Benton County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (BCARES) is hosting another of our "Amateur Radio in a Weekend" classes, please continue reading for details. On offer are an evening and Saturday class, a review session, and a VE session. The class covers the Technician Element 2 material, and the VE (test) session will offer all three tests for anyone who is interested.

We do require advanced registration for the class and exam session. If we have fewer than 3 people signed up to take the class by 5pm the Friday of the week prior we will cancel, and if no one has signed up to take the test by 5pm the Friday immediately prior to the exam we will cancel that as well.

The Basics

• Dates & Times:
  • Class - Friday May 17, 2024, 17:00-21:00
  • Class - Saturday May 18, 2024, 09:00-17:00
  • Review Session - Sunday May 19, 2024, 09:00-12:00
  • VE/Test Session - Sunday May 19, 2024, 13:00-15:00
• Location - Benton County Sherif Annez 205 NW 5th ST Corvallis OR 97330. Enter on the west side (facing NW 5th ST). Signs will be in place. There is a small parking lot on the north side of the building, we would like to keep that open for anyone who might need to park a little closer to the door. There is a larger parking lot directly north that is open for us to use on evenings and weekends. There is also street parking in the area but do check the sinage as some spots are free for 3 hours, some free for 30 minutes, and others have meters. Street parking restrictions are generally enforced Monday through Saturday, from 9am to 5pm.
• Cost:
  • Class - Free
  • VE/Test Session - Free
  • FCC Processing Fee - $35, paid directly to the FCC upon successful completion of the exam to be issued a new license
• Important Notes
  • Please keep an eye on the weather. We have had to reschedule in the past and will try to reach out to everyone if something comes up.
  • We do recommend taking advantage of the study materials here on HamStudy.
  • If you would like to sign up for the class please do so with this form

The Class

The class will be taught in two sessions. It will begin at 17:00 (5 pm) Friday May 17th, 2024, and run until 21:00 (9 pm). The class will resume the following day at 09:00 (9 am) until 17:00. The class is designed as a zero to tech lecture, the goal is for students to be able to start with no background in radio and be able to pass the element 2 test. The instructor for the course is Scott KF7GGN. Feel free to bring snacks and drinks, there will be multiple breaks including a longer one for lunch on Saturday. There are some restaurants nearby for those who wish to leave for lunch.

No book is required, though some people do like to have one to read ahead of time. There are many good options out there from different authors. Each takes their own approach to the material, and different books make work better for different people. Many libraries have one or two copies of a study guide in their collection, and it is often much cheaper to check one out for a few weeks rather than purchase one outright. The question pools do change on a rotating four-year period, so pay attention to the edition of any book you use. There generally isn't much change from one to the next but a book that is several iterations out of date may be less relevant. Some people also like to pass along their books after they have passed their test, and some clubs may have some available to borrow.

While the class is free and open to anyone who would like to take it we do require registration so we know how many people we are expecting and can make sure we can contact you just in case something comes up last minute. This link is for the registration form

The Review Session

Sunday morning will have an open review session, please feel free to stop in to ask any questions or to go into an material in greater depth. As with the class please use This form which is the same as above, to register.

The VE (Test) Session

Will begin at 13:00 (1 pm) on Sunday May 19th, 2024. Please make sure you have registered for the VE session through HamStudy prior to the test session. If you don't already have an FRN from the FCC please follow the guide HERE, make sure you follow the instructions to sign up as an individual with a US mailing list. We do recommend you sign up for an FRN as early as possible, sometimes there are system glitches, or government shutdowns that can impact access to the FCC's system and we can't admit anyone to take a test without a valid FRN. Since you are reading this, you have already found the registration page.

The exams will be conducted in-person, but through the online service of ExamTools (a companion offering to hamstudy). If you are unable to take the test online, we do have the ability to print the forms and offer a paper exam, though the online process is much easier for everyone.

• Things to bring:
  • Testing equipment - Please bring a laptop or tablet to take the test on, it just needs to be able to load a modern browser
  • Calculator - You may bring a simple calculator to use on the test if you would like
  • ID - You will need to bring a government issued ID to take the test. Minors who do not have a government issued ID can bring a school ID, or a parent with a photo ID.

Final thoughts

If you have any questions feel free to ask

• Anthony - KE7OSN KE7OSN @ Gmail . com
• Scott - KF7GGN KF7GGN @ Gmail . com

If you are unable to attend this session but would like to find other upcoming classes or test sessions those can be found on our hamstudy VE team listing.

About US

Benton County ARES is a volunteer group who provides communication support in Benton County Oregon. We support community events, provide communications for Search and Rescue, and support various county agencies and organizations with emergency and disaster communications. We also offer training such as this class, and mentorship. To find out more about us visit our website at BCARES.org