Category: Testing

PARC Pile Up Sunday Oct 6 will take place at the NOARC Hamfest!

PARC will be supporting the NOARC Hamfest at 1446 Commerce Drive Crestview Florida. So the Pile-Up for OCT 6 is canceled.

Please come visit us at the Hamfest!

What: NOARC’s Annual Amateur Radio Hamfest

When (Day 1): Saturday October 5th, 2024. VENDOR ONLY set up @ 0800. Soft show opening at 3pm until 6PM.

Amateur Radio Liscense Testing: Saturday, October 5th, 2024, at 1PM CST. Details below!

When (Day 2): Sunday October 6th, 2024. VENDORS ONLY set up @ 0600. Full show opens @ 0800.

Admittance for Visitors and guests: $7.00 each person. Ages 12 and under FREE, ages 90 and above, FREE, Scouts in uniform, FREE!

Prices: Vendor Tables/Table Spots: $10.00 each spot/space/table (good for the entire show). First reserve first served. If you are a walk-in the day of the show, tables may be limited as this show typically sells-out.

Food: Meal and bake sale services provided by the Playground Amateur Radio Club of Fort Walton Beach Florida.

TALK IN: 147.360, +, 0.6, 100 Hz Tone

Contact Information:

Hamfest Hotline 850.359.9186 or email KI4ZER@ARRL.Net

Liscense Testing: Saturday 5 October, 2024 @ 1pm CST. Cost is $10.00. Pre-registration is required at: https://w4aaz.org/exams-contact-form/. Only FRN’s will be accepted and must be obtained prior to the show. FRN’s may be obtained HERE or got to https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/userLogin.do. You must provide a printed copy to test. Current Liscense holders must provide a copy of their license as part of the testing. This can be done by following this LINK. or go to https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/support/knowledge-base/universal-licensing-system-uls-resources/how-obtain-official . Click HERE or got to  https://w4aaz.org/noarc/testing-contact/ for more information on testing.

Jackson County Amateur Radio Association

Fresh off the heels of the Milton Hamfest and it’s quaint stability we learned from one of our traveling friends that there is an awesome show coming up in Biloxi! We were invited of course and are working plans to CQ and DX our way over to support those that continue to support us!

 

The Jackson County folks have been coming to our events for a long time! Be it our annual full blown Hamfest or be it our tailgate! So why Not! Let’s show them what PARC is all about and participate with them! See the flyer and the web link below for more details!

HamFest

PARC Testing Session Results!

The Playground ARC tests on a regular basis each odd month on the second Saturday at 9am CST. The last test session was on July 13. The next test session is September 14. The location is at the Clubhouse located at 17 A First St SE Fort Walton Beach Florida!

We would like to thank all of our Volunteer Examiners for their time and continued support for all of those who wish to embark on their journey or upgrade their skills!

At this time, we are highlighting our very own Activities Director from the Playground Amateur Radio Club! KQ4FRB/AG, Queenie is now a General License Holder!  She has been a ham and heavily involved with the club since September of 2022, licensed since January of 2023, and now UPGRADED to general after studying vigorously while also hosting Amateur Radio Events, participating in the community as a member of the Playground Amateur Radio Club and the North Okaloosa Amateur radio Club! Well deserved and an honor to have this level of commitment in the hobby!

13 July 2024, 0900 Test Session for Ham License/Upgrades

Are you ready to obtain your Ham Ticket?!

Are you looking to UPGRADE your License Class?!

If you said yes then check out the ARRL Recommendations at: https://www.arrl.org/getting-licensed

Our Next Test Session is on 13 July, 2024 at 0900. Located at 17 First St SE in Beautiful Downtown Fort Walton Beach Florida!

Good luck and see you there! Please follow the instructions on our EXAMS Page: https://w4zbb.org/exams/

Need an app on the go to prepare? Check out: https://hamradioprep.com/ham-radio-study-guide/

Romeo the dog says “CQ”

From the Volunteer Examiner (VE) Desk

Curious about Amateur Radio Licensing? Here are some great suggestions to put you on the path to success! 

To prepare for an amateur radio exam, you can follow these steps:

  1. Understand the Exam Format: The Technician and General exams consist of 35 multiple-choice questions, while the Amateur Extra exam has 50 questions. You need to answer a specific number of questions correctly to pass.
  2. Take Practice Exams: Practice tests are essential for preparation. They help identify areas that need more focus and familiarize you with the exam format. Ham Radio Prep offers free practice exams that closely resemble the real license exams.
  3. Set a Test Date Goal: Setting a test date goal can help you pace your studies and work towards a specific timeframe for taking the exam.
  4. Focus on the Material: It’s important to focus on the actual material that will be on the exam. While additional knowledge is beneficial, concentrating on the exam-specific content is key to passing.
  5. Use Study Resources: There are various study resources available, such as online courses, study guides, and books. Ham Radio Prep, ARRL Handbook, and Gordon West’s Study Guides are some of the recommended resources.
  6. Join a Study Group: Joining a study group can provide motivation and assistance from others who are also preparing for the exams.
  7. Utilize Practice Test Feedback: Pay attention to the feedback from practice tests to identify and focus on areas where you need improvement.

By following these steps and utilizing the available resources, you can effectively prepare for your amateur radio exam and increase your chances of success

There are plenty of avenues on getting them ready to take the test and get licensed. It just depends what avenue you would like to take.

Some people just download ham test prep apps to their smart phone and do practice tests until they are scoring in the 90% range before they take the test. Others, like ordering a ham prep book like for example the test prep books that the www.ARRL.org website has in their online store for sale. Speaking of the ARRL they have a fair amount of information to help you decide which way to go at http://www.arrl.org/getting-licensed

The first thing would be to decide on what study method you would like to take and then what target license class would be then prepare for the test. There are three licenses, Technician, General, Extra and theory wise they build on top of each other. For example, Technician is the entry level and required for obtaining a General license and then these two are required before you can obtain an Extra license.

If along the way they you need someone to mentor the testers, the best suggestion is to have them hang out at some of the local area clubs to see the equipment especially on days when the club is active doing radio operations. In Fort Walton Beach, we have a few gatherings during the month and of those we have on call the “Pile Up”. On Sunday afternoons (3pm CST) we get together to do projects or chit chat about radio stuff at the club house. If you are interested in that the address to find us is at 17 First St SE, Fort Walton Beach, Florida and we would be pleased to have you drop by.

Finally, when you feel that they are ready to take the test, there are a few options on where to take the test. Our club has test sessions on the first Saturday of every odd month but if you’d like to look for a closer spot to your address, you can always search for test locations at: http://www.arrl.org/find-an-amateur-radio-license-exam-session

Just plug in your address information plus dates and the form will output a list of dates and locations to take the license test.

Rey, KM4DYA

Lead VE, Playground Amateur Radio Club

Hopefully I gave you as much information you need but if you have any other questions, please feel free to reach out again to us and we will be happy to help.

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