Get your license right here in
Columbia County!
CARA will not be testing through the summer.
ATTENTION
NEW FCC Application FEE $35 in addition to the $15 testing fee
Effective April 19 2022
When the FCC receives the examination information from the VEC, they will email a link with payment instructions to each qualifying candidate. The candidate will have 10 calendar days, from the date of the application file number being issued, to pay.
CARA will continue to collect $15 for the test only session or $30 for the ham cram. After successful passing the test, the user will need to pay an additional $35 to the FCC directly.
Prior to taking you license examination you must now obtain a FRN (FCC Registration Number). This will allow you to provide your SSN directly to the FCC and be assigned a FCC Registration number without sharing this information at the testing session. You will not be allowed to take you ham radio license exam without first obtaining a FRN. You can find out how to do this here: https://www.fcc.gov/rofrn
Click this link to find out more about where and when for testing only sessions: CARA Ham testing sessions
Ham Cram will begin in September!
There are many methods to assist you in preparation for obtaining an Amateur Radio License (Ham Cram, Self Study, Classroom Instruction). Our proven method has several advantages:
Get Your Amateur Radio License in Just One Day
No pre work/studying required to take the class
90% success rate
How do we do it?
Ham Cram is not a class, it is guided study session. — six 45-minute reading sessions with 10-minute breaks and a 50-minute break for lunch. The FCC exam is given at the end of the day.
We divide the question pool into six segments, each containing about 60 questions. This is the most efficient way to maximize attention span and fight study fatigue.
In other words, we tell you how to study, keep you doing it in an organized way, and then give you the test as soon as you are finished. It is a proven “winning formula.”
90% Success Rate
Short-term memory is the “secret” of the high success rate. All exam questions and answers will be what you have been studying in the session. This is the biggest reason why 90% are easily able to recognize the correct answers immediately after reading the question pool thoroughly.
Cost $35.00
Is Ham Cram for you?
Are you convinced that you want an Amateur Radio License but wish to know more about other study methods?
Then scroll down to Available Methods.
Do you wish to know more about the value of Amateur Radio?
Then continue reading.
FCC videos:
Getting Started with the New COES
How to Register an FRN
Associating an FRN to a Username
Managing FRN's
Resetting a Legacy FRN Password
Stay Connected When Disaster Strikes
If things got so bad that our basic utilities were to shut down, landlines wouldn’t be far behind even though they run on their own power source.
Cell phone networks will be saturated to the point that they will become ineffective. They too must connect to a landline at some point and if landline is down so is your cell phone.
Satellite phone is cost prohibitive to most potential users and is severely limited indoors
GMRS/FRS radios (ie walkie-talkies), while great for certain scenarios, just don’t have the range if we plan on talking with anyone outside of a couple miles…let alone out of the state or in another country.
Amateur Radio
Amateur radio, or more commonly referred to as “ham radio”, is used by city, county, and federal emergency communications teams; by private relief organizations throughout the world; and by a large number of dedicated citizens who are active, knowledgeable, and have the skills and ability to respond and assist in emergencies.
Obtaining new license
Why should I get licensed?
Before you can get on the air, you need to be licensed and know the rules to operate legally. US licenses are good for 10 years before renewal and anyone may hold one except a representative of a foreign government. In the US there are three license classes—Technician, General and Extra.
Technician License
The Technician class license is the entry-level license for new ham radio operators. To earn the Technician license requires passing one examination totaling 35 multi-choice questions. The license gives access to all Amateur Radio frequencies above 30 megahertz, allowing these licensees the ability to communicate locally and most often within North America. It also allows for some limited privileges on the HF (also called “short wave”) bands used for international communications.
Available Methods
Ham Cram (Our Method)
Get Your Amateur Radio License in Just One Day! You can get your Amateur Radio License in a single day using our proven technique. No Morse code test is required! This class is offered the 3rd Saturday of each month at Columbia County Roads Dept Conference room located in Saint Helens, Oregon.
No pre work/studying required to take the class. This is not an Amateur Radio training course. You will not understand ham radio when you complete the Ham Cram. You will become licensed and able to learn at your own pace. Free Amateur Radio training is offered by N7EI (Columbia County Amateur Radio Association).
Self Study
Phone & Tablet Apps
Ham Test Prep (Android & iOS)
Amateur Exam Test Prep: Technician (iOS)
HamStudy.org (Android)
On-Line
NC4FB self-study program
HamTestOnline (subscription good for 3 months and can be renewed for additional 3 months for small free)
Practice Amateur Radio Exams from QRZ.com
Printed Material
If you feel that the above methods are more suited to your learning abilities when you feel confident in passing the Technician or General class license test then click on the link below and indicate that you are attending our Test Session Only.
These are just a few of the resources that are available on the internet. We do not endorse any of the above Self Study methods, but have found them quite useful. If none of the above are to your liking, perform a Google search and you should have no trouble finding a study method that will fit your needs.