This guide is to help those studying for their UK amateur radio licence. The content comes from the popular Essex Ham Foundation Online course that has helped over 11,000 to study for their amateur radio licence.
The guide is split into the main exam sections and covers the basics of the technical side of amateur radio, transmitters and antennas, how radio signals can be sent around the world and how to set up an amateur radio station safely. It also covers the rules and regulations set out by the UK’s radio regulator Ofcom, as well as how to operate on-air and make contact with the worldwide amateur radio community.
This guide provides a basic summary of all of the points that you'll need to study for the UK's Foundation licence. The guide includes extracts from the online course, diagrams, tables and photos to help with revision, as well as various hints and tips on passing the exam.
The guide ends with a 26-question mock exam, so that you can check on your progress, as well as a handy glossary of common amateur radio terms and acronyms.
Ofcom updated the amateur radio licence in 2024, and our new Foundation Study guide covers both v1.5 and v1.6 of the RSGB exam syllabus, so it is suitable for exams both before and after the new exams are released in September 2024.