Getting the Foundation Licence is fun, but it is still a challenging process. There are many sources of help available online, but most share the same starting place – The Foundation Licence Manual for Radio Amateurs by Alan Betts G0HIQ. The book is the absolute gold standard for Foundation Licencees. It was the book I, and everyone else on my course at Telford and District Amateur Radio Society used when taking our course, and it is recommended by just about everyone else too.
The book is only 54 pages long (in A4 format) but it will explain everything you will need to know for your Foundation licence test. The book is also available in Kindle format should you wish to use an E-book format.
If you are tempted to the second-hand route – which has a great tradition in the amateur community of self-help and community building – make sure that the book is the current edition that meets the current syllabus. Personally, I donated my copy to a charity bookshop in the hope that it would encourage more interest in the hobby.
While libraries are moving away from carrying technical books, you will likely find some items of study help in your local library. Ask the librarian for information on the books they have available.
Online resources
There are some great online resources out there. From personal experience, I can recommend Essex Ham’s excellent online Foundation Licence course,
If you are in the Midlands, I can also confirm that the Telford based TDARS group offer a fantastic Foundation Licence course. There are similar groups throughout the UK. If you’d like to find out more information on courses running in your local area then you should check the RSGB course finder page.
I’ve also undertaken the training provided by GM6DX for my intermediate course and found it to be of very high quality. I can’t speak to the foundation course, but I would imagine that it is of a similar quality.
