Amateur Radio
Here is the good news: NO MORSE CODE REQUIREMENT
More good news: YOU DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR TO TAKE YOUR TEST
The Morse Code requirement for an Amateur Radio license was removed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in February of 2007. You are only required to take a multiple choice written examination to acquire your license.
Earning a license requires passing an examination. Although regulated by the FCC, license exams are given by volunteer groups of Amateur Radio operators. Operating under organizations called Volunteer Examiner Coordinators, volunteers administer and grade tests and report results to the FCC, which then issues the license. U.S. licenses are good for 10 years before renewal, and anyone may hold one except a representative of a foreign government.
When a license examination is scheduled, a prospective amateur radio operater or one that is upgrading to a higher license class has their examination scored at the examination site and, if they sucessfully pass the test, has a temporary certificate issued on the spot. For new amateur radio operators, they must wait for the FCC to process their information and issue a call sign before they can operate on the Amateur Radio bands.
In northeast Oregon the Grande Ronde Radio Amateur Association (GRRAA) conducts examinations periodically throughout the year. The GRRAA calls upon a team of VEs to conduct the examinations. Typically examinations are held in La Grande, Oregon. The GRRAA also conducts licensing classes to help prospective amateur radio operators and those that wish to upgrade their current license. Please check the blue announcement box at the left for examination notifications.
There are three license classes: Technician, General, and Amateur Extra.
There are numerous resources on the Internet to help you acquire your Amateur Radio license. Some are free or low cost. Check the links below to get started and use your favorite search engine to find more.
If you would like to talk to someone about acquiring your license or upgrading, please contact the ARES Emergency Coordinator in your county.
The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) guide to a license:
Here are four FREE testing services: