The Eastern Ozarks Amateur Radio Club is proud to be able to offer all levels of testing for your amateur radio license. Testing is offered after the monthly meetings held on the second Saturday of each month, usually beginning at 11:00am at the Bonne Terre Fire Department with advance notice so we can assure enough Volunteer Examiners of the correct level. Contact Ben Townsend-Coordinator at 573-366-3611 to schedule a test session.
The tests are taken from a publicly available question bank that is updated every 4 years. The Technician class license (the entry level license) requires 74% of the test questions to be answered correctly on a 35-question test. The next level of license, the General, requires the same pass rate with the same number of questions. The final level at this time, the Extra Class license, requires a 74% minimum grade on a 50-question test.
Testing costs are $15.00 per attempt. Successful completion will result in a $35 fee to the FCC, after which you will be issued a license which is good for 10 years. You never have to test again unless you want to move up the ladder of licensing. The EOARC offers the test-until-you-fail testing method. It is possible to walk in to a test session for a technician exam, pay your $15, and walk out with an Extra license (after paying the $35 to the FCC) (it’s rare, but we had a gentleman do exactly that in May of 2024!). If, by chance, you do not successfully pass your test, you may attempt up to three more attempts in the same day, but each attempt will cost you $15.
Since you have nothing to lose, and it doesn’t cost you any extra, it is always recommended to attempt the next level of testing, if for no other reason than to see what is on the test.
EOARC’s volunteer examiners are:
| Ben Townsend-Coordinator | W1TBM | Amateur Extra |
| Steven Nichol | NØRSN | Amateur Extra |
| Darrell W. Davis | AB0DD | Amateur Extra |
| Lee Bischoff | ACØZZ | Amateur Extra |
| Dave Lahay | NØVLA | Advanced |
| John Krueger | WØNSX | Amateur Extra |
| Arthur Smith | N9XRY | Amateur Extra |
| Warren Robinson | AB0HX | Amateur Extra |
| Randall Head | KF0AC | Amateur Extra |
| Brandon Caldwell | KF0HOG | General |
The pools of questions run from around 450 for the Technician and General, to around 650 questions for the Amateur Extra. Click here for the ARRL Website page with the official question pools.
The question banks posted below are formatted with only the correct answer given. This way you are not studying the incorrect possibilities. WARNING: When you print them, they are between 50 and 70 pages each.
Next Steps
The mentoring program is referred to in Amateur radio as Elmers. No license and want more information? Licensed and want to advance your license class and privileges? Just want to expand operating modes and methods?
There are seasoned operators at each club meeting who have volunteered to act as an Elmer and glad to assist. They have a wide range of experience and operating modes to help you move in the direction you want to pursue. From basic repeater operations, to HF world wide communications, to digital modes. Someone will know how to point you in the right direction. Contact anyone below during the monthly meeting and get started right away.
Ben Townsend, W1TBM, Amateur Extra, Club President
Frank Momot, KC9SDU, Amateur Extra, Club Vice President
Arthur Smith, N9XRY, Amateur Extra, Club Secretary
Warren Robinson, ABØHX, Amateur Extra, ARES Emergency Coordinator
Eastern Ozarks Amateur Radio Club 