"Ham" Amateur Radio Learning Resources

KJ4UBL, Chris Tate explains in this short recording (courtesy ARRL):

Martin County ARES and MCARA jointly conduct periodic classes- contact us and let us know you are interested in attending a class or Upgrading your present license and we will let you know when the next local class is scheduled. 

• Do I need to learn Morse code? No- Amateur radio licensing no longer requires Morse code testing- though it remains a popular "mode" of communicating among hams.
• How much do the classes cost? Our local classes are always free of cost- save the cost of sitting for the test and the cost of purchasing a study guide. Those are both passed through at our cost. 
• How long are the classes? Club sponsored classes for the Technician class license are typically 8 weeks of sessions- with the testing on the last session- around 14 hours of classroom instruction. General and Extra class licensing take about the same time to conduct. Self study allows the option of shorter path to a license- but the classes tend to help you apply what you learn and become a better operator overall. 

You may always choose self study and contact our club to arrange a date to sit for your FCC licensing exam. You may choose from free study resources and paid resources- and use the online practice tests to improve your confidence prior to sitting for the exam. 

• Find a Local Class via the ARRL
• KB6NU's No-Nonsense Study Guides (All License classes available)
• W9PE's Ham Cram one day Technician class license course

• Gordon West Radio School
• Hamclass.net (online)
• ARRL Licensing Manuals

• Amateur Radio Comic Books from ICOM - The Adventures of Zack and Mak comprise seven issues available as PDF and coloring book outlined versions. 
• Kids in Amateur Radio Net- a place for kids to "check-in" on a net either via e-mail or via reflector on radioreference website.
• Youth in Amateur Radio Podcasts
• Web Pages from the Winnbrook School, Belmont, MA Welcome to the Wonderful World of Ham Radio, Let's Get acquainted with Amateur Radio,  Ham Radio Learning Activities, the students here assigned themselves imaginary call signs so they may relate the terms to their own locations- great ideas here. 
• Kids Day- twice a year the League sponsors a "Kids Day" event to encourage young people (licensed or not) to have fun with Amateur Radio. It is designed to give on-the-air experience to youngsters and hopefully foster interest in getting a license of their own. It is also intended to give older hams a chance to share their station and love for Amateur Radio with their children.
• Scouting- Boy Scouts have a Jamboree On The Air (JOTA) on the third weekend of October each year. Larry Wolfgang WR1B discusses JOTA and youth involvement in the video below.

• ARRL Education & Technology Program-- this education outreach project introduces teachers to Amateur Radio as an instructional resource for a sound curriculum focused on wireless communications.
  
• Classroom Resources- shared materials and tools for teaching wireless technology.
• IEEE Article "Ham Radio, a bridge to the wireless world" discusses "Why teach Amateur Radio in Schools" and the benefits of doing so.
• Download The Teacher's Guide to Amateur Radio Instruction
• From the Texas Center for Educational Technology- Guide: Infusing Radio Based Communication Tools into the Curriculum
• ARRL - Amateur Radio in the Classroom