Every year around 1,000 candidates apply for the Ham Radio courses in India. And at present more than 42,000 users are there in India. There are more than 38,000 lifetime licensed Ham Radio Operators in India and around 3 million ham radio operators are there all over the world.
Indian Institute of Hams, SSM College of Engineering, and National Institute of Amateur Radio, are the top radio institutes and clubs in India offering courses and training in Ham Radio. The course fee is around INR 4,000 to INR 25,000.
The number of amateur licences issued has been declining in recent years, with a 2.8 percent decline per year over the five years to 2002.
To be a lifetime Ham Radio Operator it costs INR 2,000 and if you want a license as a Ham Radio operator for 20 years it will cost INR 1,000. To sit for the ham exam, candidates have to pay INR 100 per grade. Candidates can take only one grade or more than one grade at a time.
As the career as Ham Radio operator is still in demand, hence, there is still a value of this profession in the job market.
1.1 What Does Ham Radio Operator Do?
3.3 Radio Repeater
4.2 General License
6.1 Ham Radio Operator- Technician Course
6.2 Ham Radio Operator- General Course
7.1 US
7.2 Canada
7.3 Australia
10.3 Specialization Wise Salary
11.1 Start Job
Quick Facts for Ham Radio Operator
| Industry | Radio industry |
| Eligibility | Amateur Station Operators Certificate (ASOC) examination |
| Average Starting Salary | INR 4 - 6.2 lakh |
| Job Opportunity | Private sector Radio station, Govt. sector Radio station |
Check Out: Top radio colleges in India
What Does Ham Radio Operator Do?
Ham Radio Operators are the workers in radio station who use some equipment and waves to communicate with other radio operators
- They use the equipment and radio waves to communicate with people of the world and to connect people they use Morse code, voice and images of people
- The ham radio operators are there to help people in emergency. They help people from any natural disaster, accident etc. by connecting with them
- An interested person can be a licensed Ham Radio Operator only after passing an exam, i.e., Amateur Station Operator Certificates (AOC)
Steps to Follow to be a Ham Radio Operator
To be a ham radio operator one must follow some steps that can help one in achieving one's goal. Here are those steps one need to follow.
Decision Making
To become a ham radio operator no educational qualification is required. Anyone above 12 years of age can be a licensed ham radio operator in different radio stations in India. But to learn the course, one needs to qualify an exam.
Hence, one needs to consider before taking any step towards the career. Talk with an older and knowledgeable person about this profession and then make the decision.
Subject Choices
Choose the subjects of radio operators to learn about the amateur radio operator. There will be many subjects for the profession, such as, ham radio technician course, ham radio course- general, ham radio course- amateur extra, and diploma in amateur radio operator.
After learning the course, the applicants can apply for two grades, i.e., Restricted Grade and General Grade. To become eligible for the Restricted Grade License, the candidates need to qualify the ASOC exam (Amateur Station Operator’s Certificate examination) and to use the General Grade Ham License, one needs to qualify the Morse code.
Exam Preparation
There are three levels of exams in the Ham Radio course. Take the ham radio to learn the course. You can do online study or self-study to do preparation for the exam. For the entry level or technician license exam, you have to spend more than 10 hours studying.
From the online classes, you can learn without having any problems. The ham clubs or amateur clubs provide classes and training to the interested students, you can learn the course from those amateur clubs. You can refer to some books of Ham radio to prepare yourself for the exam.
Selecting of Correct College
There are a few institutes for the ham radio course and some clubs also offer training courses to the interested candidates.
Indian Institute of Hams; National Institute of Amateur Radio; Bengal Ham Radio Institute; Mumbai Amateur Radio Institute; Bangalore Amateur Radio Club; Delhi Amateur Radio Club; etc. are some of the amateur radio institutes and clubs in India.
As these institutes and clubs offer the ham radio course, thus you can apply in any institute to learn the course and become a Ham Radio Operator.
After Qualifying Exam
After qualifying the licensed exam for ham radio operator you can be a certified Ham Radio Operator in different radio centers. You can be a ham radio operator in the Merchant Navy also.
There are generally 2 different grades of license in Ham Radio, those are- General Grade Ham Radio and Restricted Grade Ham Radio.
The Restricted Grade License is for those who can use medium power output of 10 Watts in Very High Frequency band and can use Radio Telephony to communicate with the people all around the world.
And on the other hand, in General Grade License, the ham radio operators can use high power output of 400 Watts in Very High Frequency and Ultra High Frequency (UHF is for satellite communication) and also can use voice, packet radio, Echolink with VoIP, IRLP, ALE and FSK441 and radio teletype and Morse code to connect with the people.
Types of Ham Radio Operator
After earning a ham radio license one can become ham radio operator in different radio stations. Average salary of ham radio operators are from INR 4 to INR 9 lakh per annum in India. The job positions are described below.
Ham Radio Operator
Ham radio operators have to connect two-way connections by receiving and transmitting the radio waves using equipment (radiotelephone). They are also responsible for the repairing of damaged equipment.
The average salary of ham radio operators is INR 5 lakh per year.
Ham Radio Officer
They are responsible for monitoring the communications aspect in a ship. They have to receive the signals, record and update the time and check weather reports so that a ship can smoothly sail in the sea.
Average salary of a radio officer is INR 7 lakh per annum.
Radio Repeater
Their task in a radio station is to improve communication coverage in radio systems. Communication can be improved by using radio waves or frequencies.
Average salary of a radio repeater is INR 6 lakh per year in India.
Types of Ham Radio Operators License
There are a total 3 types of Ham Radio Operators License in the profession. The entry level license holder can upgrade their position to the top level license holder position. The ham radio licenses are mentioned below in detail.
Technician License
In Technician License, the ham operators are allowed to access only to the ham bands with medium power with frequencies of 50 MHz or higher than that. The Ham Operators can transmit voice of 10 meter band and also Morse code with 30 MHz and less than that.
To get this license, the candidates have to seat for an exam. In the exam, the questions will be based on regulations and technical radio topics.
General License
One can apply for the General Ham License right after earning Technician License. After earning this license, the professionals will be eligible to access all Amateur Radio Frequencies of 30 MHz and more than that. In this license, one can communicate with people from all over the world.
To get the general grade license, candidates have to sit for the General Class Exam. The questions are based on the topics of the technician exam but the license will cover more details on technical radio topics.
Amateur Extra License
This is the top level Ham Radio License, where the professional will be able to access to high power radio frequencies with 400 Watts. In this license, the professionals have the ability to use Morse codes.
To get this license, candidates have to take an exam. And the questions cover all the additional rules and regulations associated with sophisticated operating and several advanced technical topics on radio.
How to Be Ham Radio Operator
There is no educational qualification needed to become a ham radio operator. Anyone above 12 years old can be a ham radio operator after clearing an exam to get the license of ham radio courses.
Courses to Become a Ham Radio Operator
The courses are mainly of 3 types, Technician, General and Extra Amateur. Those are briefly discussed below.
Ham Radio Operator- Technician Course
Technician ham Radio Course is for the beginners. The course is offered to entry level learners of ham radio. In this course, one can learn about the very high frequency and high frequency bands. And also can learn how much power can be used to connect with the people.
The learners have to take an exam to get the Technician ham radio license.
After earning the license of technician ham radio, one can apply to the entry level jobs at various radio stations, like Jr. Communication Engineer, Jr. Amateur Radio Operator, etc. The entry level ham radio operators can make around INR 4- 5 lakh per annum.
Admission Process
-
Interested learners can visit the institute to take admission because the admission process is done on the basis of your educational qualification
Technician Exam
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Application date | Dec, 2023 |
| Admit card release date | _ |
| Date of exam | Jan, 2024 |
| Date of result | _ |
Eligibility Criteria for the Exam
-
To be eligible for the exam of certified ham radio technician course, you need to take training classes
How to Apply for the Exam
- Firstly, apply for the course in any ham radio institute or club
- Then learn the course
- And then take the exam of technician courses
How to Prepare for the Exam
- Learn the course
- Practice regularly
- As the course have morse code learning course so learn and practice the codes properly
- There are many online videos are available to learn the ham radio technician course
Ham Radio Operator- General Course
The General Course can be learned after earning the technician ham license. The course covers how to communicate in AM, SSB, FM using medium power output of 50 watts in different alloted high frequenc-HF bands and very high frequenc bands. In this course, one can learn the Morse codes as well as voice to communicate with the people.
After completing the course, the learners have to take an exam of 35 marks to pass the exam.
The jobs one can get after earning General Ham License are- Ham Radio Engineer, Ham Radio Repeater, etc. Average salary one can get with this license is around INR 5- 7 lakh per annum.
Admission Process
-
Admission to this course is done on the basis of your academic qualification
ASOC exams
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Application date | Dec, 2023 |
| Admit card release date | _ |
| Date of exam | Jan, 2024 |
| Date of result | _ |
Eligibility Criteria for the Exam
-
To be eligible for the exam, candidate must have to above 12 years of age, the candidates below 18 years are restricted license ham radio operator
How to Apply for the Exam
- To apply for the exam, go to the online portal of Bharatkosh and Saralsanchar [https://bharatkosh.gov.in]
- And then register your name with an email id, a mobile number and submit the required documents
- Then pay the exam fee and submit it
How to Prepare for the Exam
- Take the classes of ham radio general course
- Study well and practice the codes of radio waves
Extra Amateur Course
Extra Amateur Course is top level Ham Radio Course and after completion of this course, the middle level ham radio operators can use Very High Frequency and Ultra High Frequency radio waves to communicate with the people. To pass this course, learners no need to take any Morse Code test.
With the Extra Amateur Ham License, one can become a Sr. Ham Radio Operator, Radio Engineer, Radio Officer in Merchant Navy, or Radio Operator in Indian Army. The average salary of these top level ham radio operators is INR 5 to 10 lakh per annum.
Admission Process
-
Admission to the course is done through your birth-proof, educational qualification and proof as Indian citizen
Eligibility Criteria for the Exam
- Candidates must be Indian to seat for the exam
- And the candidate should be 12 years of age to take the exam
How to Apply for the Exam
- Firstly, visit the online portal of Bharatkosh and Sara Sanchar [https://bharatkosh.gov.in]
- Register your name on the portal and apply
- For applying you need a valid email-id, a mobile number and an online banking facility to pay the fee
- For the exam you need to submit the following documents
- A scanned passport size photograph and a signature
- Scanned copy of national certificate (that is available on the website)
- The National Certificate should be duly filled up and after filling the certificate signed by MLA/ Gazetted officer and make it as a PDF file of maximum 50 kb size
- Scanned copy of PAN card
- Scanned copy of Aadhar card/ Driving license/ Ration card/ Voter Id card
- Scanned copy of birth certificate or birth-proof certificate
- Duly attested scanned copy of restricted grade license (In case of restricted grade license holder )
- Scanned copy of duly filled ASOC examination undertaking by the parents for the minor applicants
- If you are a diploma or degree holder in electronics engineering or telecommunications then you can avail exemption from Section A examination. And for that you have to submit a duly attested scanned copy of your diploma certificate or degree certificate
How to Become a Ham Radio Operator Abroad?
To become a ham radio operator abroad one must have a license of certified ham radio operator.
US
In the US, the learners can learn the course through both online or offline mode. To earn the ham radio license, the learners have to sit for an exam. The ham radio licensee can communicate locally and most often within North America.
Admission Process
To get the license as ham radio operator in the US, one must pass an exam consisting of 35 questions on radio theory, regulations and operating practices.
Educational Requirements
- Educational qualification is not required to become a ham radio operator
- But one must have a license to be a ham radio operator
Top Colleges with Fees
| College Name | Fees |
|---|---|
| The ARRL Collegiate Amateur Radio Initiative | $15 |
| West Virginia University- Amateur Radio Club | _ |
| University of Pennsylvania- Amateur Radio Club | $15 |
| Ham Radio University | _ |
| Kansas State University- Amateur Radio Club | $15 |
Courses Available
- Technician Ham Radio Course
- General Ham Radio Course
- Extra Ham Radio Course
Canada
To become a Canadian Ham Radio Operator, one needs to complete an Amateur Radio Course and have to earn the certificate.
Admission Process
To be a Ham Radio Operator in Canada you must have to get the Canadian Amateur Radio Operator Certificate with 70% marks or more than that.
-
Educational Requirements
- There is no other academic qualification required to be an amateur radio operator in Canada
- One must have to pass the certificate of amateur radio with 70% marks to be a amateur radio operator
Top Colleges with Fees
| College Name | Fees |
|---|---|
| The Amateur Radio- University of New Brunswick | _ |
| Radio Amateurs of Canada | _ |
| Surrey Amateur Radio Communications | $120 |
| The Society of Newfoundland Radio Amateurs | $85 |
| The Kitchener-Waterloo Amateur Radio Club | $25 |
| Burlington Amateur Radio Club | $100 |
| The Barrie Amateur Radio Club | $100 |
| The Nanaimo Amateur Radio Association | $120 |
| The Richmond Amateur Radio Club | $100 |
Courses Available
- Amateur Radio Basic Courses
- Amateur Radio Advanced Courses
- Morse Code Qualification
Australia
One can be a Ham Radio Operator in Australia, if they can complete an amateur course and after that they have to take an exam and when the learners can earn the ham radio certificate of proficiency they can apply for an amateur license.
Admission Process
Interested candidate must have to apply for the exams to get the license for a licensed Ham Radio Operator in Australia.
-
Educational Requirements
-
One can be a ham radio operator after passing the exam of Amateur Radio
-
Top Colleges with Fees
| College Name | Fees |
|---|---|
| Amateur Radio- Australian Maritime College (University of Tasmania) | _ |
| The Wireless Institute of Australia | $90 |
Courses Available
- Foundation course of Amateur Radio
- Standard course of Amateur Radio
Benefits of Career as a Ham Radio Operator
As the profession has still demands in the job market, hence it has benefits in radio industries.
Salary
The salary of amateur radio operators is not bad. A fresher earns around INR 4 lakh per annum and an experienced amateur radio operator earns INR 5 t0 10 lakh per annum.
Job security
An amateur radio operator can do a job in the merchant navy and in different radio stations. A licensed Ham Radio Operator has job security for the lifetime.
Positive impact of the career
The ham radio operators are responsible for communicating with the whole world using some equipment and radio-waves.
Skills Required for Ham Radio Operator
- Good communication skill
- Knowledge of codes, signals used during receive and transmit of communication
- Setup of hardware and software in the systems
- Maintenance skill
Salary of Ham Radio Operator in India
Here is the salary structure of the ham radio operators in different organizations and according to their job experience.
Average Annual Salary
| Organization | Salary |
|---|---|
| Govt. | INR 5 lakh |
| Private | INR 6 lakh |
Salary Trend Graph
Experience Wise Salary
| Experience | Salary |
|---|---|
| Fresher | INR 4 lakh |
| Experienced | INR 7 lakh |
Salary Trend Graph
Specialization Wise Salary
| Job Profile | Salary |
|---|---|
| Ham Radio Operator | INR 5 lakh |
| Radio Officer | INR 4 lakh |
| Radio Engineer | INR 5 lakh |
| Indian Army Radio Operator | INR 5 lakh |
| Radio Repeater | INR 3.9 lakh |
Salary Trend Graph
After the Ham Radio Operator Profession
After completing the course, you can be a ham radio operator in different radio stations all over the world.
Start Job
- As the course has 3 types, hence after completing the 3 courses you can be a ham radio operator
- A ham radio operator earns around INR 3.5 to 5 lakh per annum at the entry level and an experienced radio operator earns around 6 to 10 lakh per annum.
How to Become a Ham Radio Operator: FAQs
Ques. What is the minimum education required for the ham radio operator in India?
Ans. There is no minimum qualification to be a ham radio operator. If one is interested there age must have to be 12 years.
Ques. Can I become a Ham Radio Operator after completing BSc or MSc?
Ans. Yes. You can be a Ham Radio Operator after completing your under-graduate degree or diploma course and post-graduate degree or diploma courses.
Ques. What is the fee for the course?
Ans. To be licensed ham radio operator for 20 years you have to pay INR 1,000 and to be a lifetime member as ham radio operator you have to pay INR 2,000 in India.
Ques. Can I become a Ham Radio Operator in Abroad?
Ans. Yes. But for that you must have to pass an examination to get the licensed for the Ham Radio Operator. And after getting the certificate you can be a Ham Radio Operator in any abroad countries where the profession is demanded.
Ques. What codes we need to learn to become a Ham Radio Operator?
Ans. Morse code is required to be a Ham Radio Operator in India.
Ques. Is there any exam to take admission in the course?
Ans. No. There is no examination to take admission in the ham radio courses.
Ques. Is Ham Radio Operator job still in demand?
Ans. Yes. A ham radio operator can connect the whole world and can share news of the world, hence the profession has demand in job market.
Ques. Can I become a Ham Radio Operator without the license?
Ans. No. You cannot engage yourself in the profession without license as it required skills to handle the equipment, use the equipment and use the radio-waves to connect with other ham radio operators. But you can listen to a ham radio without the license.
Ques. Is the exams are tough to become a ham radio operator?
Ans. No. the exams are not that much difficult. One must have to be determined ad focused in their goal to become a ham radio operator.
Ques. Which country is best to become a Ham Radio Operator?
Ans. The best countries to be a ham radio operator are- US, India, Australia, Canada, Japan, UK, China, Spain, Germany
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