Foundation Licence Now Paperback – 1 Jan. 2002

This book is used in conjunction with training received from a registered Radio Society of Great Britain instructor to gain a UK 'FOUNDATION' Amateur Radio License. Its well written, easy to understand and covers the subject matter at just the right depth. Anybody with a modicum of sense over the age of 10 should be able to make perfect sense of the information presented, hopefully any knowledge gaps will be filled in by a dutiful instructor! The bonus of discounted RSGB membership (for 1 Yr) when purchasing a new copy is not to be sniffed at either; full membership is now £48 a year, but still free for under 21's.Comments about incorrect information contained within simply signify that the reader has not read the book properly!........ As it actually states - in the book - that the band plans etc. are not correct and are to be used for 'training purposes' only, one should refer to the RSGB website or OFCOM for up to date information.I think Alan Betts hit the nail on the head with this one (and the two others), giving new life and opportunity to Amateur Radio - the only down side, if there is one, is that we are seeing the gradual migration of 'muppet' CB operators on to our networks etc. when they realise just how easy it is to get to grips with the foundation license exam and get an M6 C/S.

ok a couple things are missing in this manual first off the band allocation table is incomplete and looks badly set out it is missing key information and the writing style is no good half the words are separated from the rest of the words and could be allot better I expected more and it not really tort me anything i dint already know.basic information that is not included includes the following3 - 30 = hf30 - 300 = vhf300 - 3000 = uhfwould be better if this information was in the manualmore missing information includes the difference in restrictions compared to other ham licences including power restrictions and frequancy restrictionsalso there are too many gaps in band plans and allocations in comparison for other licences for ham.too many differences from the fcc and ofcom regulations which needs to be amended so that we can dx using foundation level ham licenses and this also includes differences in power limitations and restrictions in different areasmy last note is about ofcom rules itself and that if we upgrade our ham licence we would have another call sign this is pointless once i get a call sign i would like to upgrade without having a new call sign.the book is ok but i recommend researching further to work out your own review.

I had read reviews about this book and because I already knew about radio theory basics, I wasn't expected a lot from this book atleast for the foundation level. However, I wanted to check the scope and depth of coverage of topics from a licencing perspective. The book covers technical basics including electrical circuits, formulae to calculate power, resistance, voltage .. talks about current types etc., about frequencies / wavelength ... Basic receiver and transmitters, modulation etc., About Feeders and Antennae... Morse Code ... License types and conditions... and a few other useful topics such as Band Plans. You could argue that this information could easily be found on Wikipedia or other internet sites. However, your reading this book will give you a clear scope of how much will you be tested on for the foundation license and more importantly directs you in the path of gaining that license. This guidance towards gaining the license is probably a key point in this book as compared to the internet sites. Highly recommended for beginners, especially those without any electronics or radio background. Good Luck!

In my honest opinion this book is a must if you are looking to take your Foundation exam. Both myself and my wife have recently qualified and we both found the book invaluable. It takes you through the fundamentals without being patronising. The diagrams are easy to study and the content is definitely included within the exam. What I would say is buy the accompanying exam secrets book as well. I found the examples helpful in clearing up one or two ambiguities plus it also has examples for the intermediate and full licences as well.

If you are doing the foundation, this is essential! There are no two ways about it, buy and study this book and you have all you need to pass the exam. It's also good for future reference, it isn't full of waffle - just straight and to the point, 100% relevant to the foundation exam! Everything is covered, and it's very well written.Without this, you could fall into the trap of OVER-STUDYING - so as a course syllabus this is the definitive benchmark. This book will teach you the exact level of knowledge and terminology the exam is looking for.It supports the course very well, and is nice as a reference should you need to go back and remind yourself of anything.Example tests at the back are very useful and are basically a proper mock test. I think the only addition I would add is a highlighter pen! :)