Toolbox
The ham radio toolbox
The free tools hams actually use, sorted by what you're trying to do. We're not affiliated with any of them.
Study for your license or upgrade
Practice exams from the official question pools, and where to find an exam session near you.
HamStudy.org (opens in a new tab)Top pick
Flashcards and practice exams for all three license classes, with explanations for each answer.
ARRL Exam Review (opens in a new tab)
Practice exams from the current question pools, chapter by chapter.
Ham Radio Crash Course (opens in a new tab)
Friendly video lessons that walk through the exam material and first steps on the air.
Find an exam session (HamStudy) (opens in a new tab)
Searches in-person and online exam sessions by location and date.
On CQDeck: How to get your license, step by step
Look up a call sign or license
Check who you just talked to, or look up your own license class and expiration date.
QRZ.com (opens in a new tab)Top pick
The best-known call sign lookup, with operator profiles, plus forums and a logbook.
FCC license search (ULS) (opens in a new tab)
The official FCC record for any US license, and where you download your license.
A free call sign lookup that works worldwide, handy when QRZ is busy.
On CQDeck: Check your license in the refresher
Program your radio
Load a list of local repeaters into your radio from a computer instead of button by button.
CHIRP (opens in a new tab)Top pick
Programs hundreds of handhelds and mobiles, including Baofeng and Quansheng, from a computer.
RT Systems (opens in a new tab)
Polished programming software made for specific radio models, with support.
On CQDeck: Radio setup guides
Find repeaters and nets
See which repeaters cover your area and when local nets meet. Listings can go stale, so listen before you rely on one.
RepeaterBook (opens in a new tab)Top pick
A searchable directory of repeaters, with apps that find the ones near you.
NetFinder (opens in a new tab)
A directory of scheduled nets you can search by time, band and place.
ARRL club finder (opens in a new tab)
Finds radio clubs near you. Clubs know which repeaters and nets are active.
On CQDeck: How nets work
Band conditions
Whether HF bands are open right now, and where your signal is actually being heard.
PSKReporter (opens in a new tab)Top pick
A live map of who is hearing whom, including your own signal when you run a digital mode like FT8.
NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center (opens in a new tab)
The source of the solar flux and K index numbers, with forecasts and alerts.
HamQSL solar data (opens in a new tab)
A simple good, fair or poor summary for each HF band, often seen on club websites.
On CQDeck: Bands for your license on Today
Satellites
Predict when a satellite passes over you, and check which ones are working.
AMSAT satellite status (opens in a new tab)Top pick
Recent reports of which amateur satellites are working, from operators who just used them.
Live tracking and pass predictions for thousands of satellites, including the ISS.
A phone app that predicts passes offline and points you to the satellite.
Desktop tracking that can steer an antenna rotator and correct for Doppler shift.
On CQDeck: Satellite passes on Today
Parks and summits
Hunt stations operating from parks and mountaintops, or go activate one yourself.
Parks on the Air (opens in a new tab)Top pick
Live spots of park activators, park maps, and your hunting and activating stats.
Ham2K Portable Logger (PoLo) (opens in a new tab)
A phone logger made for park and summit activations, with spotting built in.
A map of Summits on the Air peaks with live spots and activation history.
On CQDeck: Parks you can work on Today
Digital modes
Connect your radio to a computer to make contacts in weak conditions, or send email by radio.
WSJT-X (opens in a new tab)Top pick
The software behind FT8 and FT4, the most-used digital modes on HF.
Email over radio, widely used for emergency communications.
One program for many keyboard modes, like PSK31 and RTTY, plus tools used by emergency groups.
Learn and hear Morse code
Morse code (CW) gets through when voice can't, and Technicians can use it on parts of HF. Learn it by sound, then practice copying real signals.
LCWO (opens in a new tab)Top pick
Lessons that teach the code by sound, a few characters at a time, with copying practice as you go.
CW Academy (CWops) (opens in a new tab)
Two-month classes with volunteer advisors, for beginners and rusty operators, three times a year.
Morse Code World (opens in a new tab)
Browser tools to hear, generate and decode Morse at any speed.
W1AW code practice (opens in a new tab)
The ARRL's practice sessions as MP3 files from 5 to 40 words per minute, with the text to check your copy.
On CQDeck: Learn Morse code · Morse decoder (beta)
Logging and confirming contacts
Keep a record of your contacts and confirm them for awards. A paper notebook works fine to start.
QRZ Logbook (opens in a new tab)Top pick
An online logbook that confirms contacts automatically when the other station logs them too.
Logbook of the World (LoTW) (opens in a new tab)
ARRL's contact confirmation system, the one that counts for most awards. Setup takes some patience.
Log statistics and awards tracking, popular with operators chasing faraway contacts.
Listen online
Hear the bands through someone else's receiver, no radio needed. Great for checking whether you're getting out.
WebSDR (opens in a new tab)Top pick
A list of receivers around the world you can tune from your browser.
Receiverbook (opens in a new tab)
A map of hundreds of online receivers, including KiwiSDR and OpenWebRX sites.
On CQDeck: Am I getting out?
Spots and alerts
Get told when someone you want to work is on the air.
HamAlert (opens in a new tab)Top pick
Sends a phone notification when a station, park or summit you care about is spotted.
A live feed of DX cluster spots, the stations being heard around the world, filterable by band and mode.
Help out
Put your license to work for your community.
ARES (opens in a new tab)Top pick
The Amateur Radio Emergency Service trains hams to support local emergency communications.
Free National Weather Service training to report severe weather, often by radio.
Missing a favorite? Tell us at hello@cqdeck.com.