You don't have to
figure this out alone.
Ham radio is a big hobby. Nobody learns all of it from a book, a video or an exam.
Whether you're trying to earn your license, make your first contact, choose a radio, build an antenna or explore something completely new, GSARA can connect you with another ham who can help.
No question is too basic. You don't need to know exactly what kind of help you need before reaching out.
What are you trying
to figure out?
You don't need to know everything about amateur radio. You just need somewhere to start.
Pick the thing that's giving you trouble—or the thing you want to try next. There's a good chance another GSARA member has been there before.Getting Licensed
Study questions, exam preparation, understanding the licensing process or figuring out where to begin.
Your First Radio
Choosing a radio, programming it, understanding the controls or figuring out what equipment you actually need.
Making Contacts
Repeaters, nets, calling CQ, radio etiquette or simply getting comfortable pressing the PTT button.
Getting a Signal Out
Choosing, building, installing or troubleshooting an antenna for your home, vehicle or portable station.
POTA & Portable
Put together a portable station, understand an activation or make your first contacts from the field.
Modes & Digital
Explore CW, digital modes, voice, repeaters or another corner of amateur radio that's new to you.
Station Setup
Radios, power, feed line, computers, accessories and getting all the pieces of your station working together.
I'm Not Sure Yet
Tell us what you're interested in, what you've tried or where you're stuck. We'll help figure out the next step.
Start with where
you are right now.
You don't need a lesson plan or a list of perfectly formed questions. Tell us what you're trying to do, and we'll help connect you with someone who can help you move forward.
What do you need help with?
Tell us what you're learning, what you're trying to accomplish or where you're getting stuck.
Meet someone who can help.
We'll work to connect you with a GSARA member whose experience fits what you're trying to learn.
Learn by actually doing it.
Meet in person, connect virtually or practice on the air depending on what you're working on.
Then try the next thing.
Amateur radio keeps giving you something new to learn. Your next question may lead you to another mentor.
Learn what you need.
When you need it.
There's no curriculum to finish and no expectation that one person has to teach you everything.
Maybe you need twenty minutes figuring out how to program a repeater. Maybe you want someone beside you for your first POTA activation. Maybe you're building an antenna and need another set of eyes.
That's mentoring. Start with the question in front of you, learn from somebody who's done it before, and keep exploring.
Your mentor doesn't need to know everything. They just need to help you with the next thing.
Figure it out together.
Sometimes you just need
someone beside you.
Mentoring doesn't have to be complicated. It might be one conversation, an afternoon working on a project or somebody helping you get through that first attempt.
Program that radio.
Get repeaters loaded, understand the controls and learn what all those menu settings actually do.
Get an antenna working.
Build one, install one, troubleshoot one or figure out what makes sense for the space you have.
Make that first contact.
Practice what to say, learn how a net works or have somebody on the other end when you key the mic.
Put the pieces together.
Work through radios, power, feed line, accessories and how everything in your station connects.
Get ready for the exam.
Work through concepts you're struggling with and get pointed toward the right study resources.
Try something new.
POTA, CW, digital, HF or something you haven't even discovered yet. You don't have to learn it alone.
Wherever you are
in the hobby.
You don't need to wait until you're licensed, and you don't have to be brand new. If there's something you want to learn, improve or try, mentoring can help.
I'm interested in ham radio.
You're trying to understand the hobby, see what people actually do and decide whether amateur radio is for you.
YOU DON'T NEED A CALLSIGN YET.I'm working on my license.
You're studying for an exam and need help understanding a concept, preparing to test or figuring out what comes next.
ASK WHILE YOU'RE LEARNING.I have a callsign. Now what?
You're ready to make contacts, use repeaters, choose equipment and discover what part of amateur radio interests you most.
LET'S GET YOU ON THE AIR.I want to learn something new.
Maybe it's HF, digital, CW, antennas, portable operating or a project you've never tried before.
THERE'S ALWAYS A NEXT THING.
What are you trying
to figure out?
Tell us a little about where you are and what you'd like help with. You don't need to know the technical answer—or even exactly what kind of help you need.
Give us enough information to understand what you're working on, and we'll work to connect you with a GSARA member who may be able to help.
Where you are Curious, studying, newly licensed or already active.
What you're working on A radio, antenna, mode, project or something else.
Where you're stuck Tell us what's giving you trouble or what you want to try.
Know something?
Help someone.
Every experienced ham was new once. Someone answered a question, showed them how something worked or helped them make sense of the hobby.
You don't have to know everything to be a mentor. If there's something in amateur radio you know well, that experience could be exactly what another operator needs.
BECOME A GSARA MENTORKnow one thing well. That's a place to start.
Share what you've learned. Experience is valuable.
Help someone try it. That's how the hobby grows.