In Person Ham Radio “Ham Cram” Classes in Northern California, NorCal!

A major part of what we do is help get ham radios into the hands of adventurers. Hopefully, you have already read our post on What and Why Ham Radio that explains what it is, and why every adventurer should have one. We all think about going out in the woods, and having a good time. We get equipment that makes our lives easier like rooftop tents, collapsible kitchen sets, portable awnings, and other goodies. We don’t always put a lot of thought into ensuring we make it back home safely.

Ham radio for adventurers, is an insurance policy. When you get yourself into bad situations and need an evacuation, or a rescue, ham radio will be able to facilitate it. A lot of people stray away from ham radios though because of a facade that ham radios are complex, difficult, and come with a lot of rules and technical savvy that you need to understand.

The technician license exam is quite easy to pass. With a little bit of guidance, anyone can do it… and we do mean anyone. This is where we come in, along with our online ham radio class, we also offer in person, 1 day, ham cram sessions.

Our online ham radio class is awesome. We cover everything you will need to know to pass the technician exam. You can take it from the comfort of your couch or bed. Your progress is saved as you go, so you can do 1 or all 10 modules at a time, at your own pace, on your own time. There is audio on each topic so you can listen along like a podcast, or work on other stuff while you listen to us ramble. Or, you can not run the audio and read at your own pace.

Each quiz come complete with questions and answers taken directly from the Technician License Exam question pool. So, if you pass the quizzes in our class, you will have no problems with the FCC Exam when you take it. It takes roughly 4-6 hours of butt-in-chair time to get through the class.

Our in person ham cram class is run very similar to the online class. We use the same software and curriculum as our online class, but because it is in person, you get all of the specialized attention. Our classes run 6-20 people and are capped off at 20 to make sure that everyone gets the attention they want, need, deserve, and crave. The class is 8 hours long, and done all in one day. We work with your schedule, and can run the classes on any day of the week. If you are in the NorCal area (Salinas to the Oregon border), we will even come out to you. We can either find a venue, or come to one that you prefer.

8 hours can be a long day of learning about ham radios. We like to split it up with lunch, group quiz breaks, and playing with the radios. Lunch is provided by us. We like to keep it classy and provide some pizza and drinks. Drinks choices are up to you. Soda is a favorite. Our personal favorite is some craft beer. Each quiz is done as a group quiz, where we talk about each question, discuss the possible answers, and come to a conclusion, together, on the correct answer.

Quite a few times throughout the class, we will go over some concept that has to do with the functionality of the radios themselves. Whenever this happens, we have some hands on learning time with the radios themselves. By the time you are done with your class, you will not only know the material to pass the exam, but you will know how to use your radios when you’re out on your adventures.

With each class, you get the option to purchase your very own ham radio. We offer 3 options of radios, the UV5R, the Mark III, or the TH-D72A. The UV5R is great a great, feature rich ham radio that works awesome for any adventurer. The Mark III has all of the same features of the UV5R, but it also comes with a car charger, and puts out twice as much power. It is also waterproof, dustproof, and shock resistant. So it will last much longer in an outdoor environment. The TH-D72A is our top choice for everything an adventurer might need in a handheld ham radio. It comes complete with all of the features of the Mark III and the UV5R, but also includes GPS and APRS tracking. It is more pricey, than the other 2, but is a higher quality, has the GPS capabilities, APRS abilities, and the brand experience of Kenwood. When you choose to get a radio with your class, you will also receive an upgraded whip antenna for the radio, and our radio programming services, which comes with the radio pre-programmed and a M.O.R.R. Reference Booklet.

BaoFeng UV5R Ham Radio Handheld ($25.00) – Check Today’s Price!

BaoFeng GT-3TP Mark III 8 Watt IP54 Ham Radio Handheld ($50.00) – Check Today’s Price!

Kenwood TH-D72A Outdoor Ham Radio Handheld with APRS ($408.00) – Check Today’s Price!

The cost of the in person ham cram comes to $40 per person. That price includes My Off Road Radio coming out to you, lunch, the 8 hour in person class, and a registration for our online class, so you can follow up and refresh your knowledge before your exam. The 3 radio options have different prices.

Keep an eye on our event calendar too! With our partnership with Cal4Wheel and CORVA, we are doing more Ham Cram Classes out at big events like Winter Fun Fest, and we will be planning more through 2018 and for years to come!

To plan out a class for you and your buddies. Or to schedule a class for your offroading club. Or to setup some classes for your Search and Rescue teams, then Contact Us! and we will get back to you within 24-48 hours to start setting up the finer details.

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You can also join the community forums and ask questions and see what adventures everyone else is up to!

Join the Off Road Ham Radio Community!

Also, if you don’t have your Ham Radio Technician License, and want to study for it from the comfort of your own home, on your own time, head over to our Online Ham Radio Class and study up!