I'm considering getting a U.S. amateur radio operator license.
If you want to study to pass a license test, there are many resources to learn the answers to the entirety of the question pool: online practice exams and study aids, “ham cram” courses, etc. I came across one document (not quickly finding the link again) which basically takes the entire question pool and rephrases each question into a paragraph which briefly describes the broader topic and gives the question and answer as an example of that topic.
But I've looked through the question pool, and it seems obvious to me that the questions are not comprehensive; just like any test one might find in school, they are intended to sample your grasp of a larger body of knowledge. So, where's a copy of the syllabus for “U.S. Amateur Radio 101”?
What topics should the holder of a Technician, General, or Extra license have knowledge of? What would be the content of the question pool if test-takers had infinite patience, and could be tested on every fact rather than a sampling?
Or, addressing my actual plans: what topics should I ensure are contained in my study materials, given that
- I remember best when I have theory rather than only disconnected facts,
- and I've looked at what the question pool is testing and it seems worthwhile to me to also know the material that obviously could be in the pool, but happens not to be,
- but I also fully expect to learn just-in-time as I start projects, so material which is neither on the test nor “you need to know not to do this” is a lower priority.
If I just wanted to pass the test, then judging by some online practice tests, I could get all the way to Extra on my electrical knowledge, common sense, and a bit of luck, but that's not what I want to do!
(I could ask “What book/resource is appropriate for this learning style?” but that would be shopping. If you have such a suggestion, you could turn that into a description of what it covers and how that is relevant.)