Help Your Community:
Get an Amateur Radio License!

Great! You're thinking of becoming a licensed ham radio operator. It’s an immensely rewarding skill to have during emergencies and for local communications. It's not hard and we're here to support you all the way!

Our club offers basic licensing classes and also administers license exams. This page provides some basic information to get you started. We'll support you all the way to getting on the air! We also offer exams for General or Extra licenses. Reach out to us at education@sc4arc.org for more information.

The Technician’s license is the entry-level choice for most new hams. It confers basic VHF /UHF privileges such as using a handheld radio to communicate with other hams on our local repeater network, participating in our Monday night ARES net, and taking part in ARES activations providing communication support during emergencies. Choose one of the following options to get your license.

Half Mooon Bay and SC4

General class and Exams

Sept 20th & Oct 11th 2025

Exams Nov 1st

The General class and November 1st exam session were a great success. The pass rate at the exam session was 100%.

Congratulations to all the new and upgrading licensees.

Our next Technician licensing class will be Spring 2026. Dates to be announced.

BAEARS Licensing Sessions

Bay Area Educational Amateur Radio Society recently completed a session in Fremont with a 100% pass rate. They have 11 new hams and three upgrading to General. As this was just after the Federal shutdown, these folks are still waiting to get their licenses actually issued.

Their next session is Saturday January 17, 2026 in San Francisco. They are taking reservations but due to the shutdown, people that already have an FRN will have no problem registering. If they don't have an FRN, and wish to register, they can put in 0s (ten of them) in the FRN box. Once they get an FRN, thay can update their registration.

Here is a link to their flyer

Take a Class With SC4ARC

SC4ARC and HMBARC offer expert instruction through our two-day licensing classes, usually offered twice a year. The classes are followed by a license exam and a practical class to get you on the air.

Contact our Education Committee

Study At Your Own Pace

There are many online offerings that can help you prepare for the Technician License exam. For example, you can purchase Gordon West’s 2022-2026 Technician Class study manual and get an online app such as Hamstudy.org to study for the test or take practice exams.

Find a Ham Cram

In-person licensing classes are offered nearby as one day HAM CRAMs where participants take the test right after the class. Check out BAEARS for more information about their next scheduled HAM CRAM.

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