[NegativeLatency]

The modern replacement seems to be some of the new mesh packet radio systems. Hard to argue with the simplicity/resiliency of the current setup though.

I've been ready to take the HAM test for a while but just keep procrastinating on doing it.

[MandieD]

I highly recommend HamStudy.org[0] - free online, or a $3.99 iOS/Android app. It keeps track of which questions you keep missing and will drill you on them. I found this approach was fantastic for passing the Technician exam, and also valid for the General, which I took a week or two later. The General license is worthwhile for the extra operating privileges, and not much more difficult than the Technician exam - just more stuff.

The Amateur Extra is much harder to cram for - more complicated questions, and more of them, and in the US, doesn't bring far more operating privileges than the General license. I did it so that I could convert it to a full German license, and it took a lot more studying for understanding than I did for the first two exams. I used "Amateur Radio Extra Class Licensing: For 2020 through 2024 License Examinations"[1] to understand the material, and "Pass Your Amateur Radio Extra Class Test - The Easy Way"[2] for shameless cramming.

Taking the exams online works out really well, as long as you have a room you can get totally clear and don't mind having three random but supportive volunteers watching you.

[0]https://hamstudy.org

[1]https://www.amazon.com/dp/B086JC6XRQ

[2]https://www.amazon.com/dp/B085BB2XG3

[wrycoder]

So go do it. It's easy, with the online practice tests [0][2].

A Technician license (the first one) can operate morse code in the old novice bands on 80, 40, 15, and 10 meters [1].

[0] http://www.arrl.org/licensing-education-training

[1] http://www.arrl.org/graphical-frequency-allocations

[2] http://www.arrl.org/On-the-Air-Magazine