Websites
Online references, learning resources and operating tools to explore in your browser.
These resources describe different approaches. Check current requirements, documentation and costs at the source, and choose what fits the activity you want to try.
Browse websites
- All About Circuits Textbook
Free lessons on electricity, components, and circuit fundamentals.
The textbook starts with voltage, current and resistance, then moves into components and more involved circuits. If the electrical side of radio is new to you, begin with the direct-current lessons and work through the examples before moving to radio-frequency topics.
Open All About Circuits Textbook - AMSAT Getting Started
Beginner information and operating guides for amateur satellites.
AMSAT explains how amateur satellites work and what you need to hear or contact them. Start with the beginner material and choose a listening session before planning a transmission. Satellite passes are brief, so knowing the frequencies and tracking method ahead of time helps.
Open AMSAT Getting Started - AMSAT Satellite Status
Crowdsourced satellite activity reports for planning operations.
A satellite can be in range without its amateur radio equipment being available. This page collects reception reports from other operators. Check the recent reports and the satellite's operating information before a pass; an empty report history does not prove that the satellite has failed.
Open AMSAT Satellite Status - aprs.fi
See APRS position reports and learn what amateur packet tracking can do.
APRS carries short reports such as position, weather and messages. The map lets you inspect stations and their reported activity without building a tracking station first. Look around your area and select a station to see what it has actually reported.
Open aprs.fi - ARRL Affiliated Club Search
Find a local amateur radio club and ask about mentorship and activity nights.
Club listings include locations, interests and services such as classes or mentoring. Look for a nearby group whose activities sound useful, then check its own website for current meeting details. Asking whether you can visit is a reasonable first step, even before you own a radio.
Open ARRL Affiliated Club Search - ARRL Band Plans
Review common US amateur band plans before operating; check legal privileges separately.
Band plans suggest where different activities share the amateur bands, including voice, digital signals and repeaters. Use them alongside the FCC rules for your license class. A suggested operating frequency does not give you permission to transmit outside your privileges.
Open ARRL Band Plans - ARRL Emergency Communications Training
Courses and training for responsible public-service communications.
Emergency communications involves training and working within an organized response. ARRL links introductory courses and local training for radio volunteers. Start with the basic material and ask a local group about its requirements before taking on a public-service role.
Open ARRL Emergency Communications Training - ARRL Field Day
Learn about club field stations and annual operating activities.
During this annual event, groups set up stations and make contacts from temporary locations. The site has event information, rules and a station locator. Find a nearby group and ask about visiting; seeing a working field station can help you understand the equipment before choosing your own.
Open ARRL Field Day - ARRL Getting Licensed
Understand Technician, General, and Extra licensing paths in the United States.
ARRL explains the Technician, General and Amateur Extra license classes and the exams for each. Technician is the usual starting point in the United States. Read about the operating privileges before choosing study material so you understand what the license will let you try.
Open ARRL Getting Licensed - ARRL Learning Center
Classes, webinars, and recorded lessons; some material requires ARRL membership.
The Learning Center has courses, recorded presentations and study material. Browse by the subject you want help with, such as antennas or operating. Members and non-members can use the center, but access varies by membership status and the particular material.
Open ARRL Learning Center - ARRL New Ham Resources
Starting points for licensing, first contacts, mentoring, and operating basics.
This collection brings together exam preparation, first-contact help and explanations of common operating practices. It is a useful place to follow up on a term or procedure you heard at a club meeting. Choose one question, then follow the related reference for the fuller explanation.
Open ARRL New Ham Resources - ARRL Newly Licensed Guide
Practical answers about first equipment, first contacts, antennas, logging, and operating procedures.
This guide answers questions that come up after passing the exam, including equipment, antennas and making a contact. Its operating references also cover the phonetic alphabet and signal reports. Pick the question that matches your next task instead of trying to absorb the whole guide at once.
Open ARRL Newly Licensed Guide - ARRL RF Exposure Information
Learn why RF-exposure assessment and station safety matter.
Transmitting stations need to consider how much radio-frequency energy people can be exposed to. ARRL explains exposure assessments and links supporting material. Read this while planning antenna placement, especially where family members or visitors could be close to the antenna during transmission.
Open ARRL RF Exposure Information - Club Log
Analyze HF logs and DXCC progress with online statistics.
Club Log uses uploaded contact logs to show operating statistics and progress toward DXCC. That award counts confirmed contacts with designated geographic entities, which do not always match political countries. Browse the charts first; uploading a log becomes more useful once you have contacts to compare.
Open Club Log - Falstad Circuit Simulator
Experiment visually with simulated circuits before using hardware.
The simulator shows a circuit diagram with animated current and changing voltages. Open a sample circuit and change a component value to see the result. It is a useful way to explore an idea before wiring it, although a simulation cannot check every limit of real components.
Open Falstad Circuit Simulator - FCC Universal Licensing System
Look up US amateur radio license records and application status.
The FCC's licensing database lets you search for licenses by callsign or name and inspect their records. Use your own record to check the license status and class before transmitting. A practice-test score or an exam pass alone is not the same as an issued license grant.
Open FCC Universal Licensing System - FEMA Independent Study
Explore incident command and emergency-management learning before volunteering.
These self-paced courses explain how emergency response is organized, including the Incident Command System. They can help you understand the roles and language used by response agencies. If you plan to volunteer, ask the organization which courses it expects you to complete.
Open FEMA Independent Study - HamStudy
Study the current US question pools and find exam sessions.
HamStudy has question-pool study tools, practice exams and exam-session listings. Choose the license class you are studying for and work on the questions you miss. Use the explanations to learn the ideas as well as the answers, then check the details for the exam session you choose.
Open HamStudy - Heavens-Above
Predict satellite passes and explore orbital tracking.
Satellite predictions depend on where you are observing. Set your location first, then look at the amateur radio satellite passes. Use the predicted time and direction to plan a listening attempt, and check AMSAT separately for current radio activity and frequencies.
Open Heavens-Above - KiwiSDR public receivers
Listen to remote HF software-defined receivers from a browser.
This map links public KiwiSDR receivers in different locations. Choose one and listen through its browser interface, using the antenna at that site. Comparing receivers can show how location and local noise affect what you hear; each receiver's availability and coverage can differ.
Open KiwiSDR public receivers - Learn CW Online
Browser-based Morse code lessons, practice exercises, and progress tracking.
Learn CW Online has browser exercises for Morse characters, words and callsigns, with practice records you can return to. Start with its lessons and a small set of characters. Aim to recognize the sound of each character before increasing the amount of material.
Open Learn CW Online - Logbook of The World
ARRL's electronic QSO confirmation service for awards and operating records.
LoTW compares electronically signed contact records submitted by both operators and records matches as confirmations. Those confirmations can support award applications. Read the account and certificate instructions before uploading your log; recording a contact locally does not automatically confirm it with the other station.
Open Logbook of The World - Morse Code Ninja
Audio practice material for recognizing Morse as sound rather than counting dits and dahs.
Morse Code Ninja has listening practice at different speeds and with different kinds of material. Choose a short exercise you can follow and repeat it over several sessions. The aim is to connect a sound pattern with a character or word, without counting every dit and dah.
Open Morse Code Ninja - OpenStreetMap
Plan portable operating locations and examine accessible routes.
OpenStreetMap is a community-built map that can help you examine roads, paths and nearby features when planning an outing. Check the route against local information and site rules. A mapped path does not by itself establish public access, current conditions or permission to put up an antenna.
Open OpenStreetMap - Parks on the Air
Learn how to activate parks and contact portable operators.
Parks on the Air is a program for operating from listed parks and contacting those operators. The site links rules and guides for activators and hunters. Start by reading those roles, then try listening for a park station; park access and antenna rules still need a separate check.
Open Parks on the Air - POTA Spotting
Browse current park activation spots and learn how hunters find operators.
The POTA app shows park activity and the frequencies operators report using. You can listen for an activator from home before planning your own outing. Check the spot's time and mode, because operators may move frequency or finish before you arrive on the band.
Open POTA Spotting - PSK Reporter
See where stations are reporting digital-mode signals on a map.
Receiving stations send reports to PSK Reporter when their software decodes a supported signal. Choose a callsign, mode and time window to see the reports on its map. A report shows reception at that station; it does not mean a two-way conversation took place.
Open PSK Reporter - PSK Reporter propagation map
Use digital-mode reception reports to explore active propagation paths.
Use the reception map to compare which paths appear active on a band and at a particular time. This can help you choose where to listen or call. Receiver coverage and reporting vary, so a blank part of the map does not prove that a path is closed.
Open PSK Reporter propagation map - QRZ
Callsign lookup, logbook, and ham radio community resources.
QRZ combines callsign lookup with operator pages, logging and community material. If you heard a callsign clearly, looking it up can add context to a contact. Use the FCC database when you need the official US license record; community pages are maintained for a different purpose.
Open QRZ - RepeaterBook
Look up nearby repeaters and explore frequencies and tones; verify local listings.
RepeaterBook lets you search by location, callsign or frequency and find repeater information to program into a radio. Check the listed band, offset and access tone against current local information. Before making a call, listen and confirm that the repeater is available for the kind of operation you intend.
Open RepeaterBook - Reverse Beacon Network
Check automated reception reports for CW and other supported signals.
Volunteer receiving stations automatically report signals they decode, including CW calls. Search for your callsign after a permitted test to see which receivers heard it. Compare reports from the same receiver and similar conditions; the network is not a calibrated test range for your antenna.
Open Reverse Beacon Network - SOTAwatch
Find alerts and spots for Summits on the Air activations.
An alert announces a planned summit outing; a spot reports where an operator has been heard or is operating. Use those listings to choose a frequency to listen to. Mountain plans and reception change, so treat a listing as a lead rather than a guaranteed contact.
Open SOTAwatch - Summits on the Air
Explore portable amateur radio activity on qualifying summits.
Summits on the Air is an awards program built around contacts with operators on qualifying summits. Read the general rules and the rules for your local association before planning an activation. You can also participate as a chaser from home, without making the climb yourself.
Open Summits on the Air - VOACAP Online
Explore predicted HF propagation paths and compare bands and times.
VOACAP models the likelihood of HF communication between locations under chosen conditions. Use its amateur-radio prediction tools to compare bands and times for a path. The results are forecasts, so compare them with actual reception rather than expecting a contact at a particular hour.
Open VOACAP Online - WebSDR
Listen to radio receivers around the world from your browser.
A WebSDR is an internet-connected receiver that multiple people can tune independently through their browsers. Choose a receiver from the directory and try listening on a band it covers. You are hearing conditions at the receiver's antenna, which may be very different from conditions at your home.
Open WebSDR - WSPRnet
Explore weak-signal propagation reports gathered from WSPR spots.
WSPR receivers report short beacon transmissions to this network's database. Inspect the reported callsigns, bands and reception times to see which paths were heard. The reports are useful observations of propagation, but differences in receiving antennas and local noise can affect comparisons.
Open WSPRnet