[cicopo]

I'm interested in FPV for AP work (as a hobby, non commercial) and if I'm reading the MAAC guidelines correctly it looks like a HAM operators license is needed because of the frequencies used / signal strength. If that's correct is it simply a matter of applying & paying for a license like we did way back when just to operate our R/C Tx or is it a written exam on many radio related subjects? If it's the exam route how much needs to be learned?

[Max]

You have to study using a workbook. Best results are if you do the practice exams online. Keep doing them until you get over 80%.

Then you write the exam. Once you pass the exam, you get your ham licence. Its good for life.

Costs:
Workbook and online access to practice exams: about $50
Write the exam: $10

The other option is to join a HAM club and attend their weekly HAM course.

I did mine using home study. I went to my local HAM club and they set me up. They did not offer a ham course right away, so I did the home study. Not that hard really. But you do have to commit the time to reading the course manual, learning the material and doing the practice exams.

[uberjay]

I was curious too and just now a Google search gave me this:

http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst...g/sf01862.html

Nice fact sheet.

Looks like HAM license requires a basic 4 words per minute knowledge of Morse Code. Seriously?? Wow.

... -- ...

LOL
J

[Max]

Originally Posted by uberjay

Looks like HAM license requires a basic 4 words per minute knowledge of Morse Code. Seriously?? Wow.

No you don't. That is the advance HAM license for those that want to use Morse code and set up thier own relay stations and repeaters.

The one you want is the basic license.
If you score over 80% in the basic exam, you get a basic with Honours that allows you to use HF Frequencies with a basic license. (Having honours does not give you anything more than what you need for FPV anyway)

Morse Code is no longer required! With the Morse Code Qualification for 5 words per minute sending and receiving, added to your Basic Qualification, you receive all privileges on all the Amateur Radio bands below 30 MHz , except high power transmitter operation.

However, either a Morse code qualification or a "Basic with Honours" qualification (awarded to persons who get 80% or higher on the 100-question, multiple choice exam), allows access to HF. Passing a Morse Code test is no longer required in order to operate Amateur Radio equipment capable of world-wide communications!

[uberjay]

AWESOME! Thanks Max. I've only started to read that site .

I did download the examiners list and, go-figure, one of them lives 2 blocks away from my house. I think I've seen his antenna before - he decorates it every Christmas with a string of lights .

Cheers,
J

[cicopo]

Thanks Max. Can I ask what types of topics the course covers? Electrical circuits, electronics, diagnosis of electronics? I took some basic electronics courses when I was a young lad & even knew Morse Code then thanks to Sea Cadets BUT that's before the RCAF started flying The CT 114 Tutor.

[davidmc36]

This run-down shows the topics pretty good I think:

http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst...7.html#basic21

[bcsaltchucker]

OK can disregard this post - they just discontinued this awesome online prep course.

Hamtestonline

They have an awesome training program. It is all online. No endless dry reading. IN stead they give you micro lessons, then they have a smart test that keeps firing questions at you till you get it solid. It tracks whcih ones you are weak on, redirects to micro lesson then keeps randomly re-checking you on the weak areas till you ace it, while not testing you much on what you know very well. Thus you learn it VERY fast.

I got 95% using their system. Costs about $40. I was sucking at the practice exams from the HAM clubs studying the old way. So the night before I signed up for this onlne course and studied all night. Worked perfect.

you have to select the Canadian HAm exam, they have it all covered for both US or Canada

http://www.hamradiolicenseexam.com/

[davidmc36]

That looks like a program I got for AME exams. I only found it after doing the first two with low 80's scores. When I used it for the last one I got like 94%. Brilliant way to prepare for exams.

But this sucks:

"Effective January 1, 2014, HamTestOnline™ stopped selling and maintaining the courses for the Canadian amateur radio exams."

https://www.hamradiolicenseexam.com/...an-courses.htm

I expect it should still be valuable study tool though. The AME one I used was actually FAA but the basic material is so close that all I had to do was tweak the practice questions to ignore regulatory questions and pick those up from a Canadian source.

[bcsaltchucker]

Oh crap

that company announces they have discontinued their Canadian HAm exam prep course

sucks. sorry I just found out about this.

I still have access to my account and the Advanced license exam. I guess I had better do that Advanced exam soon before they take it all down.

https://www.hamradiolicenseexam.com/...an-courses.htm

HamTestOnline™ Discontinues Canadian Courses

Effective January 1, 2014, HamTestOnline™ stopped selling and maintaining the courses for the Canadian amateur radio exams.

As of this writing, our courses reflect the previous version of the Canadian question banks from April 1, 2007. Industry Canada released an update to those question banks on March 7, 2014, although the effective date of the new question banks is not clear. We will not be updating our courses and questions to reflect the new Canadian question banks.

If you do not complete your studies before the question banks change, we offer two options:

We will leave the existing courses on the site until all 2-year subscriptions have expired, and you are welcome to continue studying. Note that Industry Canada has not changed the curriculum, but just updated the wording of numerous questions to correct various errors and ambiguities. You should still be able to pass the exams with ease, and our money-back guarantee will still apply.

Alternatively, if you decide to switch to another study method, we will be happy to cancel your subscription and refund what you paid for it. You can request a refund through email, telephone, or postal mail.