Upgrade Paths For The Post-Restructuring World

US Amateur Radio licensing requirements changed dramatically on 2000-04-15. Further, Morse Code knowledge is no longer a license requirement as of 2007-02-23. This guide is intended to show current and prospective hams the path to the new license classes ...

Test Elements

Question pools for Elements 2, 3, and 4. - via ARRL

• 2 - 35 question Technician written
• 3 - 35 question General written
• 4 - 50 question Amateur Extra written

Notes and some of the other ways to claim element credit

• [1] "Technician with Morse code" (a/k/a "Technician Plus", a/k/a "Technician w/HF") no longer exists. Anyone holding licences of that class were rolled into the Technician class. The good news is that, with the elimination of Morse Code testing, Technicians have access to SSB and DATA on 10 m, and CW on 10, 15, 40, and 80 m!
  
  
• [2] Technician license holders licensed before 1987-03-21 may take proof of such to a VE session and claim credit for Element 3 and thus be granted a General class license. For further details, see the ARRL's Restructuring site linked below.
  
  
• CSCE = Certificate of Sucessful Completion of Examination - a reciept for an exam you have passed. Note: CSCEs are only valid for 365 days from date of issue!
  
  

See ARRL's website for further restructuring info.

Analysis of Original "Post-restructuring" Exam Elements

Note: Some of these elements have been updated since restructuring took effect in 2000 so the analysis may no longer be correct.

Element 2 (Tech, test is 35 Q)

• 10 New
• 188 from old Novice Element 2
• 180 from old Technician Element 3A
• 378 Total

Element 3 (General, test is 35 Q)

• 42 New
• 3 from old Novice Element 2
• 11 from old Technician Element 3A
• 329 from old General Element 3B
• 385 Total

Element 4 (Amateur Extra, test is 50 Q)

• 8 New
• 329 from old Advanced Element 4A
• 322 from old Amateur Extra Element 4B
• 659 Total