Home Study --- Home study by yourself is a tough way to go but it is not impossible to get yourself ready this way to take the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mandated examination. You can find a myriad pile of quality home study books or on line programs at local books stores, out of ham radio related magazines or on line.
Your chances of finishing the task and getting your license are solely limited by your personal drive. I can tell you this, it won't be easy, as I got my first license back in the late 50's this way so I know from experience. You miss out on the personal experience aspect of learning from someone who has already been there, done that, and got the t-shirt to prove it.
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HamBone College --- This program has been resurrected by the members of the DBARA. It is a good method for learning all you need to know to pass the required examination to get your first level of license and be familiar with how some of the equipment of today functions to enhance that exhilarating experience of the first's, time on with your own call sign, your own antenna, and your own gear. Until you have done that you haven't done anything really exciting.
The goal of HamBone College is to take you the "wanting to be" ham stage to sitting down in front of a Certified Volunteer Examiner (VE) to walking out the door knowing that in a very short time the FCC will be mailing you your first FCC Amateur Radio Station License and Call Sign in the US Mail.
HamBone College wants to take your beginning experience even further by familiarizing you, the potential new licensee holder, with live on the air experiences before you get your own license and setup your very own ham radio station. We know what an intimidating factor that can be knowing that you can get on the air but have "cold feet and sweaty palms" because it is something you have never done. You get the personal experience aspect of learning from someone who has already been there, done that, and got the t-shirt to prove it.
To learn more about the forth coming classes to be taught by the HamBone College team click your mouse on any of the hyper-links to HamBone College and keep checking back to the web site or listen to the K4BV repeater on your scanner (147.150 MHz) or VHF radio for news announcements. Better yet call one of our Points of Contact and talk to a real live person to get your name on the list for the next class being scheduled.
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Community Emergency Response Training (CERT) --- The Daytona Beach Police Department offers first CERT training as their primary program. They do not a this time offer the basics to pass the entry level ham license. This would mean that you would have to do a lot of extra home study on your own. However, But it is not a goal that can not be met as many have done it. It is just not the primary goal of the CERT Program.
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Volusia Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Service (VARECS) --- VARECS is a group of dedicated amateur radio operators whose primary function is to provide Volusia and surrounding counties with trained amateur radio operators to assist in providing several county an governmental agencies with back up communications. They have many knowledgeable, highly trained people in their organization that are a great asset, source of information and conduct bi-monthly ham license exams. See calendar for proposed dates.
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ARRL On Line --- Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week as an on line course supported by an accredited college. One of the more expensive but most convenient methods for the "limited time available student or on the go person."
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Date of last update: 04 March 2008
