The Bishop Amateur Radio Club gives amateur radio license exams quarterly. The schedule for the 2009 exams is: February 7th,  May 2nd,  August 1st,  and November 7th. The test are held at 12:00 a.m. on Saturdays at the Salvation Army, 621 W. Line Street, Bishop.

        You can practice for your test by using QRZ's Amateur Radio Practice Exams. Click here to go to their web page. You will find practice test for the Technician, General and Extra class test on their site.

        Most new amateur radio operators start at the Technician Class and then advance to the General Class or Amateur Extra Class. The VEs give examination credit for the license class currently held so that examinations required for that license class need not be repeated. The VEs prepare the written examinations from question pools that have been made public. Helpful study guides and training courses are widely available.

        The privileges of a Technician Class operator license include operating stations while transmitting on channels in any of 17 frequency bands above 50 MHz with up to 1,500 watts of power. To pass the Technician Class examination, at least 26 questions from a 35 question written examination must be answered correctly. A Technician Class licensee who also has passed a 5 words-per-minute (wpm) telegraphy examination receives privileges in four long distance shortwave bands in the HF range (3-30 MHz) (Refer to Section 97.301).

        The General Class operator license carries privileges in all 27 bands. Upon accreditation by a Volunteer-Examiner Coordinator (VEC), an individual can help administer certain examinations. In addition to the above written examination, the requirement includes a 35 question written examination for which 26 correctly answered questions is the minimum passing score. A telegraphy examination at 5 wpm must also be passed.

        The privileges of an Amateur Extra Class operator license include additional spectrum in the HF bands. In addition to all of the above written examinations and telegraphy examination, the requirements include a 50 question written examination for which 37 correctly answered questions is the minimum passing score.