I would like to thank my predecessors for their support and encouragement. I successfully passed Element 4 in the recent Shenzhen FCC exam, which allowed me to obtain my US callsign. Earlier this year, I also passed the RSGB D2F exam and obtained my UK callsign.
The question arises: why do we need to take these exams? Well, the primary motivation is actually to collect call signs.Showing offHey, there's really nothing to be embarrassed about.
After taking both of the most popular foreign operating license exams, it's rare to have such a direct comparison. I thought it would be useful to write a post summarizing my experience and comparing these two exams side-by-side.
Please note: This article primarily provides subjective, side-by-side comparisons across different aspects rather than a detailed introduction. Detailed explanations are already available on the forum, so I will not repeat them here.
Recommended reading:RSGB Exam Information（ @GM3HSO ），FCC Exam（ @BG5CYY ）
If I can be of assistance, that would be great.
Manage relationships
RSGB / Ofcom (United Kingdom)
The RSGB is responsible for administering the exams, while Ofcom is responsible for issuing the licenses.
FCC (United States)
The VE/VEC team is responsible for administering the exams, while FCC is responsible for issuing the licenses.
Official website
RSGB / Ofcom (United Kingdom)
RSGB (Directly Connected)
Ofcom (directly accessible)
FCC (United States)
FCC (may require global proxy)
Certificate Level (Low → High)
RSGB / Ofcom (United Kingdom)
Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced
FCC (United States)
Technician / General / Amateur Extra
Exam format
RSGB / Ofcom (United Kingdom)
Online access to specified materials is permitted.
You can only take one exam per session: Foundation, Intermediate, Full, or Direct to Full.
FCC (United States)
Online/offline, closed.
A single game can progress through multiple levels consecutively.
Number of cycles/frequency
RSGB / Ofcom (United Kingdom)
Appointments are typically available for multiple time slots each day.
FCC (United States)
Organized by different VECs and VE teams separately.
Exam fees
RSGB / Ofcom (United Kingdom)
Foundation: £35.50 / ¥319.5
Intermediate: £39.00 / ¥351.0
Full: £45.00 / ¥405.0
Direct to Complete（D2F）：£95.00 / ￥855.0
Reference exchange rate: 1 British pound = 9 Renminbi.
FCC (United States)
Student: $12 / ¥85
Non-students: $14 / ¥100
Different teams may have different pricing standards; here is a reference for BA1AJ team's fees.
Application fee
RSGB / Ofcom (United Kingdom)
Free.
FCC (United States)
$35.0。
Validity period of license
RSGB / Ofcom (United Kingdom)
Does not have a fixed expiration date, but requires at least annual login to the Ofcom system to confirm/update license information.
FCC (United States)
10 years; can be renewed before expiration.
Call sign range
RSGB / Ofcom (United Kingdom)
You can choose freely from the corresponding prefixes within different levels.
Foundation: M3, M6, M7
Intermediate: M8, M9, 2#0, 2#1
Full: M0, M1, M5, G0-G8
"# " represents RSL (Radio Service Location). It can vary depending on the operating location, but all are associated with the same radio station.
FCC (United States)
The call sign will be indicated.
An additional fee of $35.0 applies for obtaining a Vanity Call Sign.
Permissions
RSGB / Ofcom (United Kingdom)
The unit of power is EMF.
Foundation: Primarily for leisure activities, $25,000.
Intermediate: Primarily for recreational use, priced at $100,000.
Full: The main segment consumes 1000W, while the secondary segment consumes 400W, with some exceptions.
FCC (United States)
The power unit is in PEP units.
Technician: Partial HF authorization, 200W; VHF/UHF, 1500W.
General: More HF/VHF/UHF access, 1500W.
Amateur Extra: All amateur bands, 1500W.
CEPT mutual benefit
The specific conditions for mutual benefit and eligible countries should be determined based on the CEPT Recommendation and the implementation situation in the relevant country.
RSGB / Ofcom (United Kingdom)
Foundation / Intermediate: Generally not applicable.
Full: Eligible for/corresponding to HAREC accreditation.
FCC (United States)
Technician: This is usually not applicable.
General: Typically corresponds to CEPT Novice level qualification.
Amateur Extra: Equivalent to CEPT Full Class qualification / HAREC system qualification.
Japan application for license
JARL Application Instructions
RSGB / Ofcom (United Kingdom)
Foundation / Intermediate: Not applicable.
Full: Through the HAREC pathway, you can apply for the corresponding Level 1 qualification.
FCC (United States)
Technician: Requires Level 4 qualification.
General: Equivalent to Level 2 qualification.
Amateur Extra: Equivalent to Class 1 license.
Registration - Call Sign Application Process
RSGB / Ofcom (United Kingdom)
1. Fill out the candidate information and select a session on the RSGB website, then make payment.
2. Await contact from your monitor via email.
3. Online pre-exam discussion (via Zoom)
4. Examination.
5. The examiner sends an email to directly communicate about subsequent verification procedures.
6. Log in to Ofcom using the link provided by the examiner, select the call sign, and obtain the license on the spot.
FCC (United States)
1. Register an account with FCC CORES and obtain an FRN number.
2. Contact the examiner team to express your interest in scheduling an appointment.
3. Book a time slot on HamStudy and obtain the exam PIN code.
4. Examination: Pay the examination fee on the spot.
5. The exam invigilator team sends out CSCE (Certificate of Successful Completion) emails.
6. The FCC will send a payment notification and instructions for obtaining a license; please log in to the FCC website to make the payment.
7. The FCC sends an email with the assigned call sign, and you can log in to the FCC website to download the operating license and radio station license.
Practice materials
RSGB / Ofcom (United Kingdom)
In April of this year, the full-scale question bank was not widely released; starting in April, the Full-level question bank became publicly available.
The RSGB website provides the syllabus and practice exam for each level.
Complete exam question bank
FCC (United States)
You can complete browsing of the question bank and practice exams on HamStudy.
HamStudy
Review cost
RSGB / Ofcom (United Kingdom)
I reviewed Direct to Full approximately two weeks ago.
FCC (United States)
For Amateur Extra, I reviewed the material approximately once a month.
Although the T/G/AE exams cover similar areas, their question content has very little overlap. Therefore, preparation time will be longer than for the D2F exam.
Exam Language
All in English.
Is it possible to directly obtain the highest level?
RSGB / Ofcom (United Kingdom)
Yes.
Participate directly in the Direct to Full level exam and obtain a Direct to Full operating certificate.
FCC (United States)
Yes.
Successfully passing all three Technician / General / Amateur Extra exams within a single exam session, resulting in obtaining the Amateur Extra license.
Exam duration
RSGB / Ofcom (United Kingdom)
Foundation: 60 minutes.
Intermediate: 90 minutes.
Full: 120 minutes.
Direct to Full: 150 minutes.
FCC (United States)
There are no specific time limits; the VE/VEC team will determine them.
Number of questions and passing criteria
RSGB / Ofcom (United Kingdom)
Foundation: 26 multiple-choice questions, with a minimum of 19 correct answers (73%).
Intermediate: 46 multiple-choice questions, with a minimum of 28 correct answers (61%).
Full: 58 multiple-choice questions, with a minimum of 35 correct answers (60%).
The Direct to Full section consists of two parts, totaling 75 multiple-choice questions.
Part 1: Rules and Regulations, Question 18, achieving at least 14 correct answers (78%).
Part 2: The remaining sections, question 57, requires at least answering 36 questions correctly (63%).
FCC (United States)
Technician: 35 multiple-choice questions, with a minimum of 26 correct answers (74%).
General: 35 multiple-choice questions, with a minimum of 26 correct answers (74%).
Amateur Extra: 50 multiple-choice questions, with a minimum of 37 correct answers (74%).
Things to prepare
RSGB / Ofcom (United Kingdom)
Valid identification documents; blank paper and pen; printed copies of official RSGB reference materials.
FCC (United States)
Valid identification; student ID (if applicable).
The offline exams I participated in were conducted using small tablets. These tablets had built-in calculators, so we didn't need to use paper for calculations.
When comparing the two certifications, their respective advantages become apparent. My personal opinion:
Prioritize RSGBIf you:
- I want to choose my own call sign for free.
- I want to reduce my study stress.
- I want to quickly pass the exam and get my certificate.
Prioritize FCC compliance.If you:
- I want a stable and publicly available question bank.
- I want to achieve a greater overall operational power.
- The current budget for funds is limited.
However, ultimately, if both countries are in Zone 1/2, and you have the ability and desire to be a "Mr. International," then it's best to take all the exams.
Finally, there's the fun and engaging "just in case you're curious" segment:
It is important to note that the above is entirely based on my personal subjective experience, derived from my existing knowledge of radio communication. It does not represent the average situation for candidates with no prior experience. Furthermore, I had already acquired RSGB Full and domestic amateur radio operating experience when preparing for the FCC exam, so the two cannot be simply compared horizontally!
Have fun, 73!
P.S. I have my own handwritten notes for the RSGB D2F and FCC levels, which I made while studying. If you need them, please feel free to contact me!
(However, it's almost certain that there will be errors in each note, so please use them as a reference only and don't expect too much.)😟）
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