Getting Your Amateur Extra Class Ham Radio License
The Amateur Extra is the top license class in ham radio. It unlocks every privilege in our hobby. This includes full access to all of portions of the HF bands.
Here’s how to earn the Extra Ticket…
Step 1: You’ll Need to Have a General License First
You must have a General class license before testing for Extra. No shortcuts exist here. If you don’t have your General Ticket (or, in a few cases, an Advanced Class license) t, focus on getting your General Class first.
Step 2: Understand the Jump in the Difficulty of the Test
The Extra exam is harder than General. It’s harder than Technician, too. The material goes deep into electronics theory. It covers advanced antenna design. It also covers radio wave propagation in detail. This the hardest amateur radio test in the US, and for good reason: this is the highest class license that grants the holder the most operating priviledges.
Don’t let what you just read scare you off. It just means you need more study time.
Step 3: Get the Right Study Materials
The Extra exam pulls from its own question pool, which is written by ham radio operators and published by the FCC. This Extral Class license test pool has roughly 700 questions. You’ll only be presented with 50 of them on your test day. The pool updates regular basis, and sometimes sooner if question or answer errors are detected.
There are many written study guides and online study guides and practice tests. You will REALLY WANT to study these material before you tackle the test.
Step 4: Study Consistently
Give yourself much more time than you did for your General Class exam. Six to eight weeks is reasonable for most people. Some study just fifteen minutes a day. Others prefer longer weekend sessions. Both approaches work if you stay consistent.
Focus extra attention on the math sections. Ohm’s Law problems show up often. So do reactance and impedance calculations. These trip up many test-takers.
Step 5: Drill Practice Exams
Practice tests are essential here. Take them weekly at first. Then take them daily as your test date nears. Aim for scores above 80 percent before you sit the real exam.
Step 6: Schedule Your Test Session
Find a Volunteer Examiner session through the ARRL website or vial a regional volunteer examiner coordinator. Many tests are in-person, but increasing tests are being offered online through remote proctoring. Bring your photo ID. Bring your General or Advanced license. Bring your FCC call sign record. Bring your FCC FRN. Expect a small testing fee.
Step 7: Pass the Exam
You need 37 correct answers out of 50 questions. That’s a 74 percent passing score. It’s multiple choice. Most sessions allow unlimited time for you to take the Extra Test.
Step 8: You DO NOT Have to Wait for FCC Processing of Your Exam! You Can Immediately Use Extra Class Bands Upon Passing the Test!
Your VE team submits your results to the FCC through its Volunteer Examiner Coordinator. This usually happens within a few days, and your FCC ULS record will be updated soon thereafter. But there’s good news!
GOOD NEWS! YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WAIT FOR THE FCC TO UPDATE ITS RECORDS TO USE YOUR NEW OPERATING PRIVILEGES!
Ham radio operators who upgrade to a Extra Class license may immediately operate with their new privileges as soon as they receive their Certificate of Successful Completion of Examination (CSCE) from the testing center Volunteer Examiners (VEs). This is before your upgrade appears in the official FCC database.
Operating Requirements for New Generals Awaiting their ULS Record to Update…
You’ll Need to Use a Special Identifier: When operating on General class frequencies before the FCC database updates, you must add the /AE (Amateur Extra) suffix to your call sign. Spoken, you’d say “W1XYZ Slash AE” to indicate you’re operating in the General Bands by the authority of your CSCE, but don’t lie! If caught you’d be subject to an FCC enforcement action…not a good thing!
You’ll need /AE ONLY when you use your New Privileges: You do not need to use the /AG identifier when operating under your previous General or Advanced License privileges, as those are already recorded in the active FCC database. Stop Using Identifier Once Updated: You stop using the /AE suffix as soon as your official upgrade shows up in the FCC Universal Licensing System (ULS).
That’s it! Study, study, study! Practice test, practice test, practice test! Take the real exam, pass it, and know that ou’ll never again have to take another ham radio license exam!
Written by Dr. J. L. Kramer, W6JLK (Extra Class)