Amateur Radio is a hobby which involves Government licensing.
In India, the Wireless Planning Commission or WPC, a division of the Ministry of Communications & Information Technology, conducts licensing exams through the Monitoring Station offices located in all major cities.
Anyone above the age of 12, can obtain their amateur radio license in India.
There are currently two classes of licenses granted in India,
- General grade
- Restricted grade
The Exam Syllabus and the operating privileges between the two are quite similar, except for a few differences.
The Amateur Station Operator’s certificate is awarded after a candidate has successfully cleared the licensing exam and has paid the necessary fees.
The licensing exam is consists of a Theory test and a Morse code test at 8WPM ( for general grade).
The Theory test examines the candidates grasp of basic electronics, radio regulations, communication procedures, local and international law.
The Morse code test examines the proficiency of the candidate in sending and receiving the international Morse code at 8 WPM. The test is only for those opting for the general grade amateur radio license.
How to apply for an ASOC exam ?
Simply prepare the ASOC application in the prescribed format (use our application form generator for easy preparation) and apply to your local WPC monitoring station. Addresses and contact numbers of these stations are available at their website http://www.wpc.gov.in/
Learning resources
You can download our study materials in printable format for the theory paper
For learning Morse code: https://lcwo.net/ is one great online resource to learn code systematically.
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Where do we fit in?
We, at LARC, liaise with the WPC to submit your application, train candidates, organize exams and help them obtain their licenses.
Does LARC conduct classes?
Yes! but there won’t be any regular classes. Normally we conduct a crash course involving intensive coaching for two days prior to exam. Candidates are expected to learn with the study material that would be provided. In these classes we will be revising previous question papers too.
Will I also get Morse code training during this crash course?
There will be a Morse code session during the course, but it would be a test for proficiency only. Morse code cannot be taught in a day or two. You many need to practice for at-least a month to get through the minimum proficiency needed in Morse code.
How can I get updates about the ASOC exam and other activities of LARC?
Most of our activities will be listed here in this website. All updates pertaining to Exams or classes will be mailed to you once you are enrolled in the batch. We also add you to the official WhatsApp group where we keep updating about the exam, and our other activities. This group also becomes a platform for exchanging ideas, posting queries and meeting fellow radio enthusiasts. Only those who use WhatsApp as their messaging/communication platform can avail of this facility. It’s a zero spam group!