Getting Started with Ham Radio: Beginner's Guide & License Tips

Getting Started with Ham Radio

Follow this step-by-step path to go from brand-new to confident operator.

These are the first things every new ham should understand before picking gear or getting on the air.

Getting Started 4 min read

Learn the minimum gear needed to get on the air fast.

Getting Started 4 min read

Checklists, scripts, etiquette — all the stuff nobody tells beginners.

Getting Started 4 min read

Clear, real-world range expectations by band and setup.

Repeaters give you huge range for almost no cost. These guides explain how they work and how to access them.

Getting Started

Offsets, tones, linking, coverage — everything beginners need.

Getting Started

Where to buy, what to avoid, how to get the most for your budget.

Once you understand antennas and feedline loss, everything else becomes easier — including fixing SWR problems.

RG-58, RG-8X, LMR-400 — which should you actually buy?

See where your watts disappear — and how to fix it.

Understand vertical antenna performance the right way.

Propagation determines everything — who you can hear, who can hear you, and when the magic happens.

Solar activity, day/night cycles, band behavior — the essentials.

Most beginner problems come down to SWR confusion. These guides solve that fast.

10 real causes beginners face — and how to fix each one.

Why low SWR ≠ good antenna — the truth no one explains.

Once you understand the fundamentals, these upgrades give you the next big leap in performance.

What tuners do, when you need one, and how to choose the right type.

When to go QRO, what power actually gets you, and pitfalls to avoid.