Free practice test

Tests

Driving testsCitizenship testsSchool and university admissionsNursing, medicine and healthEnglish and French testsTeachingMoney, law and insuranceTrades and work licencesPilots, drones, boats and radio

Countries

United StatesCanadaUnited KingdomAustraliaNew Zealand

United Kingdom · Licence exam

What is ham radio?

It’s amateur radio: a technical hobby in which licensed people send messages to each other on radio frequencies set aside for amateurs, for self-training and fun rather than business. In the UK you need an Ofcom licence, which you get by passing an RSGB exam. Ham radio is also, the RSGB points out, the only hobby governed by an international treaty.

Free practice test

Updated October 2026 · Written from official sources, listed at the bottom of this page

What do ham radio operators do?

  • Talk with other amateurs around the world, and make friends doing it.
  • Experiment with radio technology. The RSGB notes that many advances in radio began with amateurs.
  • Compete in contests that test their station and operating skill.
  • Make contacts through amateur satellites and with the International Space Station, which carries an amateur station.
  • Provide emergency communications, and practise for them in exercises.
RSGB: What is amateur radio? ↗Contests →Satellites and the ISS →

Ham radio and other radio users

Radio bands are allocated for particular uses, such as broadcasting, aircraft, shipping and amateurs, and some amateur bands are shared with or sit next to other users. Amateurs may only talk to other amateur stations, except in an emergency or when helping a user service such as St John Ambulance.

The RSGB asks amateurs to use their own codes on air and to avoid jargon from CB, PMR, military or marine radio. Music, offensive language and business use have no place on the amateur bands.

Ofcom licence rules →Q codes →

How do you become a ham radio operator in the UK?

  1. Study for the Foundation exam: 26 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes, with 19 needed to pass. There’s no age limit and no prior learning needed.
  2. Book it with the RSGB and sit it at home with a remote invigilator, or at a club.
  3. After about six working days, the RSGB confirms your pass and sends your result to Ofcom.
  4. Apply for your licence on Ofcom’s online system with your candidate number and choose your call sign. It’s free online.
How the three exams work →Call signs →Clubs near you →

Your first contacts

Spend some time listening first. Then listen before you call and ask if the frequency is in use, keep overs short, and give your call sign in full. The RSGB’s Foundation practicals videos show a first contact step by step.

Listen to ham radio online →RSGB: Good operating practices (PDF) ↗
Sources: RSGB and 5 more. Checked October 2026.

Rules and fees can change, so check the official site before your test.

Explore

Everything else, in one place

OverviewPractice testWhere to learnCostOnline examOfcom licenceFrequencies and bandsCall signsQ codesRepeatersDigital modesSatellites and the ISSPropagationAntennasChoosing a radioUsed equipmentContestsLogbooks and QSL cardsClubs and ralliesListen online