{"id":23,"date":"2013-08-19T00:24:10","date_gmt":"2013-08-19T00:24:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/w6sg.net\/site\/?page_id=23"},"modified":"2026-01-26T07:48:30","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T15:48:30","slug":"exams","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/w6sg.net\/site\/why-how\/exams\/","title":{"rendered":"Exams"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Last Updated:<\/td>\r\n1\/6\/2026<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Exam Location:<\/td>\r\nMARS Clubhouse, 27 Shell Rd., Main Floor, Mill Valley, CA 94941<\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n(Directions to the Clubhouse<\/a>)<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
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\"\"<\/a><\/td>\r\n\"MARS<\/a><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
2026 Testing Dates at the Clubhouse<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\r\nRegular 2026 Testing dates have been submitted to ARRL.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
DATE<\/strong><\/td>\r\n\u00a0NOTE<\/strong><\/td>\r\n\u00a0EXAM TIME<\/strong><\/td>\r\n\u00a0NOTE:<\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
January 10th, 2026<\/b><\/td>\r\nSaturday Afternoon<\/b><\/td>\r\n1:00 PM
<\/b><\/td>\r\n		Afternoon\u00a0Exams ONLY<\/b><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
April 11th, 2026<\/b><\/td>\r\nSaturday Afternoon<\/b><\/span><\/td>\r\n1:00 PM
<\/b><\/td>\r\n		Afternoon\u00a0Exams ONLY<\/b><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
July 11th, 2026<\/b><\/td>\r\nSaturday Afternoon\u00a0<\/b><\/span><\/td>\r\n1:00 PM<\/b><\/td>\r\nAfternoon Exams ONLY\u00a0<\/b><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
October 10h, 2026<\/b><\/td>\r\nSaturday Afternoon<\/b><\/span><\/td>\r\n1:00 PM
<\/b><\/td>\r\n		Afternoon\u00a0Exams ONLY<\/b><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
\u00a0<\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
\u00a0<\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n\u00a0<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
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These are Test-Only<\/strong> sessions, no instruction is offered on test dates. Please plan to arrive before the registration time expires.<\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n
Check this regularly as we sometimes add special sessions<\/span><\/strong><\/td>\r\n<\/tr>\r\n<\/tbody>\r\n<\/table>\r\n\r\n

I’m ready to register for the exam<\/a><\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\r\n

If you haven’t studied yet, continue below…

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WHY DOES AMATEUR RADIO REQUIRE A LICENSE?<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

There’s only so much RF Spectrum (radio frequencies) available and many are used by emergency services, aircraft, nautical craft, spacecraft and network providers. Then there are government and commercial operators. In addition, radio communications are international in nature and can reach across oceans and continents \u2013 indeed into outer space. So licensing helps to manage all those uses. An Amateur Radio license not only grants you non-commercial use of many frequencies \u2013 it allows you to use more power than a store-bought “walkie talkie” or typical CB radio equipment. This makes it ideal for many uses such as emergency communications, outdoor activities (especially outside of cell service), experimentation and various hobby interests.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

\u00a0<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO GET A LICENSE?<\/h3>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

There are three levels of licensing:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n