a while, you can save money by specifying a longer licensing period. For example a 1 year license costs approximately $55 whereas a 2 year license costs around $90 etc.

• Under the section "Type of License", it asks you to indicate which licensing option you're applying for. If you are applying for a Novice Limited license for example, then write this in the box provided. There is also a 'Description of Service box', where you should write down which callsign you want. To find out which callsigns are taken you can search, the ACA's Register of Radiocommunication Licences database accessible via its web site.

• Under the section "Station details", there is a box entitled 'Applicant Qualifications', where you should write down which Amateur Radio Certificate(s) of Proficiency you hold, to make you eligible for the apparatus license you're applying for. For example if you are applying for a Novice Limited License callsign, then write down, Novice Limited Amateur Operator's Certificate of Proficiency or if you are applying for an Intermediate license callsign, write down Amateur Operator's Limited Certificate of Proficiency and Novice Amateur Operator Certificate of Proficiency.

If possible, hand your apparatus license application and license fee (together with your application for your Certificate(s) of Proficiency if required) to the closest ACA, in person, rather than send it in by mail as this can avoid complications later on.

An example of an apparatus license (in this case for a Intermediate Callsign) can be found here.

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Author

Matthew Braun VK3 JDK msbraun2000@hotmail.com

Copyright © 2001 Matthew Braun. All Rights Reserved

This page was last updated on 02/07/2003