Your first 30 days on radio
One linear runway — not every step applies to GMRS-only families, but ham newcomers can follow this week-by-week without bouncing between menus.
Technician is a valid stopping point. VHF/UHF emcomm, SKYWARN, and most ARES nets do not require General. Upgrade when you need HF regional nets or Winlink — not because “everyone says General next.”
Decide & study
- Take the license path quiz — ham, GMRS, FRS, or Meshtastic
- Ham: exam prep 15–20 min/day until HamStudy scores 85%+
- GMRS: apply for license + first week on GMRS
- Read mistakes that cost money before buying gear
- Pick radio with what to buy first + budget tiers
Watch this week: Baofeng quick start (hardware familiarity) · exam prep tools (study daily) · tutorial playlist
License & programming
- Ham: pass Technician exam — find VE session
- Open just licensed checklist
- Program radio: CHIRP article + CHIRP tool
- Load local frequencies or regional PDF
- Handheld guide for your model: handheld quick-starts
- UV-5R owners: day-one checklist before first transmit
Watch this week: CHIRP article walkthrough · channel programming tutorials
Listen & first net
- Listen one full net cycle before transmitting
- First net checklist + net control ref
- East TN: emcomm hub for training nets
- Log practice in QSO log
Watch this week: East TN emcomm hub net times · first net checklist · SKYWARN spotter modules on NWS
Plan layers
- Fill PACE worksheet — cell is not enough
- If vehicle range matters: HT vs mobile → mobile hub
- Technician → plan General upgrade for HF path
- Property owner? assessment wizard
- Volunteer path? week-1 volunteer runway
Watch this week: off-grid emergency comms (layered thinking) · HT vs mobile article
Comms layers — what comes next
Property owners: comms assessment wizard · PACE examples · consulting
Channel videos: video library maps uploads to these guides.