VEs needed! November 9

[Tommy Gober]

Hey everyone -

I'm super excited about the upcoming one-day license class on November 9 here in The Woodlands. We currently have 41 people registered for the course! (I anticipate we'll hit 45 before the day-of.) I seriously underestimate the draw for such a course! We have folks driving up from Ft Bend County and in Bryan/College Station.

The class is from 8:30a-4:30p, November 9, at 8989 Woodlands Pkwy, The Woodlands, TX 77382

If you know any would-be hams wanting to attend, space is getting limited. Register here: https://gpcwoodlands.churchcenter.com/calendar/event/168808290

Here's why I'm bugging you again:

We need more VEs!

At present, we have just 3 volunteer examiners (myself included). If you are an ARRL VE, we could absolutely use your help. The test session will begin at 5:00p after the class wraps up. You do not need to do anything other than drop in to assist. The more VEs we have, the faster we can process people and the less time it will take for all involved. So, if you can pitch in to help administer/grade exams, your assistance will be greatly appreciated. Further, because this is a Technician class, if you are a General you can still help us out.

Thanks for your consideration and do feel free to forward this request to other VEs you may know in the area.

Thanks and 73

Tommy, N5DUX

[Dennis Lamberth]

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[Peter Belbin]

Hey there Tommy,

 

Cool.

 

I think I can swing by and help out.

 

Regards,

Peter

 

 

From: the-woodlands-am...@googlegroups.com <the-woodlands-am...@googlegroups.com> On Behalf Of Tommy Gober
Sent: Monday, October 28, 2024 1:31 PM
To: w5...@groups.io; The Woodlands Amateur Radio Club <the-woodlands-am...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: VEs needed! November 9

 

Hey everyone -

--

[Milton Marrero]

Hello,

Is this only for Technician? Please advise 

73’s de WP4VW

Very respectfully,

M. Marrero

SFC, US Army Retired

📲 WhatsApp: 939-235-9667

📨 wp...@icloud.com

On Oct 29, 2024, at 21:44, Milton MarreroColon <wp...@icloud.com> wrote:

Hello,

Is this only for Technician? Please advise 

73’s de WP4VW

Very respectfully,

M. Marrero

SFC, US Army Retired

📲 WhatsApp: 939-235-9667

📨 wp...@icloud.com

On Oct 29, 2024, at 20:09, Peter Belbin <ke5...@gmail.com> wrote:



To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/the-woodlands-amateur-radio-club/006401db2a68%2467249e20%24356dda60%24%40gmail.com.

[Tommy Gober]

Yes. The license class is focused on Technician license.

Testing will be available for any level.

There have been others asking for General and Extra classes and I'm not opposed. I'll likely lead another Tech class then maybe do a General in late Spring.

Extra... we'll see. General would likely be a Friday evening and Saturday all day.

Extra would be a larger time commitment (maybe two Saturdays with some homework in between) because of the larger test pool and more in depth topics to wade through.

Tommy N5DUX

[Gary Snyder]

Sorry Peter,

I’m out of town that week.

Thanks for checking. 73 

Gary

W5GLS 

Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 29, 2024, at 8:09 PM, Peter Belbin <ke5...@gmail.com> wrote:



To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/the-woodlands-amateur-radio-club/006401db2a68%2467249e20%24356dda60%24%40gmail.com.

[Quentin Smith]

Peter and Tommy, is there better study materials for taking the test? Yesterday was very disheartening and not sure it is worth pursuing taking the test again. Also when will testing be offered again?

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[Michael Kresowski]

Quentin, 

Sorry to hear that the class didn’t meet your expectations.   

I used an app called HamStudy. 

There is also HamStudy.org.  It gives you a bank of questions (400 or so) and you just have to memorize them.  When you take the test 35 of these 400 questions will be on the test.   I studied about 20 min-1 hour a day for a month and was very ready for the test.   I took it 2 months ago.  Also check out YouTube tutorials. There’s a guy who goes over all the bank questions and explains each one individually so it makes sense.  

Good luck.  

 

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/the-woodlands-amateur-radio-club/CA%2BcpR0e7F_-UzahKmLFRYzcsmgqtHb3GvROCKioeZU8uAtfoGA%40mail.gmail.com.

[Quentin Smith]

Thank You guys for the help, Michael I just found the Hamstudy website and discovered I have created an account some time ago. I only mised by six questions I think that Hamstudy will help to tell me where I am weak and come back stronger. Just need to find out when it the next time I can take the test.

[Greg544]

Hi Quentin,

Here is a free phone app I would recommend. 

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ham-radio-exam-tech/id601991935

It has an Android version as well but I don’t have a link to it. 

This app will help you learn questions section by section for the exam first as a way to read each question with the correct answer highlighted, then as a section quiz. Once you can pass a section move on to the next one. Once you can pass most section quizzes  the app will give you a full practice exam that you can take over and over. Once you can consistently pass with 80% you will pass a paid for exam with no problem. 

Greg Waldrop 

WJ9M

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/the-woodlands-amateur-radio-club/CA%2BcpR0c%2Bv0vdjgPn5Dve-6_KesqyPrSfg7GF_%3DLfdQcJr5Z6rQ%40mail.gmail.com.

[Quentin Smith]

👍

Quentin reacted via Gmail

[Quentin Smith]

Awesome, thanks for the info!

On Sun, Nov 10, 2024, 11:22 AM Greg544 <gre...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Peter Belbin]

Hey there Quentin,

 

I’m late to the party on the replies front, but, people learn in different ways, and the one-day ham-cram style approach might not suit everyone.

 

Here is what I did to prepare to take the tests:

 

1. Obtain the ARRL study guide for the license being studied for.   The tests are organized into sections that cover related details, and so the ARRL study guide is similarly organized, presenting the information that helps you understand *why* the answers to the questions are correct.  It *also* has the question pool, with the correct answer for each question.
2. Using the study guide, I studied each section, then reviewed the relevant questions, and when I got an answer wrong, I went back to the related teaching material to review it, to better understand why the answer is correct.  I repeated the check of the questions for that section & their answers until I was somewhat confident I had it, then moved on to the next section, until all sections were covered.
3. Find some online simulations of taking the test, and repeatedly use them to gain experience taking the test, and also, to help flush out any questions that I’m still getting wrong, and revert back to item 2 in a more focused way (related to the question) to reinforce what the correct answer is.
4. Repeat 3 (and 2) as needed until I can reliably score above 95% correct every time.
5. Until you can take a real test, regularly take the test simulations to help you keep the information fresh, and help lock it in.
6. Take the test at the next opportunity.

 

That’s what I did.  Whether that works for you or not, well, only you will know that.

 

As far as when can the test be re-taken?

 

Well, The Woodlands Amateur Radio Club meets regularly on the 3^rd Thursday of each month, and per https://www.twarc.org/general-information/testing, we aim to make testing available on odd-numbered months, but, reach out to Dennis when you are ready to test, as it’s not guaranteed that the required number of volunteer examiners will attend any given month (fore-arranging gives Dennis some time to make sure VE’s are attending).  So, for example, this month would be one of those odd numbered months, but not December.

 

If absolutely needed, a special test session outside of that regular opportunity might also be a possibility.

 

I may be wrong, but, I believe the Montgomery county ARES organization may also offer testing on a regular/ongoing basis.  I’m not sure who you would reach out to on that side of things.

 

I understand that testing is also able to be done online, involving remote VE’s observing you via zoom or similar, while you take the test.

 

One additional thing…..

 

Taking the test may seem daunting, but, the FCC testing process allows one to pay once, and, as long as you keep passing, take the next test.

 

So, yeah, there are *some* folks that study for and pass all 3 tests (tech, general, extra) during the one test session.

 

Each license comes with it’s own expansion of on-air transmit capabilities vs the earlier license.  Which one you should target really depends on what you want to do with the hobby.  There are *many* very long-time, very effective radio operators and leaders that have the Technician license, while there are others that would not be able to do what they love without being an Extra.

 

So, the license you attain is not reflective of effectiveness.  And, of course, it’s upgradeable, should you start out as a Technician and later want to have more privileges available.

 

I hope this helps, and that sooner rather than later, you find your way to qualifying for transmit privileges in the amateur radio bands.

 

Best Regards,

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/the-woodlands-amateur-radio-club/CA%2BcpR0e7F_-UzahKmLFRYzcsmgqtHb3GvROCKioeZU8uAtfoGA%40mail.gmail.com.

[Quentin Smith]

Is there somewhere I can follow when the next sit down test will be?

On Tue, Oct 29, 2024 at 8:09 PM Peter Belbin <ke5...@gmail.com> wrote:

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[Peter Belbin]

Hey there Quentin,

 

Normally, the club offers the ability to take tests in connection with the regular club meeting that happens on the 3^rd Thursday of each month that has an odd numbered month number. 

 

Eg: November is month 11, which is an odd numbered month.

 

As it happens, someone contacted us via email a couple of days before the club meeting, and we were able to conduct the test while the club meeting was happening, and they happened to pass, too!

 

A week’s notice would have been nice, but, in this case, we *were* able to make sure the needed number of volunteer examiners were present at the meeting.

 

Only testing on the odd numbered months is not a hard rule – sometimes we’ve done it on even months when requested, and, sometimes, we’ve even met at other times/places (eg: a nearby McDonalds).

 

It’s not something we make a big deal of, since the opportunity comes up somewhat regularly.

 

So, there you go.

 

Best regards,

 

Peter

 

 

 

 

 

From: Quentin Smith <quentin.s...@gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, November 22, 2024 3:50 PM
To: Peter Belbin <ke5...@gmail.com>
Cc: Tommy Gober <to...@neodux.com>; w5...@groups.io; The Woodlands Amateur Radio Club <the-woodlands-am...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: VEs needed! November 9

 

Is there somewhere I can follow when the next sit down test will be?