Essex Ham is committed to helping to get new people into the amateur radio hobby. Members of Essex Ham are involved with training for groups in Essex and beyond, and our site offers a wide range of training material and advice for free.
Essex Ham has created a series of slides, videos and handouts to help people get started in amateur radio. This page outlines what material is available, both to students and to amateur radio tutors and clubs.
Getting Started – Information for Candidates
If you’re looking to get started in amateur radio, please take a look at the following links:
| How to become a radio ham | Amateur Radio Training Courses in Essex |
| Welcome to Amateur Radio (Video) | Foundation Online Training Course |
| Your Questions Answered | Foundation Study Guide |
In 2015, we launched our first online amateur radio training course, designed for those looking to study for their amateur radio Foundation licence at home. The course includes video, downloadable material and a secure online classroom to deliver the Foundation course online. More details here: Essex Ham Foundation Online Course.
Training Videos
Essex Ham has released a number of short video clips that may be of help to those new to the amateur radio hobby, as well as to those involved with ham radio training. Versions of these videos in other formats for use on non-profit training courses are available for free on request. Here’s a sample of some of our amateur radio training videos:
A Taste of Amateur Radio (Youtube) |
Foundation Online (Youtube) |
Foundation Exam (YouTube) |
Soldering Basics (Youtube) |
Foundation Training Slides
Essex Ham has produced a series of slides that can be used for UK Foundation Training courses.
Nine sets of slides are available, covering an introduction to amateur radio, technical basics, transmitters & receivers, feeders & antennas, propagation, licence conditions, EMC, safety and operating practice.
See our Foundation Training Slides page for the full slideset.
Getting Started Guides
Essex Ham has created a library of handy one-page guides on various aspects of the hobby. This library of simple guides is growing, and covers several topics including:
- Getting your licence
- Foundation Glossary
- Setting up QRZ and eQSL
- Using HF
- Using Repeaters
- Echolink
- Data modes: SSTV, JT65 and PSK31
The collection of guides can be found here: Essex Ham Getting Started Guides
Hi, My call sign is M6ALZ. I have moved from Grimsby to East Bergholt on the Essex / Suffolk border. I would like to make contact with any clubs / groups in this area is there a list / of clubs groups i can access please?
Hi and welcome to the area Neville
There’s a list of clubs in Essex here: http://www.essexham.co.uk/essex-clubs
Also, try the RSGB Club Finder for your nearest clubs: thersgb.org/services/clubfinder/
Hi Pete I passed my exam and would like to make a donation to essexham as it helped me out but when I try to do it nothing comes up could I please have a bit more help on how to donate please
Hi Pete,
Nice to catch up with you last Sunday ( I was with M0MNG).
I use all the Essex Ham slides, and am grateful for all the work you have all put in over the last few years to help the hobby along. Well Done
Hi Nigel. Great to meet you and glad to hear that the slides are useful. If there’s anything else you need, let me know. Pete
Hi Pete,
I’m interested in doing the online course..
Please can you email me the info I need please, many thanks
Clive
Hi Clive,
We have got all five of your messages today. Course details have been sent. Pete
To Pete i have passed the rsgb exam my thanks to you and your course i think could not have done it without it kind regards Mike Lacey
Sorry about that pete, I went abit OTT in form filling.. I’m just excited in doing the course and getting on air, I love listening to a group on 70cm at night and want to join….
Pete I’ve just failed my exam what’s the next course of action I’ve been on your course last may and I feel really gutted about it it’s taken me all this time to put in for it and the problem is that I’ve got a lot of problems this end with one thing or another and I’ll be falling behind again so what would you recommend to me please also I can’t afford to keep on paying out and I forget my password and everything to log in with many thanks
Sorry to hear that Leon.
I can try to help, but I need to understand why you think you failed. Was it:
1. You felt that the questions (or the exam) was unfair,
2. You just didn’t know or remember the material,
3. You needed to study in a different way,
4. You didn’t do enough preparation?
One of he best ways of checking that you are ready for the exam, is to do mock tests. Had you done any mocks, and were you getting 19/26 or better on mock tests?
If you can give me some more information, I’ll try to help on next steps.
Pete
Hi Peter
Just admiring your Foundation slide graphics, very smart. How did you do your animations, is there a particular software package that you can use?
Chris G0EYO Wythall Radio Club
I would advise anyone looking to take the foundation exam to enroll on this fantastic course first. Not only is it fun but explains everything you need to know and much more.
Its not boring and very well presented plus easy to understand. (Your questions are answered perfectly) It works wonders
I know because Im now a ham operator. Thank you Essex Ham. M6PQV.
Barry Edwards
Could you please forward me details of the “Filter” which was connected in line when illustrating a station set-up on your video.
Hi Trevor,
This would be a band-pass filter. These let signals from a predetermined frequency range through, whilst rejecting other frequencies. These are used to reduce interference, and use of filters is covered in the EMC section of the Foundation course. If you’re looking for a band-pass filter, a Google search will return several places selling filters.
Hope that helps,
Pete
I tried signing up on this site twice and didn’t even get a reply .I am interested in doing the online training as I want to study for the foundation test
Emails were sent to you on the following dates: 18/01/20 10:47 ; 25/01/20 14:31 ; 01/02/20 12:32 ; 10/02/20 19:28 ; 21/02/20 00:48 ; 25/02/20 22:28 – We’ve had no reply from you to any of our emails.
Either you sent us the wrong email address, or our messages are being sent to spam – Please check your spam folder for emails on the above dates.
Pete
I wonder if there has been any developments about members having a “ more power” exams for those not really interested in building their own radios. If not I’ll just have to take the intermediate exam, Covid willing. I would have loved to join Essex club if I lived nearer.
Every sucess to you all.
73s. Alan M7 ESI
I really enjoyed this course and more especially, the format it was presented in. Personally, being over 70, I find that I learn and retain much more through an online class mostly because you can work through the course resources as many times as you want. A bonus is that it really makes me search for the answer and therefore, I tend to retain more information. I found it good to be able to work through the assignments and mock tests at my leisure and when I had not the time so much as the inclination. I liked the fact that Pete was very clear that more research may be helpful for some assignments To be honest, there is nothing that I disliked about the course. It’s highly recommended to anyone wanting to take up this absorbing hobby.
Great to hear – thanks Alan!
Ive seen somewhere the discord details but now i am looking for it I can’t find it, can you help?
Try https://www.sxham.uk/ehdiscord
Hi Peter,
Just a short note to let you know how much i enjoyed the foundation course. Its very well put together and easy to follow. I am booking my exam for early november, so fingers crossed.
I will be making a donation presently.
Once again thank you to you and you team. Awsemoe job.
hi pete, how many times can l take the foundation exam?
As many times as you need – there is no limit, but there is a fee each time (currently £32.50)
Hi Pete, Just to let you know that me, my wife, my daughter (13) and my son(11) all sat our Foundation exam at our local Radio Club after following the Essex Ham course and all passed with flying colours, so, a big thanks for your support. Can you recommend a good Intermediate course we could move on to? Many thanks, David, M7HCD