Canada · Amateur radio examStudy options for the Basic and Advanced exams
| Option | Price | Free to use | Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official sources | |||
ISED: Amateur radio exam generatorOfficial · study questions and practice exams onlineFrom Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, built from the same question banks examiners use for official exams. Basic and Advanced. | No charge shown | Study questions, practice exams and printable exams | |
ISED: question banks and reference sheetsOfficial · PDF and ZIP downloadsBoth question banks as text files, and the zip file with ISED’s formula and block diagram sheets for the Basic exam. | No charge shown | Every Basic and Advanced question | |
| Online courses | |||
Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC): Basic and Advanced coursesLive online classes, recordedRAC runs these online courses in dated sessions; the fall 2026 Basic course ran September 27 to November 29, with the Annapolis Valley Amateur Radio Club, open to anyone in Canada or abroad. The Advanced course is for RAC Maple Leaf Operator members. | $50 plus tax for the fall 2026 Basic course; study guide extra | Not stated | |
Hamstudy (Radio Amateurs of Canada)Self-study online course, no instructor, and a bookHamstudy says its Basic course covers all 984 questions in the bank, with lessons for each. Its Advanced course is in an older format. | $25 for 30 days or $40 for 90 days, Basic or Advanced, plus tax | Free preview lessons | |
Radio Amateur du Québec (RAQI): Basic Qualification courseSelf-paced online course, in English or FrenchMade to the 2025 requirements, and paid through PayPal once you create an account. RAC promotes it outside Quebec. | $100 | A demonstration course | |
| Club courses | |||
Amateur radio club coursesClassroom and online courses run by local clubsRAC’s course page lists them by province, as the clubs send them in, and says details may be out of date. Some include the exam with a club examiner. | Set by each club | Some, such as the Nanaimo club’s Basic course, list no charge | |
| Apps and websites | |||
HAM Basic and Advanced (Ryan Gilchrist)iPhone and iPad appSays it has the full Basic and Advanced question banks, over 1,500 questions, with its own exam generator. Rated 4.7 from 34 ratings. | $9.99 on the Canadian App Store | Not stated | |
Prices and ratings checked November 2026.
Is there an official Canadian ham radio practice test?
Yes. ISED’s amateur radio exam generator is both a learning aid for candidates and the tool examiners use to make official exams. For the Basic, you can study questions by category, take a 100-question practice exam drawn from every category, or print a practice exam with an answer sheet and key. The Advanced side works the same way, with 50-question practice exams.
The button at the top of this page opens ISED’s page with every Basic question as a PDF, and ISED’s downloads page has both banks as ZIP files.
Which Canadian ham radio study guide should you use?
RAC lists the books it has used for its courses. For the Basic, that was the Canadian Amateur Radio Basic Qualification Study Guide, 9th edition, from Coax Publications. Coax has closed: RAC quotes its site saying there won’t be a 10th edition and the 9th is sold out, though some retailers may have copies. Coax also said its Advanced Qualification Study Guide, 2nd edition, would stay on sale only while supplies lasted.
Hamstudy Basic 2026 is the fifth edition of RAC’s own study guide, in print and as an online course. RAC says it includes the complete 2025 Basic question bank and covers the 100 topics the exam is built on.
A study path for the Basic exam
- Read RIC-3, ISED’s circular on the amateur service. Section 5.1 is the syllabus, with the 100 topic areas the exam draws from.
- Read RBR-4 for the bands, power limits and station identification, and RIC-9 for call signs. ISED recommends reading both, with RIC-3, before the exam.
- Go through the question bank one category at a time in the exam generator, with the labelled formula and block diagram sheet beside you.
- Take full practice exams. Aim for Honours if you want the bands below 30 MHz from your first day on the air.
- When you’re scoring well, find an accredited examiner and book your exam.
How to choose
Pick by how you like to learn:
- On your own: ISED’s exam generator and question bank
- With lessons at your own pace: Hamstudy, online or as a book, or the online course from Radio Amateur du Québec
- With a live instructor: RAC’s online course, or a club course, some of which end with the exam itself
- On your phone: an app that says it carries ISED’s Basic and Advanced question banks
Whichever you use, check any answer that looks wrong in ISED’s exam generator.
Sources: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada · Radio Amateurs of Canada and 5 more. Checked November 2026.
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada: Amateur radio exam generator ↗
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada: Downloads ↗
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada: How to become an amateur radio operator ↗
- Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada: Amateur radio frequently asked questions ↗
- Radio Amateurs of Canada: Amateur Radio Course Study Guides ↗
- Radio Amateurs of Canada: Amateur Radio Courses ↗
- Radio Amateurs of Canada: Hamstudy Course Subscription ↗
Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.