Zero to Extra

When I met some of KB7QOPs HAM buddies at a recent house warming/antenna stringing event they were all pretty cool folks. I enjoyed talking with them and have heard them on the PSRG 9 O'clock Net several times. They were all encouraging me to get my technicians license. I kept saying I didn't really have time or money to invest in HAM radio at the moment. They did not accept any excuses.

After they all went home I was hanging out in KB7QOPs HAM Shack and during the 9 O'clock Net several said "and we met Tammy and she should get her license!" So I decided to go for it.

I was looking around on the web and found HamTestOnline. This isn't an advertisement for them, but I personally have found it to be a pretty great tool. It looked like something that would work for me. I liked the adaptive learning aspect and how it included information and theory not just practice tests. Adaptive learning means that it keeps track of the questions you get wrong and repeats them more frequently until you consistently get them right.

The site claims it's seen over 100 users go from no license to their extra class license. So that's the goal I set for myself. I started using the software on July 3. It's now July 7th. Within 6 hours of study I could easily pass the technicians exam. And today I am half way through the General test. I have 15 hours invested so far.

Click on the image below to see my progress.

I let our brother Randy, KC7AVA, in on my little plan at our family's 4th of July celebration. We decided that I should get my Extra class license and then go over to KC7AVA's house and contact KB7QOP. 

KB7QOP told me if I got my General license he'd buy me a radio. I wonder what he'll do when I show up with the Extra...