Ham license exam · Element 3
General Class study guide
The next step up. It opens most of the HF bands for worldwide contacts.
You pay through Stripe. Your download link appears on the next page and arrives by email.
The free sample is all of section G3, Radio Wave Propagation (37 questions), with every answer. Try it and see how fast they stick.
In the PDF
What you get
- All 423 questions in the 2023–2027 pool, with all four choices and the right answer marked, plus the Part 97 rule where the pool cites one.
- Notes at the start of every group that explain the idea, so the answers make sense instead of needing to be memorized.
- A Start Here chapter: where the exam's 35 questions come from, what to study first, the numbers to memorize, and the mistakes people make.
- The pool's figures next to the questions that use them.
- Short "Exam Hack" lines where one pattern or formula covers several questions.
- Current through the 6th errata of February 4, 2026. This pool stays in use until June 30, 2027.
The exam
- Questions asked
- 35
- To pass
- 26 right (74%)
- You can miss
- 9
- Questions in the pool
- 423
- Question groups
- 35, one question from each
- This pool
- 2023–2027
Where the points are
One question from each group
The exam draws exactly one question from each of the 35 groups, so every group is worth the same single question. 4 sections carry 54% of the exam: Commission's Rules (5), Operating Procedures (5), Amateur Radio Practices (5), Antennas and Feed Lines (4).
The guide opens with a Start Here chapter that says what to study first and why. The free sample is section G3, Radio Wave Propagation, so you can see how a section works before you buy.
Contents
What's covered
Section G3 is free. Click it to read it right here in your browser, or download it as a PDF.
| Section | Topic | On the exam | In the pool | Reading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G1 | Commission's Rules | 5 | 52 | ~22 min |
| G2 | Operating Procedures | 5 | 60 | ~21 min |
| G3 | Radio Wave Propagation Free sample | 3 | 37 | ~13 min |
| G4 | Amateur Radio Practices | 5 | 60 | ~20 min |
| G5 | Electrical Principles | 3 | 40 | ~12 min |
| G6 | Circuit Components | 2 | 23 | ~7 min |
| G7 | Practical Circuits | 3 | 38 | ~13 min |
| G8 | Signals and Emissions | 3 | 42 | ~14 min |
| G9 | Antennas and Feed Lines | 4 | 46 | ~17 min |
| G0 | Electrical and RF Safety | 2 | 25 | ~11 min |
Planning
How long it takes
Reading the whole guide once is about 2.5 hours. Working the questions takes longer. Packed into days without splitting a section:
| Per day | Days to read once |
|---|---|
| 30 minutes | 7 |
| 60 minutes | 3 |
| 90 minutes | 2 |
Day by day at 60 minutes
- Day 1 · G1, G2, G3 (56 min)
- Day 2 · G4, G5, G6, G7 (52 min)
- Day 3 · G8, G9, G0 (42 min)
Questions
Before you buy
Which exam is this for?
This is for the amateur (ham) radio exam. The FCC commercial exams, like the GROL and the marine and GMDSS elements, are separate guides on the commercial shelf.
How do I get it after I pay?
You pay through Stripe. When the payment goes through you land on a page with a download button, and I email you the same link. The link keeps working, so you can download the PDF again later.
Is the guide enough on its own?
It explains the material and puts the whole pool in front of you, so you can test yourself as you go. Before you book a session, also take a few full timed practice exams. The Start Here chapter says what scores to aim for.
Can I print it?
Yes. It's laid out for letter-size paper, with page numbers.
Found a mistake, or the link doesn't work?
Email guides@w9ay.com and I'll sort it out.