Ben's collection of amateur radio study resources!
UPDATED: March 4th, 2025
Since the internet is a fairly vast place and most ham radio content is USA-focused; I've aggregated most of the popular study resources for my fellow aspiring Canadian amateurs! If you have any feedback or concerns, please shoot me an email! ben [{at}] lid.radio
Examinations:
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the Amateur Radio Service Center has allowed accredited examiners to offer online exams proctored via remote means. In-person exams are also available too.
The author of this list is also an accredited examiner, but you can find a list of accredited examiners here: ISED Accredited Examiner Search
Courses, Notes, & Slides:
Courses:
YLab Amateur Radio Class - Free, only offering the Basic course at the time. NOTE: Will not be updated to reflect the new changes to the Basic question bank come July 15th, 2025.
Hamshack - QSL Courses - Free, Basic & Advanced available.
Cold Lake Amateur Radio Society - Free, Basic & Advanced available.
Algoma Amateur Radio Club - Free, Advanced course only.
Slideshows & PDFs:
Halifax Amateur Radio Club - Free, Basic course only.
Annapolis Valley Amateur Radio Club - Free, Basic & Advanced available.
Notes & Misc. Resources:
Notes - U of Waterloo Amateur Radio Club - Basic Essentials PDF
PDF Textbook - Toronto Emergency Communication Group - "Basic Amateur Radio Course" - NOTE: It's slightly out of date but it's still an excellent resource!
Flashcards & Practice Exams:
HamStudy - Flashcards are offered in English and French - Also hosts practice exams
Supplemental Material
National Film Board of Canada & Canadian Air Force
Full Fat Textbooks (PAID)
Coax Publications - Basic and Advanced Study Guides
- Also available on RadioWorld.ca
NOTE: Try the free stuff first!
Live & In-person Courses:
Always check with your local amateur radio club to see if they're planning to run a course in the near future!
- Note: Local courses are usually spread out over 6 to 8 weeks. Your mileage may vary.
Radio Amateurs of Canada sponsors an online course that runs weekly. Upcoming courses are usually announced on their main website
Radio Amateurs of Canada also hosts a list of upcoming courses (assuming the clubs actually update the list) - You can find the link over HERE!
Online Communities:
Changelog:
- 2025-03-04 - Added Hamshack QSL Courses, added disclaimer on Ylab's course, fixed some grammar & punctuation.
This post is partially inspired by Vince, VE6LK's Getting your amateur radio license in Canada - I highly recommend checking it out!
73, Ben