Using the BARC Website

Finding Your Way Around

A few things about the site's navigation that are worth knowing:

  • The top menu has dropdowns. Hover over (or tap, on mobile) "Home," "Events & Programs," or "Resources" to see a list of sub-pages open underneath.
  • "Events & Programs" has a wider menu with two columns — "On the Air" activities (Repeaters, POTA, Digital Radio, Contesting, etc.) on one side, "Club Programs" (Field Day, Tech Night, Presentations, etc.) on the other.
  • Most content pages have their own left-hand sidebar with related pages grouped together. If you're looking for something related to the page you're on, check the sidebar first.
  • Breadcrumbs (the small "Home › Section › Page" trail at the top of most pages) show you where you are and let you jump back up a level.
  • On mobile, the top menu collapses into a hamburger icon (☰) in the upper right — tap it to open the full navigation.

Downloading Documents

Club Presentations

The Presentations & Documents page (under Events & Programs → Club Programs) has a searchable library of past club presentations, organized into categories like Field Day, Antennas, Digital Modes, and more.

  • Use the search box at the top to find something by title or presenter name.
  • Click any category heading to expand or collapse that group.
  • Each document has a PDF button — click it to open the file in a new tab.
Newsletter (Full Quieting)

The Newsletter page always shows the current issue front and center, plus the 5 most recent issues below it. Each issue has two options:

  • Read Online — opens the PDF in a new browser tab
  • Download — saves the PDF directly to your device

There's also a highlighted Article Index link in the sidebar — a spreadsheet listing every article that's ever run in Full Quieting.

Club Documents

Bylaws, officer info, and other official club documents live under Home → About BARC in the top menu, with their own sidebar to move between them.

Submitting a Presentation

Have an idea for a Tech Night topic or a monthly meeting presentation? On the Presentations & Documents page, look for "Submit a Topic" in the sidebar. Clicking it opens a short form right on the page — fill in your name, callsign, presentation title, and a bit about what you'd like to cover, and it goes straight to the Programs Coordinator.

Logging In & Passwords

🔧 Coming soon. A full member login area — with password management, an online member directory, and profile settings — is planned as the next phase of the website project. It isn't live yet. We'll announce it once it's ready.

For Officers: Creating a Post

If you've been given an account with posting access, here's how to publish something to the site:

  1. Go to bellbrookarc.org/wp/wp-admin and log in with your username and password.
  2. In the left-hand menu, click Posts → Add New.
  3. Give your post a title, then write your content in the main box below it.
  4. To add a photo, click the + button in the content area and choose Image.
  5. On the right-hand side, assign a Category and set a Featured Image.
  6. Click Publish when ready — or Preview first to check how it looks.
  7. To edit later, go to Posts → All Posts and click Edit.

Not sure if you have posting access, or need an account set up? Contact the webmaster below.

Something not working? Let us know — no detail is too small.
Doug Hayward, K8DRH — dhayward@systemspoint.com

Home › Events & Programs › Educational Programs

Educational Programs

Getting licensed and finding help along the way — BARC W8DGN

Licensing & Education

BARC is committed to growing the amateur radio community. We don't currently run our own licensing courses or ongoing classes, but we're a great place to get help along the way — through the free self-study resources below, and through our members, many of whom are glad to help someone working toward a license at any level.

License Class Overview

Technician License

Entry-level license — grants access to all VHF/UHF amateur bands plus limited HF privileges. 35-question exam. No Morse code required.

Study at ARRL →

General License

Adds HF operating privileges — work stations worldwide on 80m, 40m, 20m, 15m, and 10m. 35-question exam. Most popular upgrade for Technician hams.

Study at ARRL →

Amateur Extra

Highest license class — full privileges on all amateur bands. 50-question exam covering advanced technical topics, regulations, and operating practices.

Study at ARRL →

Free Self-Study Resources

BARC doesn't currently offer its own classes, but these free resources cover everything from first license through Extra — pick whichever teaching style fits how you learn best.

Free

HamStudy.org

The standard practice-test and flashcard tool, no matter which course you follow. Covers Technician, General, and Extra, tracks your progress, and stays current with the latest question pools.

hamstudy.org →
Free

Ham Radio Crash Course

Josh Nass (KI6NAZ)'s full video courses for Technician and General, plus an active Discord and Facebook community if you get stuck. Probably the most popular free video option right now.

hamradiocrashcourse.com →
Free

KB6NU's No-Nonsense Guides

Short, plain-language PDF study guides for Technician, General, and Extra — good for anyone who'd rather read than watch video.

kb6nu.com →
Free

W4EEY (Gary Wise, KE4EA)

Covers all three license levels — Technician, General, and Extra — free on his YouTube channel, self-paced. Occasionally runs live Zoom sessions too. Especially strong on the math and electronics theory.

w4eey.com →

Paid Study Programs

If a more structured, guided course is a better fit than free self-study, these are well-regarded paid options.

Paid

Ham Radio School

Interactive video + eBook course built to explain the "why" behind each topic rather than just memorization. Technician, General, and Extra courses, non-expiring access. Free preview lessons available before you buy.

hamradioschool.com →
Paid

Ham Radio Prep

Video-based Technician and General courses aimed at beginners, with quizzes, practice tests, and games. Reports a 99%+ pass rate and offers a money-back guarantee.

hamradioprep.com →
Paid

Gordon West Radio School

"Gordo" is one of the longest-running names in ham radio education — decades of books, audio courses, and study guides known for explaining concepts memorably, often with humor. Also sold through ARRL.

gordonwestradioschool.com →

Getting Your License — The Steps

  • 1
    Study using the ARRL license manual or free online resources like hamexam.org and hamstudy.org
  • 2
    Create a free FCC account and get your FRN (FCC Registration Number) at fcc.gov
  • 3
    Register for a VE exam session — BARC holds exam sessions periodically. Check the club calendar or contact us.
  • 4
    Pass the 35-question Technician exam at the VE session. The passing score is 26 out of 35 correct.
  • 5
    Your callsign typically appears in the FCC database within 1–2 business days. You're on the air!

Finding a Mentor (Elmer)

BARC doesn't run a formal Elmering program, but there's no shortage of experienced members happy to help — at every license level, from Technician through Extra.

The best way to connect is simple: come to a meeting. Once you get to know the members, you'll know exactly who to ask for guidance, whether you're studying for your first license or working toward Extra.

Contact BARC →