Phil Temples, K9HI, received the following email on November 5, 2020 from Phyllis Burke, a supervisor employed by the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles in response to his question about the status of his ham radio license plate order:
There is QRP, even “QRPP.” Aficionados get on the air, battery and spare battery in hand and see how many contacts—or how much DX—they can log. But have you ever considered how many QSOs are actually held in a single battery pack?
Contest Objective: To support amateur self-training in radiocommunications, including improving amateur operating skills, conducting technical investigations, and intercommunicating with other amateurs. Stations in the United States and Canada (including territories and possessions) exchange information with as many other US and Canadian stations as possible on the 160, 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 meter bands.
This ON-LINE course will get you ready to take the Ham Radio GENERAL license exam, the SECOND of three certification levels. Geared toward adults, as well as junior high, high school, and home-school students. Yes, we give online ham radio exams, too! (See below)
This is a FULL course taught by a 40-yr veteran teacher, not a discussion group or video service. You will learn much more than just watching a video or buying a book.
Topics range from the science of radio electronics to the FCC rules governing the radio spectrum. Optional but recommended text: ARRL General Class License Manual, 9th edition, for exams through June 30, 2023, (purchase on ARRL website). Regular practice and study is necessary to get the best results from this course.
NOTE: You MUST have a thorough understanding of the Technician and General material before taking this course. If you are already a licensed Tech or General but have been away from radio for a while, you may request to audit (at half price) one of our Tech and/or General courses to catch up.
Current offerings:
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- Two day course: SAT-SUN Nov 14-15, 9:00am – 3:00 pm Eastern Time each day
- Four day course: Mo-Tu-W-Th Nov 16-19, 3:00-6:00 pm Eastern Time each day
System Requirements: Computer or Chromebook capable of running ZOOM Meeting, either by Zoom app or through a web browser, a web camera/mic, and a printer.
Included with course: You will get downloadable lecture study guides and charts, free access to our weekly Online Radio Shop Talk sessions, and a guest pass to the NEAR/STARS Radio Rooms and radio club meetings for 3 months, online or in-person.
Family Free: Additional members of the same family may join this course at no extra charge, if sharing one computer and zoom screen.
Zoom Link: A few days before the session you will receive an email with instructions to the course details, documents, and Zoom link. If you don’t see the email, check your spam filter. If you still don’t see it, call or email us.
Please be aware of our Cancellation and Refund Policies. For questions, e-mail info@nescitech.org or call 508-720-4179.
License Exams:
YES, our exam team is authorized to give ONLINE exams, so you can schedule your FCC General exam within a few days of the course. Note that we must collect the standard $15 exam fee for the ARRL VEC separately. (Fee is $15 across the country.)
We administer ham radio exams both online and in-person, having proctored nearly 2,000 exams over the past decade. We’ve taught amateur radio classes for over 15 years with tremendous success. Hundreds of people have taken our classes with 99% having passed the exam to become licensed operators. We offer classes for all three levels of ham radio licenses: Technician, General, Amateur Extra, as well as Morse Code.
The October, 2020, Section Newsletter is now available at 
