StretchLearn Course

Get Your Ham Radio Licence and Get on the Air

From exam theory to live QSOs — learn propagation, repeaters, antennas, and emergency communications step by step.

Beginner9 hrSelf PacedRegistered

Course Overview

What this course is designed to develop

Amateur radio is a globally licensed communications service with over 750,000 US licensees and millions worldwide. This course teaches the Technician-class exam syllabus alongside practical skills: how radio waves travel, how to select and use VHF/UHF and HF bands, how to operate through repeaters, and how to contribute to community emergency communications (ARES/RACES). Every lesson ties theory to real station operation so you are ready to transmit — not just pass a test.

Learning Outcomes

What the learner should be able to understand, build, or execute.

Pass the FCC Technician exam (35-question pool) with a score of 26 or higher

Explain how ionospheric and tropospheric propagation affect VHF, UHF, and HF signal paths

Operate a handheld or mobile transceiver on a local repeater using correct Q-codes, phonetic alphabet, and net procedures

Identify and assemble a basic antenna system including a half-wave dipole or 5/8-wave vertical for 2 m or 70 cm

Describe your role in an ARES or RACES emergency activation and log traffic correctly

Read an SWR meter, tune an antenna coupler, and troubleshoot common RF interference issues

Curriculum Preview

Inside the curriculum: a structured path from fundamentals to execution.

Preview the course structure, see how the modules build on one another, and understand the path this program is designed to take you through.

Module 1

Module 1: Licence Foundations and Radio Theory

Understand the regulatory framework, master the exam question pool structure, and build the electronics and safety knowledge the FCC Technician test requires.

3 lessons

The FCC Technician Exam — Structure, Rules, and Study StrategyContent · 45 min

Preview Enabled

Electrical Principles for Ham Radio — Ohm's Law to DecibelsContent · 45 min

LMS Access

FCC Rules, Call Signs, and Station IdentificationContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Module 2

Module 2: Radio Wave Propagation and Band Selection

Understand how VHF, UHF, and HF signals travel — through the ionosphere, across line-of-sight paths, and via tropospheric ducting — and learn how to choose the right band for each operating goal.

3 lessons

How Radio Waves Travel — Propagation Modes ExplainedContent · 45 min

LMS Access

VHF and UHF Bands — the Technician's PlaygroundContent · 45 min

LMS Access

HF Bands — Technician Privileges and DX PropagationContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Module 3

Module 3: Operating Procedures and On-Air Practices

Develop the operating habits that distinguish a capable ham from a licensed one: net check-in procedures, phonetic proficiency, Q-codes, repeater etiquette, and correct logging.

3 lessons

Repeater Operation and Net ProceduresContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Emergency Communications — ARES, RACES, and ICSContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Logkeeping, QSL Cards, and the Amateur CommunityContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Module 4

Module 4: Antennas, Feed Lines, and Station Setup

Build, tune, and safely deploy antennas; choose the right coaxial cable; read an SWR meter; and assemble a first station that works reliably from day one.

3 lessons

Antenna Fundamentals — Dipoles, Verticals, and YagisContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Coaxial Cable, SWR, and Feed Line ChoicesContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Building Your First Station — Gear, Safety, and Going LiveContent · 45 min

LMS Access

Built for Application

A complete learning path, not a one-off inspiration hit.

This program is designed around progression: focused lessons, structured modules, applied resources, assessments, and a course rhythm that turns information into usable capability.

ham radioamateur radioTechnician examVHF UHFpropagationrepeaterARES RACESantenna basics