Well done! you will have fun.. there are so many branches to the hobby..
heres a little I wrote for my club site for anyone interested in getting started.
So Welcome first of all, if you are reading this then there is every chance you are looking to get started in amateur radio.
I was in the same position in September 2008, after years of promising myself I would get my license I finally bit the bullet.
One of the things that had put me off for years was the thought of learning Morse.
DON'T WORRY! You don't need to know it anymore!
That doesn't mean to say no one uses it but it is possible as far as the Morse is concerned to turn up on the day and complete the assessment which is more an appreciation of Morse than an examination. I will however learn more as time allows.
So what next?
Get off to your book store of choice and purchase a copy of "Foundation now"
You can order it here ;
RSGB Book store
You can learn all you need for the Foundation exam (we like to call it a quiz!). There is also a practical assessment aspect to the foundation license which members of the club can help you with. This will include simple things such as setting up a radio. Making contacts with people on HF (Worldwide) and VHF (More local), Morse assessment, and tuning an antenna (not difficult) and using a SWR meter.
The quiz at the time of writing consists of 25 multiple choice questions. Typically with two obviously wrong answers and two others that will test your learning.
So once your practical assessment sheet has been completed you can sit the quiz, the club will organise these from time to time and often provide a input prior to the quiz to help you through. But again if you read the book it has all you need to know. Its not a massive document either so it really is a case of you get out of it what you put in.
The next levels of the licenses are Intermediate and Advanced which basically give you more radio privileges such as frequencies you can use and power you can transmit. The purpose is purely to make you understand the issues of interference that you can cause to others. By understanding more you can use more power and are less likely to cause problems for others. More about these licenses later.
How long will it all take? Well it all depends on timing of the exams. How much you put yourself out. Sometimes you need to travel to sit exams if your local club isn't running one. I went all out and had my Foundation License in the November, My Intermediate in the December and My Advanced in the February. I have also become a tutor now for the Foundation and Intermediate licenses.
I found the Advanced was hard work, again you get out what you put in and I passed it purely based on home study with no other input. I have had an interest in electrics, radios and computers for a number of years, I also have severe dyslexia which shouldn't be seen as a disadvantage - in fact using my coping strategies helped me to pass. One of the reasons I did the exams back to back - so I didn't have time to forget what I had already learned.
Costs? Depending on where you go. The club SCARS doesn't generally charge for tuition for training. There may be costs for venues divided up between participants, and the tea / coffee. Like any other club should you choose to join there is a membership fee. But again - come along see if you like it and go from there. No need to join immediately!
Exam costs are set by the RSGB and can be found here along with lots of other useful information.
So there you have it. Its not a secret society, we don't hold the key to the answer to the question of life (we have to say that or everyone would want to join!) and there is no more mystery.
There are a vast number of areas to the hobby. Morse, Contest groups, SOTA (Mountain and fell walking to activate summits) , IOTA (Islands on the air) , JOTA (Jamborees on the air). Sport radio (fox hunts using beacons instead of foxes - nice if you are a fox), and loads and loads more!
Is it really that simple? Yes, my ten year old son recently passed his foundation license, and there are many younger radio amateurs out there to. So what are you waiting for!
Finally, remember, its a hobby, enjoy , have fun and make new friends.Lee
M0LPD