Ham Technician
Exam Questions
What is the approximate velocity of a radio wave as it travels through free space?
300,000,000 meters per second
What is probably happening when an ohmmeter, connected across an unpowered circuit, initially indicates a low resistance and then shows increasing resistance with time?
The circuit contains a large capacitor
Which of the following VHF/UHF frequency ranges are limited to CW only?
50.0 MHz to 50.1 MHz and 144.0 MHz to 144.1 MHz
Which of the following is a form of amplitude modulation?
Single sideband
What instrument is used to measure resistance?
An ohmmeter
What should you do if another operator reports that your station's 2 meter signals were strong just a moment ago, but now they are weak or distorted?
Try moving a few feet or changing the direction of your antenna if possible, as reflections may be causing multi-path distortion
What electrical component opposes the flow of current in a DC circuit?
Resistor
What type of transmission is indicated by the term "NTSC?"
An analog fast scan color TV signal
What can you do if you are told your FM handheld or mobile transceiver is over-deviating?
Talk farther away from the microphone
Which of the following is an important safety precaution to observe when putting up an antenna tower?
Look for and stay clear of any overhead electrical wires.
Which of the following describes a simple dipole oriented parallel to the Earth's surface?
A horizontally polarized antenna
Which of the following is true of PL-259 type coax connectors?
They are commonly used at HF frequencies
What is meant by the term “check,” in reference to a formal traffic message?
The number of words or word equivalents in the text portion of the message
What do RACES and ARES have in common?
Both organizations may provide communications during emergencies
When should members of a tower work team wear a hard hat and safety glasses?
At all times when any work is being done on the tower
In which type of circuit is voltage the same across all components?
Parallel
Which of the following is combined with an inductor to make a tuned circuit?
Capacitor
What is the national calling frequency for FM simplex operations in the 2 meter band?
146.520 MHz
Which of the following is a digital communications mode?
IEEE 802.11 and JT65 and IEEE 802.11
What does the abbreviation "PSK" mean?
Phase Shift Keying
What is the primary purpose of a dummy load?
To prevent transmitting signals over the air when making tests
Which of the following is a safety hazard of a 12-volt storage battery?
Shorting the terminals can cause burns, fire, or an explosion
What is the approximate bandwidth of a single sideband (SSB) voice signal?
3 kHz
What brief statement indicates that you are listening on a repeater and looking for a contact?
Your call sign
What is considered to be a proper grounding method for a tower?
Separate eight-foot long ground rods for each tower leg, bonded to the tower and each other
Which of the following actions should you take if a neighbor tells you that your station's transmissions are interfering with their radio or TV reception?
Make sure that your station is functioning properly and that it does not cause interference to your own radio or television when it is tuned to the same channel
What operating activity involves contacting as many stations as possible during a specified period?
Contesting
What are the frequency limits of the UHF spectrum?
300 to 3000 MHz
What is the grace period following the expiration of an amateur license within which the license may be renewed?
2 years
When do the FCC rules NOT apply to the operation of an amateur station?
Never, FCC rules always apply
What may happen if a transmitter is operated with the microphone gain set too high?
The output signal might become distorted
What type of antennas are the quad, Yagi, and dish?
Directional antennas
How does the wavelength of a radio wave relate to its frequency?
The wavelength gets shorter as the frequency increases
What type of amateur station simultaneously retransmits the signal of another amateur station on a different channel or channels?
Repeater station
What happens to power lost in a feed line?
It is converted into heat
What is the function of the SSB/CW-FM switch on a VHF power amplifier?
Set the amplifier for proper operation in the selected mode
Which of the following is used to convert a radio signal from one frequency to another?
Mixer
Which of the following propagation types is most commonly associated with occasional strong over-the-horizon signals on the 10, 6, and 2 meter bands?
Sporadic E
Who does the FCC presume to be the control operator of an amateur station, unless documentation to the contrary is in the station records?
The station licensee
Which of the following is good procedure when contacting another station in a radio contest?
Send only the minimum information needed for proper identification and the contest exchange
From which of the following locations may an FCC-licensed amateur station transmit?
From any vessel or craft located in international waters and documented or registered in the United States
Which Q signal indicates that you are receiving interference from other stations?
QRM
Which sideband is normally used for 10 meter HF, VHF, and UHF single-sideband communications?
Upper sideband
What causes tropospheric ducting?
Temperature inversions in the atmosphere
Which of the following is a characteristic of good traffic handling?
Passing messages exactly as received
What type of circuit controls the amount of voltage from a power supply?
Regulator
What is the purpose of a gin pole?
To lift tower sections or antennas
How much power is being used in a circuit when the applied voltage is 13.8 volts DC and the current is 10 amperes?
13.8 x 10 = 138 watts
What does a dummy load consist of?
A non-inductive resistor and a heat sink
What type of wave carries radio signals between transmitting and receiving stations?
Electromagnetic
Which of the following is true when installing grounding conductors used for lightning protection?
Sharp bends must be avoided
Which of the following effects might cause radio signals to be heard despite obstructions between the transmitting and receiving stations?
Knife-edge diffraction
What code is used when sending CW in the amateur bands?
International Morse
What is an amateur station control point?
The location at which the control operator function is performed
How would you change a dipole antenna to make it resonant on a higher frequency?
Shorten it
What is the correct way to connect a voltmeter to a circuit?
In parallel with the circuit
Why is coaxial cable the most common feed line selected for amateur radio antenna systems?
It is easy to use and requires few special installation considerations
What type of electrical component stores energy in a magnetic field?
Inductor
Which amateur band are you using when your station is transmitting on 146.52 MHz?
2 meter band
Which of these items would be useful for a hidden transmitter hunt?
A directional antenna
What types of international communications is an FCC-licensed amateur radio station permitted to make?
Communications incidental to the purposes of the Amateur Radio Service and remarks of a personal character
What is the limitation for emissions on the frequencies between 219 and 220 MHz?
Fixed digital message forwarding systems only
What is an amateur station control point?
The location at which the control operator function is performed
Which of the following conductors provides the lowest impedance to RF signals?
Flat strap
What is an advantage of single sideband (SSB) over FM for voice transmissions?
SSB signals have narrower bandwidth
Which of the following is an important safety rule to remember when using a crank-up tower?
This type of tower must not be climbed unless retracted or mechanical safety locking devices have been installed
Who selects a Frequency Coordinator?
Amateur operators in a local or regional area whose stations are eligible to be repeater or auxiliary stations
Which of the following can cause radio frequency interference?
Spurious emissions, Fundamental overload, and Harmonics.
Which of the following describes the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES)?
All: An emergency service using amateur operators certified by a civil defense organization as being enrolled in that organization. A radio service using amateur frequencies for emergency management or civil defense communications. A radio service using amateur stations for emergency management or civil defense communications
Which type of modulation is most commonly used for VHF and UHF voice repeaters?
FM
Which of the following is an accepted practice to get the immediate attention of a net control station when reporting an emergency?
Begin your transmission by saying "Priority" or "Emergency" followed by your call sign
Under which of the following circumstances may an amateur radio station make one-way transmissions?
When transmitting code practice, information bulletins, or transmissions necessary to provide emergency communications
What is the approximate length, in inches, of a quarter-wavelength vertical antenna for 146 MHz?
19
What is the purpose of the squelch control on a transceiver?
To mute receiver output noise when no signal is being received
When may amateur radio operators use their stations to notify other amateurs of the availability of equipment for sale or trade?
When the equipment is normally used in an amateur station and such activity is not conducted on a regular basis
What is a transceiver?
A unit combining the functions of a transmitter and a receive
What does the term “APRS” mean?
Automatic Packet Reporting System
Which computer sound card port is connected to a transceiver's headphone or speaker output for operating digital modes?
Microphone or line input
What could happen if a person accidentally touched your antenna while you were transmitting?
They might receive a painful RF burn
Which of the following is a purpose of the Amateur Radio Service as stated in the FCC rules and regulations?
Advancing skills in the technical and communication phases of the radio art
Which of the following frequencies has the lowest value for Maximum Permissible Exposure limit?
50 MHz
What mode is responsible for allowing over-the-horizon VHF and UHF communications to ranges of approximately 300 miles on a regular basis?
Tropospheric ducting
How many microfarads are equal to 1,000,000 picofarads?
1 microfarad
What would cause a broadcast AM or FM radio to receive an amateur radio transmission unintentionally?
The receiver is unable to reject strong signals outside the AM or FM band
What is the most common use of the “reverse split” function of a VHF/UHF transceiver?
Listen on a repeater's input frequency
Which of the following could be the reason you are unable to access a repeater whose output you can hear?
All; Improper transceiver offset. The repeater may require a proper CTCSS tone from your transceiver. The repeater may require a proper DCS tone from your transceiver.
What mode of transmission is commonly used by amateur radio satellites?
All; SSB, FM,CW/data
Which of the following is a good way to judge whether your uplink power is neither too low nor too high?
Your signal strength on the downlink should be about the same as the beacon
Which of the following is a likely cause of irregular fading of signals received by ionospheric reflection?
Random combining of signals arriving via different paths
How is a simple ammeter connected to a circuit?
In series with the circuit
How much voltage does a mobile transceiver typically require?
About 12 volts
How might fog and light rain affect radio range on 10 meter and 6 meter bands?
Fog and light rain will have little effect on these bands
If a frequency display shows a reading of 2425 MHz, what frequency is that in GHz?
2.425 GHz
Under which of the following circumstances are amateur stations authorized to transmit signals related to broadcasting, program production, or news gathering, assuming no other means is available?
Only where such communications directly relate to the immediate safety of human life or protection of property
What is the voltage across a 10-ohm resistor if a current of 1 ampere flows through it?
10 volts
What is meant by the statement that a satellite is operating in mode U/V?
The satellite uplink is in the 70 centimeter band and the downlink is in the 2 meter band
Under what conditions is an amateur station authorized to transmit music using a phone emission?
When incidental to an authorized retransmission of manned spacecraft communications
Which of the following is an example of remote control as defined in Part 97?
Operating the station over the internet
What should be done when using voice modes to ensure that voice messages containing unusual words are received correctly?
Spell the words using a standard phonetic alphabet
What is the source of a high-pitched whine that varies with engine speed in a mobile transceiver's receive audio?
The alternator
Which instrument would you use to measure electric potential or electromotive force?
A voltmeter
Which of the following could you use to cure distorted audio caused by RF current on the shield of a microphone cable?
Ferrite choke
Who must designate the station control operator?
The station licensee
What electrical component is used to protect other circuit components from current overloads?
Fuse
Why should you not set your transmit frequency to be exactly at the edge of an amateur band or sub-band?
To allow for transmitter frequency drift. To allow for calibration error in the transmitter frequency display. So that modulation sidebands do not extend beyond the band edge
Which of the following is the most common cause for failure of coaxial cables?
Moisture contamination
What should be done to all external ground rods or earth connections?
Bond them together with heavy wire or conductive strap
Which term describes the rate at which electrical energy is used?
Power
Who may be the control operator of a station communicating through an amateur satellite or space station?
Any amateur whose license privileges allow them to transmit on the satellite uplink frequency
What is the basic unit of inductance?
The henry
What are the FCC rules regarding the use of a phonetic alphabet for station identification in the Amateur Radio Service?
It is encouraged
What is the meaning of the term “broadcasting” in the FCC rules for the Amateur Radio Service?
Transmissions intended for reception by the general public
Why should wiring between the power source and radio be heavy-gauge wire and kept as short as possible?
To avoid voltage falling below that needed for proper operation
Who may receive telemetry from a space station?
Anyone who can receive the telemetry signal
What causes spin fading of satellite signals?
Rotation of the satellite and its antennas
Who may be the control operator of a station communicating through an amateur satellite or space station?
Anyone who is allowed to transmit on the uplink frequency
In which type of circuit is current the same through all components?
Series
What is generally the best time for long-distance 10 meter band propagation via the F layer?
From dawn to shortly after sunset during periods of high sunspot activity
In general, what happens as the frequency of a signal passing through coaxial cable is increased?
The loss increases
What is the voltage across each of two components in series with a voltage source?
It is determined by the type and value of the components
What telemetry information is typically transmitted by satellite beacons?
Health and status of the satellite
What is the characteristic appearance of a cold solder joint?
A grainy or dull surface
What term describes the use of a sub-audible tone transmitted along with normal voice audio to open the squelch of a receiver?
CTCSS
Which of the following could be the primary gain-producing component in an RF power amplifier?
Transistor
What is the resistance in a circuit for which the applied voltage is 12 volts and the current flow is 1.5 amperes?
8 ohms
How can overload of a non-amateur radio or TV receiver by an amateur signal be reduced or eliminated?
Block the amateur signal with a filter at the antenna input of the affected receiver
What frequency range is referred to as HF?
3 to 30 MHz
Which of the following is a resonant or tuned circuit?
An inductor and a capacitor connected in series or parallel to form a filter
Which of the following is an acceptable method to determine that your station complies with FCC RF exposure regulations?
By calculation based on computer modeling. By calculation based on FCC OET Bulletin 65. By measurement of field strength using calibrated equipment
What is the FCC Part 97 definition of a "beacon"?
An amateur station transmitting communications for the purposes of observing propagation or related experimental activities
What is the amount of change, measured in decibels (dB), of a power increase from 20 watts to 200 watts?
10 dB
What is the approximate amount of change, measured in decibels (dB), of a power increase from 5 watts to 10 watts?
3 dB
Which of the following is good practice when installing ground wires on a tower for lightning protection?
Ensure that connections are short and direct
Which of the following best describes Broadband-Hamnet(TM), also referred to as a high-speed multi-media network?
An amateur-radio-based data network using commercial Wi-Fi gear with modified firmware
How is the cathode lead of a semiconductor diode often marked on the package?
With a stripe
What instrument other than an SWR meter could you use to determine if a feed line and antenna are properly matched?
Directional wattmeter
With which countries are FCC-licensed amateur radio stations prohibited from exchanging communications?
Any country whose administration has notified the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) that it objects to such communications
What is the minimum safe distance from a power line to allow when installing an antenna?
Enough so that if the antenna falls unexpectedly, no part of it can come closer than 10 feet to the power wires
What may occur if data signals arrive via multiple paths?
Error rates are likely to increase
Which of the following might damage a multimeter?
Attempting to measure voltage when using the resistance setting
Which of the following controls could be used if the voice pitch of a single-sideband signal seems too high or low?
The receiver RIT or clarifier
What is the resistance of a circuit that draws 4 amperes from a 12-volt source?
3 ohms
What is the name of an electrical wiring diagram that uses standard component symbols?
Schematic
What does an SWR reading of 4:1 indicate?
Impedance mismatch
Which of the following actions might amateur operators take to prevent exposure to RF radiation in excess of FCC-supplied limits?
Relocate antennas
In which of the following circumstances may the control operator of an amateur station receive compensation for operating that station?
When the communication is incidental to classroom instruction at an educational institution
What is FT8?
A digital mode capable of operating in low signal-to-noise conditions that transmits on 15-second intervals
When may an amateur station transmit without on-the-air identification?
When transmitting signals to control model craft
Electrical current is measured in which of the following units?
Amperes
What is meant by the term "NCS" used in net operation?
Net Control Station
Under what circumstances is it safe to climb a tower without a helper or observer?
Never
Which of the following is a valid call sign for a Technician class amateur radio station?
K1XXX
What must be considered to determine the minimum current capacity needed for a transceiver's power supply?
Power supply regulation and heat dissipation. Receiver and control circuit power. Efficiency of the transmitter at full power output
Which of the following connections might be used between a voice transceiver and a computer for digital operation?
Receive audio, transmit audio, and push-to-talk (PTT)
Which of the following is an application of APRS (Automatic Packet Reporting System)?
Providing real-time tactical digital communications in conjunction with a map showing the locations of stations
Which of the following methods is used to locate sources of noise interference or jamming?
Radio direction finding
Which of the following precautions should be taken when measuring high voltages with a voltmeter?
Ensure that the voltmeter and leads are rated for use at the voltages to be measured
Which of the following types of solder is best for radio and electronic use?
Rosin-core solder
Which of the following is an appropriate receive filter bandwidth for minimizing noise and interference for SSB reception?
2400 Hz
What can cause erratic changes in SWR readings?
A loose connection in an antenna or a feed line
When must the station licensee make the station and its records available for FCC inspection?
At any time upon request by an FCC representative
What property of radio waves is often used to identify the different frequency bands?
The approximate wavelength
What device converts the RF input and output of a transceiver to another band?
Transverter
What is the name for the flow of electrons in an electric circuit?
Current
What is the advantage of having multiple receive bandwidth choices on a multimode transceiver?
Permits noise or interference reduction by selecting a bandwidth matching the mode
Which of the following are provided by satellite tracking programs?
The apparent frequency of the satellite transmission, including effects of Doppler shift. The time, azimuth, and elevation of the start, maximum altitude, and end of a pass. Maps showing the real-time position of the satellite track over the earth
What is the maximum power level that an amateur radio station may use at VHF frequencies before an RF exposure evaluation is required?
50 watts PEP at the antenna
If the averaging time for exposure is 6 minutes, how much power density is permitted if the signal is present for 3 minutes and absent for 3 minutes rather than being present for the entire 6 minutes?
2 times as much
If an ammeter calibrated in amperes is used to measure a 3000-milliampere current, what reading would it show?
3 amperes
What is proof of possession of an FCC-issued operator/primary license grant?
The control operator's operator/primary station license must appear in the FCC ULS consolidated licensee database
What component is commonly used to change 120V AC house current to a lower AC voltage for other uses?
Transformer
What is the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES)?
Licensed amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment for communications duty in the public service
What formula is used to calculate current in a circuit?
Current (I) equals voltage (E) divided by resistance (R)
What type of tones are used to control repeaters linked by the Internet Relay Linking Project (IRLP) protocol?
DTMF
What device increases the low-power output from a handheld transceiver?
An RF power amplifier
With regard to satellite communications, what is Doppler shift?
An observed change in signal frequency caused by relative motion between the satellite and the earth station
What weather condition would decrease range at microwave frequencies?
Precipitation
Which of the following could be used to remove power line noise or ignition noise?
Noise blanker
What types of amateur stations can automatically retransmit the signals of other amateur stations?
Repeater, auxiliary, or space stations
What is the approximate maximum bandwidth required to transmit a CW signal?
150 Hz
Which of the following is a common repeater frequency offset in the 2 meter band?
Plus or minus 600 kHz
How is a computer's sound card used when conducting digital communications?
The sound card provides audio to the radio's microphone input and converts received audio to digital form
What information is contained in the preamble of a formal traffic message?
The information needed to track the message
When using a directional antenna, how might your station be able to access a distant repeater if buildings or obstructions are blocking the direct line of sight path?
Try to find a path that reflects signals to the repeater
What antenna polarization is normally used for long-distance weak-signal CW and SSB contacts using the VHF and UHF bands?
Horizontal
What is meant by the term "Third Party Communications"?
A message from a control operator to another amateur station control operator on behalf of another person
What happens to current at the junction of two components in series?
It is unchanged
Which of the following devices is used to provide data to the transmitter when sending automatic position reports from a mobile amateur radio station?
A Global Positioning System receiver
Which of the following establishes grounding requirements for an amateur radio tower or antenna?
Local electrical codes
How might you obtain a list of active nodes that use VoIP?
From a repeater directory. From on line repeater lists maintained by the local repeater frequency coordinator. By subscribing to an on line service
When using tactical identifiers such as “Race Headquarters” during a community service net operation, how often must your station transmit the station's FCC-assigned call sign?
At the end of each communication and every ten minutes during a communication
Which of the following is a use for the scanning function of an FM transceiver?
To scan through a range of frequencies to check for activity
Which of the following battery types is rechargeable?
Lithium-ion, Nickel-metal hydride, Lead-acid gel-cel
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