Perhaps an overview of FCC amateur radio licensing in the U.S. is in order: The (entry level) Technician license gives ALL amateur privileges above 30 MHz - th

Perhaps an overview of FCC amateur radio licensing in the U.S. is in order: The (entry level) Technician license gives ALL amateur privileges above 30 MHz - that's the bottom of the VHF region and up. So that's all VHF, UHF, and microwave bands and modes (FM, sideband, AM, digital...) allocated to U.S. hams, at maximum power levels permitted to hams. Small allocations in a few HF bands below 30 MHz with limited power levels and modes are also included to offer Technician class licensees a taste of shortwave operations. The General license adds access to much (or all) of each HF (shortwave) amateur radio band (frequencies lower than 30 MHz), including all the modes permitted there, and full power. Having access to all the ham HF bands means you can choose the band that is working best for you at any given time. The Amateur Extra license adds access to the remaining parts of HF bands that are not fully allocated to General licensees. In other words, there's some "Extra only" sections of several popular HF bands. There's a handful of other minor privileges as well, not directly related to frequencies, power, or modes. The Technician license requirements must be completed before taking the General exam, just as General is required for Amateur Extra. However, all three tests may be taken at one exam session as long as each respective test gets a passing score (70% or better).