Amateur Radio Licence — Getting Started
What radio amateurs may do, licence classes E and A, relevant bands in Germany and the limits of passive monitoring — getting into the exam via DARC and BNetzA.
What may you do as a radio amateur?
The amateur radio licence (class E or A) permits transmitting on certain frequency bands under the German Amateur Radio Act (AFuG) and Amateur Radio Ordinance (AFuV). Regulator: the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA).
| Licence class | Call sign | Power | Bands | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Class E | DO + suffix | up to 100 W | A subset of the bands | No short wave below 30 MHz (except 10 m) |
| Class A | DL, DH, DF, DK... | up to 750 W | All amateur radio bands | Full access |
What radio amateurs may do
Transmit on all assigned bands · build and operate your own equipment · repeater operation · APRS · use amateur radio satellites · experiment with SDR · emergency radio
Receiving without a licence
Anyone may receive signals intended for the public (FM, ADS-B, AIS, NOAA). Non-public radio services including emergency-services and professional radio: prohibited under TKG §148.
Relevant bands in Germany
| Band | Frequency | Class | Power | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 160 m | 1.810 – 2.000 MHz | A | 750 W | Local traffic, night DX |
| 80 m | 3.500 – 3.800 MHz | A | 750 W | Regional traffic, contests |
| 40 m | 7.000 – 7.200 MHz | A | 750 W | Daytime DX Europe/world |
| 20 m | 14.000 – 14.350 MHz | A | 750 W | International DX, FT8 |
| 10m | 28.000 – 29.700 MHz | A+E | 750 W | DX, beginners, FM repeaters |
| 2 m | 144.000 – 146.000 MHz | A+E | 750 W | Local traffic, repeaters, satellites, APRS |
| 70 cm | 430.000 – 440.000 MHz | A+E | 750 W | Local traffic, ATV, repeaters, microwave |
| 23 cm | 1240 – 1300 MHz | A+E | 750 W | Microwave, ATV, satellites |
Getting started — amateur radio licence
1
Study material: DARC question catalogue (free), apps (call-sign app), online courses — about 4–8 weeks
2
Attend a course: DARC local-club courses, online courses from DARC or AfuP — recommended but not mandatory
3
Exam registration: BNetzA website, form + fee 80 EUR, register weeks in advance
4
Exam: Written multiple-choice test — theory only, no practical part (Morse code optional since 2003)
5
Call sign: Apply after passing the exam, annual licence fee 20 EUR
6
Get on the air! Transmit on the amateur bands with your own call sign
DARC (the German Amateur Radio Club) is the largest German amateur radio association. Many local clubs offer free courses. Website: darc.de — all exam questions are there too.
Receiving — the limit of passive monitoring
| Category | Examples | Receiving allowed? | Pass on content? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public broadcast | FM, DAB+ | YES | YES (private) |
| Aircraft data | ADS-B 1090 MHz | YES | YES (Flightradar etc.) |
| Ship data | AIS 161–162 MHz | YES | YES (OpenSeaMap) |
| NOAA weather satellites | 137 MHz | YES | YES |
| Aviation ATC voice | 118–137 MHz | YES, passive | NO |
| PMR446 | 446 MHz | YES, passive | NO |
| Emergency-services digital radio | TETRA 380–400 MHz | NO (TKG §148) | NO |
| Amateur Radio | various bands | YES | YES |
Useful links
| Resource | URL | Description |
|---|---|---|
| DARC | darc.de | German Amateur Radio Club, courses, exam questions |
| BNetzA | bundesnetzagentur.de | Call signs, exam registration |
| WebSDR | websdr.org | SDR receivers worldwide in the browser |
| Heavens Above | heavens-above.com | Satellite pass times (NOAA) |
| RTL-SDR Blog | rtl-sdr.com | Tutorials, hardware, guides |
| BDBOS | bdbos.bund.de | Info on the emergency-services digital radio network |