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Link How to Solder PL-259 with W9EHQ
Link Antenna Planning for small HF Stations
Link Antennas & Propagation Course for Everyone
Link My Favorite Websites (PDF Download)


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the syllabus for the class you
may be interested in.

AMATEUR EXTRA TEST CLASS SCHEDULE
WEEK DATE CHAPTER SUBJECT




1 1/10/26 1 Introduction and Rules
2
2 Operating Practices
3
3 Rules and Regulations
4 1/17/26 4 Electrical Principles
5 1/24/26 5 Components and Building Blocks
6 1/31/26 6 Electronic Circuits
7 2/7/26 7 Radio Signals and Measurements
8 2/14/26 8 Radio Modes and Equipment
9 2/21/26 9 Antennas and Feed Lines
10 2/28/26 10 Topics in Radio Propagation
11 3/7/26 11 Safety
GENERAL TEST CLASS SCHEDULE
WEEK DATE CHAPTER SUBJECT




1 1/17/26 1 Introduction
2
2 Procedures & Practices
3 1/24/26 3 Rules & Regulations
4 1/31/26 4 Components & Circuits
5 2/7/26 5 Radio Signals & Equipment
6 2/14/26 8 Propagation
7 2/21/26 6 Digital Modes
8 2/28/26 7 Antennas & Transmission Lines
9 3/7/26 9 Safety
TECHNICIAN TEST CLASS SCHEDULE
WEEK DATE CHAPTER SUBJECT




1 1/17/26 1 Welcome to Amateur Radio


2 Radio Signals & Fundamentals
2 1/24/26 3 Electricity, Components & Circuits Part 1
3 1/31/26 3 Electricity, Components & Circuits Part 2
4 2/7/26 4 Propogation, Antennas & Feed Lines
5 2/14/26 5 Amateur Radio Equipment
6 2/21/26 6 Communication with Other Hams
7 2/28/26 7 Licensing Regulations


8 Operating Regulations
8 3/7/26 9 Safety
Registering
for Classes
Age 17 and under

ARRL will cover the one-time $35 application fee for new license candidates younger than 18-years old, for tests administered under the ARRL Volunteer Examiner Coordinator (ARRL VEC) program. The $35 FCC application fee will be reimbursed after the ARRL VEC receives the completed reimbursement form and the new license has been issued by the FCC. The reimbursement check will be mailed to the fee payer. Also, candidates younger than 18-years old would pay a reduced exam session fee of $5 to the ARRL VEC VE team at the time of the exam. The $5 fee is for all candidates under the age of 18 regardless of the exam level taken. Proof of under 18 status is required at the session.

Technician Class License
This is the entry level license for Amateur Radio where
you will learn the fundamentals of this hobby. 
It’s the place to get started!
Free classes will start January 17, 2026 and run until
March 7, 2026 (last class + exam).
You will need a book "The ARRL Radio License Manual,
5th Edition," which is available at ARRL or Amazon.
The photo of the book (up and left) and the
Title Text (below) are both links to ARRL and they take you
to the page where you can order the manual.
Or you can get it elsewhere. Just make sure its the 5th Edition!
“The ARRL Radio License Manual, 5th Edition”
Click if you want to go to Amazon.

YOU MUST REGISTER FOR THIS FREE CLASS
These classes run from 9:00 am until noon on Saturdays.
All tests are $15.00 payable at exam time.
Classes will be held at the Westmont Fire Department
500 N Cass Ave.
Westmont, IL

To register contact Mark by clicking his call sign (below).
KR9K
Click on the Call Sign to Send Mark an email and include:
your name, phone number, email address,
and CALLSIGN (if you have one) and let Mark know
which class you want.




The General License
The General License gives you more operating privileges and frequencies
to operate on, and covers some basic electronics theory which you will encounter as you grow into the hobby. You will learn to make contacts
using Morse Code, Voice, and Digital modes.
Classes will begin January 17, 2026 and meet every Saturday
through March 7th (last class + Exam).
You will need the book,
"The ARRL General Class License Manual, 10th Edition,"
which is available on ARRL and Amazon for about $33.00
The photo of the book and the Title Text
(above) are both links that will take you directly to
the page on ARRL where you can purchase the Manual.
Or you can get your class textbook anywhere you like,
just make sure its the 10th Edition.

YOU MUST REGISTER FOR THIS FREE CLASS
These classes meet from 9:00 am until noon.
All tests are $15.00 payable at exam time.

Classes will be held at the
Westmont Fire Department
500 N Cass Ave.
Westmont, IL

To register contact Mark
KR9K
Click on the Call Sign to Send Mark an email and include:
your name, phone number, email address,
and CALLSIGN (if you have one) and let Mark know
which class you want.




 Extra Class License

The Extra Class License gives you all the Amateur Radio
operating privileges allowed by The Federal Communications
Commission (FCC). It is the highest level license in Amateur Radio, with an emphasis on electronics and radio communications theory. You will need this book: (click on the book or the text below).

Class will begin January 17, 2026 and meet every Saturday through March 7th.


The ARRL Extra Class License Manual, 13th Edition:

To register contact Mark KR9K
Click on the Call Sign to Send Mark an email. Please include:
your name, phone number, email address,
and CALLSIGN (if you have one) and let Mark know
which class you want.

YOU MUST REGISTER FOR THIS FREE CLASS
These classes meet from 9:00 am until noon.
All tests are $15.00 payable at exam time.
Classes will be held at the
Westmont Fire Department
500 N Cass Ave.
Westmont, IL


Below: Test Day! No Sweat!

 


 
 



Beofeng

OK, how many of you have been telling others that the
reason you're losing your hair is because of a rare
tropical disease that has stymied your doctor...

...when in reality, you've been pulling your hair out trying
to program your BAOFENG H-T?
Well, just in time to help save your tonsorial assets,

we have MURRAY.
W9EHQ's 
BAOFENG  UV-5R

       PROGRAMMING SEQUENCE

-----------------------------------------------

Using the radio’s keypad, the example here will be to program the DARC 2mtr rptr into memory chan. 50.  Buttons pressed will be in RED.  I am sure there more ways to skin a cat, but this works for me.

 

 

Turn on radio

 

With  VFO/MR  select “freq. mode”

With  A/B, move cursor to upper display

With  BAND  select VHF or UHF (in this case…VHF)

With  NUMERIC KEYPAD  enter desired RECEIVE freq. (in this case  145.430 )

 

Press  MENU  + 2  +  MENU 

With  UP/DOWN ARROWS  select HIGH or LOW POWER

Press  MENU  +  EXIT  (radio voice confirms selection)

 

Press  MENU  +  5  +  MENU 

With  UP/DOWN ARROWS  select WIDE

Press  MENU  +  EXIT  (radio voice confirms selection)

 

Press  MENU  +  1  +  3  +  MENU

With  UP/DOWN ARROWS  select PL FREQ.  (in this case, 107.2)

Press  MENU  +  EXIT  (radio voice confirms selection)

 

Press  MENU  +  2  +  5  +  MENU

With  UP/DOWN ARROWS  select OFFSET DIRECTION  (in this case  - )

Press  MENU  +  EXIT  (radio voice confirms selection)

 

Press  MENU  + 2  +  6  +  MENU

With  NUMERIC KEYPAD  enter OFFSET FREQ  (in this case  00.600)

Press  MENU  +  EXIT  (radio voice confirms selection)

 

Press  MENU  +  2  +  7  +   MENU

With  NUMERIC KEYPAD  select memory channel location  (in this case  50 )

Press  MENU  +  EXIT   (radio voice confirms RECEIVING memory channel)

 

With  NUMERIC KEYPAD  enter desired TRANSMIT freq.  (in this case  144.830)

Press  MENU + 2 + 7 + MENU + MENU + EXIT  (radio voice confirms XMIT freq)

 

Programming complete for this channel. Now to display what you have done…..

 

With  VFO/MR  select Channel mode in upper display

(1) Press  A/B  to move cursor to upper display

Press  UP/DOWN  ARROWS to select Channel # desired

(2) Press  A/B  to move cursor to lower display

Press  UP/DOWN ARROWS to select same channel # as displayed in upper display

(this Chan. # will be the small # to the right of the Freq. display)

So when the Channel # (top display) and the channel # next to freq. (bottom display)

agree, you now know what freq is in that particular memory channel.

Note: items 1 & 2 above can be reversed if you forget what is in each memory channel but know the freq. you want.

 

Also note: Assuming your channel# (upper display) and corresponding freq. for that channel (lower display) match, with the cursor is next to the channel #, the freq. displayed on the bottom display will be the RECEIVE freq. ,even when you transmit.  However, if the cursor is next to the bottom freq. display, and an offset freq. has been programmed, when you transmit, the TRANSMIT freq. will be displayed.

 

Good Luck!
  Thanks to Murray, W9EHQ

 

 

 

Learn How to Solder PL-259 Connectors
with DARC's own Murray, W9EHQ!

 

 

Want to learn about Antenna Planning for Small HF Stations 
(and even larger ones)?

Click the box below to download a presentation
of Jim Brown's Wonderful Lesson about the subject.
 
Don't have POWER POINT on your computer? Click the button below
for a PDF version of the presentation!
 
Thanks to Jim Brown K9YC
Check out all his stuff at
 http://k9yc.com/publish.htm

Are you interested in
Propagation and Antennas?
If so, join the Navy. They're interested too!
So much so that the link below will take you to
part of a Naval Course for Electronics Techs
and you might find it very interesting!


And another shout out and "Thanks" to
The Villages Amateur Radio Club 
©2021 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
For their permission to link to items on their
very nicely done website - nice work by

K4VRC

Rich Erlichman

My Favorite Websites
presented by Ed Worst, K9EW
10/28/2024
HERE
to Download the PDF.



 

w9dup

This website is hosted and maintained by the DuPage Amateur Radio Club (DARC). This website provides information and links relating to amateur radio, club activities, severe weather and emergency preparedness. DARC makes no warranties or representations, either express or implied, with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this website. Information may be changed or updated without notice and may contain technical inaccuracies or typographical errors. DARC shall not be liable for damages of any kind arising out of or in connection with the use of these websites.