Newly licensed
Your callsign is here — now what?
You passed the exam. FCC ULS shows your license. This wizard is the shortest path from paperwork to your first legal transmission. Jargon? See the radio glossary.
Technician limits: You have VHF/UHF voice on ham repeaters — not full HF phone yet. When you want regional HF nets and Winlink, follow the Technician → General upgrade guide.
1. ULS
2. Program
3. Freqs
4. Listen
5. First net
6. Upgrade path
- Confirm ULS — look up your callsign at FCC ULS. You may transmit as soon as the license appears.
- Program your radio — CHIRP walkthrough · CHIRP cheat sheet · Baofeng guide
- Load local freqs — East TN guide + CHIRP CSV or your club sheet if you are outside the region.
- Receive-only first — program NOAA weather and listen on a local repeater before you key up.
- First net — read surviving your first ham net and find a club net on East TN ARES or emcomm hub.
- Keep studying — exam prep tools still help for General if you plan to upgrade. Follow the Technician → General upgrade guide when ready.
Check off steps as you complete them — progress saves in this browser.
Outside East Tennessee? Use RepeaterBook or your club's programming sheet. Search your county + 2m/70cm. Program NOAA first, then one club repeater.
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Just licensed essentials
Program, listen on NOAA, then hit your first repeater.
Baofeng UV-5R
Most common first ham HT — program with CHIRP.
~$29 · Amazon →
CHIRP programming cable
USB cable for Baofeng/BTECH — verify FTDI chip.
~$12 · Amazon →
Nagoya NA-771 antenna
Dual-band 2m/70cm whip upgrade for any SMA HT.
~$10 · Amazon →
Midland WR120 NOAA radio
SAME weather alerts — program before any deployment.
~$35 · Amazon →