Getting ready to upgrade from Tech to General and trying to figure out the best study approach. I've seen folks recommend HamStudy.org for practice tests and ARRL Exam Review for chapter-by-chapter study. Others swear by the ARRL General Class License Manual which covers every question in the 2023 question pool.

What worked best for you when upgrading? Should I focus on understanding concepts or memorizing the question pool? Need to get 26 out of 35 questions correct (74%) and want to nail it on the first try.

Also curious about study time - I've read most people need 30-40 hours for General. Is that realistic coming from a solid Tech background?

I used both HamStudy.org and the ARRL manual when I upgraded last year. HamStudy is great for drilling the question pool and identifying weak areas, but the ARRL manual really helped me understand the why behind the answers. I'd recommend doing both - read a chapter in the manual, then hit HamStudy for that topic. Took me about 25 hours total study time.

Just passed General last month using only HamStudy.org and YouTube videos for the concepts I didn't understand. Free practice exams that are exactly like the real license exams helped me identify areas where I needed to focus my studies. Don't overthink it - if you're consistently scoring 85%+ on HamStudy practice tests, you're ready.

The key is understanding propagation and circuit analysis - those bite a lot of people. Make sure you really get skywave, sporadic-E, solar cycles, and skip zones rather than just memorizing. I mentor VE sessions and see too many people fail because they crammed formulas without understanding the physics. KB6NU's No-Nonsense guide is also excellent for bridging concept gaps.