You passed your Technician exam, got your call sign, and made your first contacts on 2 meters. Now you’re ready for more. You’ve heard the HF conversations, seen those contest scores, and you want in on the action. The General Class license is your ticket to the HF bands.
The good news? You’ve already done the hard part. Getting your first license proved you can study and pass. Now you’re building on that foundation, not starting from scratch.
Why Upgrade to General?
Full HF Access
This is the big one. General Class opens up most HF bands:
| Band | General Privileges | Technician Privileges |
|---|---|---|
| 80m | 3.525-4.000 MHz | None |
| 40m | 7.025-7.300 MHz | None |
| 20m | 14.025-14.350 MHz | None |
| 15m | 21.025-21.450 MHz | None |
| 10m | 28.000-29.700 MHz | 28.300-28.500 MHz only |
With General, you can:
- Work DX (international contacts) on 20m
- Join phone contests on 40m
- Try digital modes like FT8 across all HF bands
- Operate SSB voice on frequencies that actually propagate
It’s the “Sweet Spot” License
General gives you about 90% of what Extra offers but requires way less study time. Most active HF operators are General Class and perfectly happy with their privileges.
The General Class Exam: What’s Different?
Exam Overview
- 35 questions (same as Technician)
- 74% to pass (26 correct answers)
- Question pool: 450+ questions across 10 subelements
- Valid: 2023-2027 question pool
- Cost: Usually $15 (same as Tech)
Key Differences from Technician
The General exam builds on what you learned, but goes deeper:
More Technical Content
- Technician touched on Ohm’s Law; General expects you to use it
- You’ll need to calculate power, voltage, current, and resistance
- Antenna theory gets more complex (gain, impedance matching, SWR)
HF-Specific Topics
- Propagation (how radio waves travel at HF)
- HF antenna types (dipoles, verticals, beams)
- HF operating practices (DX etiquette, contests, pileups)
More Math
- Not a lot, but more than Technician
- You’ll need to work with formulas (see our General Class Math Guide)
- Focus on practical calculations, not theoretical physics
Less Memorization
- Technician had lots of rules to memorize
- General focuses more on understanding concepts
- If you understand why, the answers become obvious
What Makes General Harder?
Let’s be real: General is tougher than Technician. Here’s why:
1. Propagation Theory
You need to understand how radio waves behave at HF frequencies:
- Ionospheric layers (D, E, F1, F2)
- Skip zones and multi-hop propagation
- Gray-line propagation
- Solar cycle effects
Study tip: Don’t try to memorize all the details. Focus on the practical patterns - like “higher frequencies = longer skip distance.”
2. More Formulas
You’ll work with:
- Ohm’s Law variations (E=I×R, I=E/R, R=E/I)
- Power calculations (P=E×I, P=I²×R, P=E²/R)
- Wavelength and frequency conversions
- Antenna length calculations
Study tip: Practice with real numbers. Our practice questions use the exact values you’ll see on the exam.
3. Transmission Lines and Impedance
SWR, impedance matching, feed line loss - this stuff confused me at first too. The key is understanding that:
- You want impedance to match (usually 50 ohms)
- SWR tells you if it matches (1:1 is perfect, <2:1 is good)
- Feed line type and length affect your signal
Study tip: Focus on the practical questions: “What SWR indicates a good match?” Not the theoretical math behind it.
4. More Operating Modes
General covers:
- SSB (single sideband) voice
- CW (Morse code) - you don’t need to know it, but you need to know about it
- Digital modes (PSK31, FT8, RTTY)
- Image modes (SSTV)
Your Study Strategy: Building on Technician
Here’s the efficient path from Tech to General in 2-4 weeks.
Week 1: Review and Foundation
Goal: Refresh your Tech knowledge and add General-level understanding
Start with these subelements:
- G1 (FCC Rules): Quick review - you know most of this
- G5 (Electrical Principles): This is Ohm’s Law expanded
Study approach:
- 30-45 minutes daily
- Use Practice Mode on sequential questions
- Don’t skip questions you “think” you know - verify it
Week 2: HF-Specific Topics
Goal: Learn the new HF material
Focus on:
- G3 (Radio Wave Propagation): All new material
- G9 (Antennas and Feed Lines): Builds on Tech antenna knowledge
- G4 (Amateur Radio Practices): HF operating procedures
Study approach:
- 45-60 minutes daily
- Switch to random question order
- Start noting which topics trip you up
Week 3: Technical Deep Dive
Goal: Master the harder technical concepts
Cover:
- G6 (Circuit Components): Capacitors, inductors, transformers
- G7 (Receivers, Transmitters, Transceivers): How your radio works
- G8 (Signals and Emissions): Modulation, bandwidth, filtering
Study approach:
- Review your wrong answers daily
- This is the hardest week - don’t get discouraged
- Take your first mock exam mid-week
Week 4: Safety, Polish, and Mock Exams
Goal: Lock in your knowledge and build confidence
Final topics:
- G0 (Safety): Easy points
- G2 (Operating Procedures): Also easy
Study approach:
- Take mock exams every other day
- Target 85%+ consistently before scheduling your real exam
- Review wrong answers immediately after each mock exam
- Focus your final days on weak areas only
Study Techniques That Actually Work
1. Understand, Don’t Memorize
The question pool has 450+ questions. You can’t memorize them all. Instead:
- Learn the underlying concept
- Understand why each answer is correct
- The wrong answers will become obviously wrong
Example: Instead of memorizing “What is the approximate length of a 20-meter half-wave dipole?”, learn the formula: Length (feet) = 468 / Frequency (MHz). Then you can answer any dipole length question.
2. Use Your Wrong Answers
This is your most valuable study tool. When you get a question wrong:
- Read the explanation (every question on HAM Test Bank has one)
- Understand why you got it wrong
- Find similar questions and practice them
- Review it again the next day
Our mistakes page tracks all of this automatically.
3. Practice Under Test Conditions
At least 3 days before your exam, start taking mock exams:
- Use the exam mode - it mimics the real test
- Full 35 questions, timed
- No looking up answers
- Review your score and wrong answers afterward
Target score: Consistently get 85% or better. That gives you a safety margin for test-day nerves.
4. Focus on High-Value Topics
Some subelements have more questions on the exam:
| Subelement | Questions on Exam | Study Priority |
|---|---|---|
| G1 (Rules) | 5 | Medium (review) |
| G2 (Procedures) | 5 | Medium |
| G3 (Propagation) | 3 | High (all new) |
| G4 (Practices) | 2 | Medium |
| G5 (Electrical) | 3 | High (formulas!) |
| G6 (Components) | 2 | Medium |
| G7 (Equipment) | 4 | High |
| G8 (Signals) | 3 | High |
| G9 (Antennas) | 4 | High |
| G0 (Safety) | 4 | Low (easy points) |
Spend the most time on subelements with 3+ questions that are new to you (G3, G5, G7, G8, G9).
Common Challenges and How to Beat Them
”The Math Scares Me”
You’ll use about 5 formulas total. That’s it. And they’re related:
E = I × R (Ohm's Law)
P = E × I (Power)
P = I² × R (Power, alternate form)
P = E² / R (Power, alternate form)
λ = 300 / f (Wavelength in meters)Practice 5-10 calculation questions daily and you’ll have them down in a week. Check out our math problems guide for worked examples.
”I Don’t Understand Propagation”
Think of it like this:
- Radio waves bounce off the ionosphere (layers of charged particles)
- Higher frequencies = longer bounces
- Time of day affects which layers work
- Solar activity makes it better or worse
You don’t need to be a physicist. Focus on practical questions like “What time is 20m best for DX?” (Answer: daytime, when the F2 layer is strong).
”I Keep Forgetting Band Privileges”
You only need to know General privileges, not the exact Extra segments. Key points:
- You can use phone (SSB) on most HF bands
- You can use CW anywhere you can use phone
- Some band edges are CW/digital only
- Pay attention to frequency ranges in the questions
The questions usually ask “Can a General operator do X on Y frequency?” Just learn the General sub-bands.
Timeline: How Long Will This Take?
Realistic timelines based on study intensity:
| Study Time | Total Weeks | Recommended For |
|---|---|---|
| 30 min/day | 6-8 weeks | Casual, part-time study |
| 45 min/day | 4-5 weeks | Balanced approach |
| 60+ min/day | 2-3 weeks | Aggressive timeline |
My recommendation: 4 weeks at 45 minutes/day. That’s enough time to really understand the material without burning out.
Scheduling Your Exam
Once you’re consistently scoring 85%+ on mock exams:
- Find a test session: Search at ARRL or W5YI
- Register in advance: Most sessions require pre-registration
- Bring:
- Two forms of ID
- Your current Technician license (or FRN)
- Pencils and calculator (if allowed - ask ahead)
- Exam fee (usually $15)
Pro tip: Take both General and Extra exams at the same session. If you pass General, you can try Extra for free. Worst case, you don’t pass Extra - but hey, you already passed General!
Test Day Tips
Before the Exam
- Get a good night’s sleep (seriously - it matters)
- Eat a normal breakfast
- Arrive 15 minutes early
- Don’t cram the morning of - it’ll just stress you out
During the Exam
- Read each question completely
- Eliminate obviously wrong answers first
- Trust your preparation - don’t second-guess
- You have plenty of time - use it all
- Mark questions you’re unsure about and come back
After Passing
Your upgrade appears in the FCC database within a few days. You can start using your new General privileges immediately - no need to wait for a paper license.
What Happens After General?
Once you pass, the HF world opens up:
Your first contacts:
- Try 20 meters during the day for DX
- Join a net on 40 meters in the evening
- Download WSJT-X and try FT8
Equipment considerations:
- Your VHF/UHF radio won’t work on HF
- Consider a used HF transceiver to start
- You’ll need an HF antenna (dipole is cheapest)
Keep learning:
- Operating on HF teaches you more than any exam
- Join your local radio club
- Consider contesting, DXing, or digital modes
Ready to Start Your Upgrade Journey?
Begin practicing today and you could be on HF in a month:
- General Class Practice Questions - Start here
- Take a Mock Exam - See where you stand
- Wrong Answers Review - Track your progress
- Math Problems Guide - Master the formulas
The path from Technician to General is well-worn by thousands of hams before you. You’ve got this. See you on 20 meters!
73!