Ham Radio License Study Resources: Apps, Books, and Practice Tests

Free and paid study resources make preparing for the Technician, General, or Extra exam easier than ever. Here's the best of what's available.

Preparing for an FCC amateur radio exam has never been easier. The question pools are public, and a rich ecosystem of free and low-cost study resources covers every learning style — apps, websites, books, videos, and in-person courses. Here is a curated overview of the best resources available for each license class.

Free Online Resources

HamStudy.org

The gold standard for online study. HamStudy uses spaced repetition — showing you the questions you get wrong more frequently — to maximize learning efficiency. It tracks your progress, gives you detailed statistics on your weak areas, and allows you to take full practice exams with score estimates. Completely free, works in any browser and as a mobile app.

KB6NU's "No Nonsense" Study Guides

Dan Romanchik (KB6NU) publishes free PDF study guides for Technician, General, and Extra class. Written in plain English, they explain the material rather than just presenting questions and answers. Excellent for learners who prefer reading over flashcards.

HamRadioCrashCourse (YouTube)

Josh Nass (KI6NAZ) runs one of the most popular amateur radio YouTube channels. His license class study series walks through the material in video format — particularly helpful for visual learners who prefer explanation over reading.

Books

ARRL Ham Radio License Manual — the official ARRL study guide for Technician; comprehensive and well-organized
ARRL General Class License Manual — same quality for General class
ARRL Extra Class License Manual — the definitive Extra class resource; goes into genuine depth on the technical material
Gordon West Study Guides — an alternative series with a different teaching style; popular with self-studiers

Exam Session Finding

After studying, find an exam session through the ARRL exam session finder (arrl.org/find-an-amateur-radio-license-exam-session) or the W5YI VEC website. Remote online exams are also available through several VECs for those who cannot easily reach an in-person session.