About the instructor

Aloha and welcome! My name is Stephen (Steve) Kawamae. I am the president of the Emergency Amateur Radio Club of Hawai`i with about 120 members (2023). I was first licensed in 2012 and obtained my Amateur Extra about 2 years later. I began conducting classes in 2015, holding between 4 and 6 classes per year, 35 classes end of 2023, 380 students, 226 licensees. 

Over the past 10 years, the passing rate of all those who attempted the exam is 90%. You only get out of the class what you put in. Classes are NOT required to take an exam. But if you are not familiar with radios, electronics and antenna systems, you may find it beneficial to come to a class with a live instructor who you can ask questions. What I offer are multi-media clues, tips and tricks to help you remember some or most of the questions. The tool we use in class, http://hameducation.org allows you to view the same questions and answers that you will be presented on your exam. Best part about the class is that it's Hawai`i time zone, GMT -10! 

Once upon a time, I used to do In-Person classes at a church in Mililani Mauka. Which meant the students would have to drive to Mililani from whichever part of the island you work or live, sit through the 2 hour class then drive home. Allowing for evening traffic, the classes ran from 7p to 9p, meaning you might not get home until 10p. I've had students from Waianae, Hauula and Hawaii Kai. Zoom Meetings might be the only good thing that came out of the Pandemic. Not only have I been able to outreach to our ohana on the neighboring islands and have had students from all the islands. With Zoom Meetings, I have even had students from Wisconsin, Tennessee, Missouri, Florida and California!