DARC Calendar of Events

Workshops for all classes of Amateur Radio Licenses are provided by the Downey Amateur Radio Club and sponsored by the Downey Office of Emergency Management using study materials written by Gordon West.

The next class will be a "Technician" Level Class

NOVEMBER 14 - 15.

Cost is $15 which covers the VE exam fee.

Books, study materials and lunch (both days) provided.

The class will end with an opportunity to take the Technician level exam on Sunday afternoon November 15.

Name, address, phone number, email and an FRN (Federal Registration Number) are required to register.

REGISTER with Ralph, KI6JAR

wynnsradio@msn.com

 or 

reach out to 

Dave Glenn, N6TEB

N6TEB@ARRL.NET

for further information.

A two-day Technician (Entry level) class for a FCC Amateur Radio License is sponsored by The Downey Amateur Radio Club and the Downey Office of Emergency Management. The Technician License is your gateway to the excitement of Amateur Radio. No Morse Code required. Class size is limited. Cost is $14, and is at Downey Fire Station #1, 12222 Paramount Blvd., Downey, CA.

Included in the $15 cost is a Gordon West textbook, lunch both Saturday and Sunday, your exam fee, and a study Q&A written by Gordon West, the author of your textbook. The only other cost is a $35 registration fee charged by the FCC, details on that later.

Classes will begin promptly at 8 a.m. and end approx. 5 p.m.

Saturday & Sunday, November 14 & 15, 2026 

Following the course, the FCC Amateur License Test will be administered (Technician Exam ONLY will be given at this exam session)

For those not taking the class and wanting to take a Technician Exam only, you must call and pre-register by Fri., Nov. 13. No Exam Walk-Ins

**There will be a raffle for a Handheld RADIO, for those who attended the weekend class and also pass the Technician Exam successfully **

Register ASAP to ensure you will receive the Pre–Study Materials well before class allowing for adequate time for study. You will also need to go on the FCC website and obtain an FCC Registration Number.(FRN#) Go to: https://apps.fcc.gov/cores/UserLogin.do and select “Register”.

For more information, please contact Ralph, KI6JAR at 562-895-7776 or email: wynnsradio@msn.com

These classes are done in the “Gordon West” style. He’s the Ham who wrote the textbook that we use and has spent many years teaching classes himself. Now retired, he only teaches classes to train radio teachers in his very successful teaching methods.

This means face-to-face lecture, student participation, live radios in the classroom (which you will be using yourself on Saturday morning), and lots of radio components for you to examine. No PowerPoint, other than maybe a few pictures.

The class runs for one weekend, both Saturday and Sunday, from 8 AM until about 5 PM. We do start on time, whether you are there or not. Ending time is somewhat variable, as it depends on the number of questions you ask and the level of student participation. Traffic is not bad at that hour on Saturday and Sunday morning. Sorry we can’t say the same about your return home in the evening.

Once you register, we will send you, by return mail, a study and information packet. It contains the Gordon West Q&A mentioned above, some study tips, and further details on the class itself. Included are instructions on how to get the free textbook. Bring the textbook and the Q&A with you, finished or not, to class on Saturday morning, 

Anyone can become a licensed Ham, there are no age limits. There are Hams under 10 years old, and some (not many) over 100.

Our goal is to have some fun and learn more than what is needed to pass the exam. There will be a couple of video clips and some slides, but the presentation is mostly lecture. The process is that YOU study and learn the material as much as possible, then come to class and we “fill in the blanks” and answer any questions that you may have. We’ll go through the entire book in the two days.

The test is 35 multiple choice questions, and 26 is the passing grade. If you study as suggested, complete the homework, and pay attention in class, you should have little trouble passing the exam, even if you are new to electronics.

Dress comfortably. Come to enjoy, meet new friends, and even enrich your life a bit. Many say they have met a lifelong goal. Remember that Ham radio is supposed to be fun, and it sure can be. It can be cool in the classroom, you might want to bring a light jacket

After the exam, we raffle off a hand-held amateur radio. All who completed the class and passed the exam are entered into the raffle.

Please note the requirement for an FRN on the other side of this page and apply for that before sending in your registration. Takes a few minutes and is free. FRN is issued immediately, on the website. Your FRN will be a 10-digit number, usually starting with either “00” or “000”.

Class days include morning and afternoon breaks, and a free lunch each day. Lunch is usually Pizza on Saturday and deli sandwiches on Sunday. You will be able to specify a choice for both. Refreshments are provided. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, water, and breakfast pastries.

Note that the FCC will bill you for $35 after they receive your application. They will use your provided email address for this purpose, and payment instructions will be in that email.