Ham Radio Prep Course Questions Flashcards
When are you allowed to operate your amateur station in a foreign country?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. When the foreign country authorizes it
B. When there is a mutual agreement allowing third-party communications
C. When authorization permits amateur communications in a foreign language
D. When you are communicating with non-licensed individuals in another country
When the foreign country authorizes it
You are allowed to operate your amateur radio equipment in foreign countries only when the country permits such operations. Each country has its own procedure and protocols when allowing U.S. amateur operators to operate their station from a foreign country. Some only require applying for a reciprocal license, while others may require a test. The countries of Yemen and North Korea currently do not allow amateur radio operations by their citizens. Some countries have serious penalties for illegal radio operations. Please do your homework and have the proper documentation before taking your amateur radio equipment into a foreign country.
Who may be the control operator of a station communicating through an amateur satellite or space station?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. Only an Amateur Extra Class operator
B. A General class or higher licensee who has a satellite operator certification
C. Only an Amateur Extra Class operator who is also an AMSAT member
D. Any amateur whose license privileges allow them to transmit on the satellite uplink frequency
Any amateur whose license privileges allow them to transmit on the satellite uplink frequency
FCC Part 97.207 (a) states that any amateur radio station may be a space station. Also, a holder of any class of amateur license may be the control operator of a space station, subject to the privileges of the class of operator held by the control operator. So providing you have the privileges to transmit on the satellite’s uplink frequency, you are eligible to be a control operator.
What is meant by the term Third Party Communications?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. A message from a control operator to another amateur station control operator on behalf of another person
B. Amateur radio communications where three stations are in communications with one another
C. Operation when the transmitting equipment is licensed to a person other than the control operator
D. Temporary authorization for an unlicensed person to transmit on the amateur bands for technical experiments
A message from a control operator to another amateur station control operator on behalf of another person
FCC Part 97.3 (a) (47) defines third-party communications as a message from an amateur radio control operator (first-party) of an amateur radio station to another amateur station control operator (second party) on behalf of another person (third party). This occurs every day, a good example is you have a non-licensed friend come over to your house. He sees your QSL cards from Spain and mentions that he is from Spain. You turn on your radio and contact a station from Spain. You give the microphone to your friend so he can talk to someone from his home country. Before you do this, you need to verify the United States has a third-party agreement with Spain. In this example, the United States DOES NOT have third-party agreements with Spain and you would be breaking U.S. federal law as well as laws in Spain.
Which frequency is within the 6 meter amateur band?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. 49.00 MHz
B. 52.525 MHz
C. 28.50 MHz
D. 222.15 MHz
52.525 MHz
In the United States, the amateur radio band for 6 meters covers from 50 to 54 MHz. Learning the frequencies and bands will become come with time after operating on the bands for a little while. A good rule of thumb is to take 300,000,000 meters per second and divide by the frequency in MHz, yielding the wavelength. For example 300,000,000 divided by 50,000,000 Hz (50 MHz) = 6 meters, therefore 50 MHz is equal to the wavelength of 6 meters.
When, under normal circumstances, may a Technician class licensee be the control operator of a station operating in an exclusive Amateur Extra class operator segment of the amateur bands? Choose only ONE best answer.
A. At no time
B. When operating a special event station
C. As part of a multi-operator contest team
D. When using a club station whose trustee is an Amateur Extra class operator licensee
At no time
The purpose of the control operator is to ensure the amateur radio station is operated within the FCC’s rules. The control operator is responsible for the proper operation of the amateur station within their operating privileges. At no time may a Technician class license holder allow operations outside of their operating privileges.
What are the FCC rules regarding the use of a phonetic alphabet for station identification in the Amateur Radio Service?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. It is required when transmitting emergency messages
B. It is prohibited
C. It is required when in contact with foreign stations
D. It is encouraged
It is encouraged
Using a phonetic alphabet such as the NATO phonetic alphabet is strongly encouraged by the FCC, but not required. Using a phonetic alphabet ensures the other amateur radio stations properly record your call sign and other important information in your transmissions. Using the phonetic alphabet during poor or difficult radio conditions on voice communications confirms the other amateur radio operator has recorded the correct information.
Which of the following VHF/UHF frequency ranges are limited to CW only?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. 50.0 MHz to 50.1 MHz and 144.0 MHz to 144.1 MHz
B. 219 MHz to 220 MHz and 420.0 MHz to 420.1 MHz
C. 902.0 MHz to 902.1 MHZ
D. All of these choices are correct
50.0 MHz to 50.1 MHz and 144.0 MHz to 144.1 MHz
Nearly all amateur radio band plans have areas reserved for only CW and digital emissions. After referring to one of the many band plan charts, you will slowly learn the subband allocations by heart. Many radio manufacturers provide complimentary band plan charts at hamfests (ham radio flea markets) or by mail. The ARRL has several different designs available for downloading and printing, too.
Which of the following is an example of remote control as defined in Part 97?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. Repeater operation
B. Operating the station over the internet
C. Controlling a model aircraft, boat, or car by amateur radio
D. All of these choices are correct
Operating the station over the internet
The FCC defines the control point where the control operator performs his functions. Remote operation does not mean that the control operator is away from their control point. The control operator must be at the control point at all times and the control operator indirectly controls the remote station.
Who must designate the station control operator?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. The station licensee
B. The FCC
C. The frequency coordinator
D. The ITU
The station licensee
The amateur radio station license holder is who owns a station. Because it is their station, they can designate the control operator.
What types of international communications is an FCC-licensed amateur radio station permitted to make?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. Communications incidental to the purposes of the Amateur Radio Service and remarks of a personal character
B. Communications incidental to conducting business or remarks of a personal nature
C. Only communications incidental to contest exchanges, all other communications are prohibited
D. Any communications that would be permitted by an international broadcast station
Communications incidental to the purposes of the Amateur Radio Service and remarks of a personal character
The FCC allows international radio communications, providing there is no business that is conducted. The FCC prohibits amateurs from conducting business transactions over ham frequencies. The federal laws in some countries carry a much stiffer penalty than the corresponding federal law in the United States.
What type of tones are used to control repeaters linked by the Internet Relay Linking Project (IRLP) protocol?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. DTMF
B. CTCSS
C. EchoLink
D. Sub-audible
DTMF
When accessing IRLP (Internet Relay Linking Project) repeaters, the different links are activated and deactivated by using DTMF tones. The IRLP controller decodes these tones to perform the desired functions. DTMF (dual-tone multi-frequency) tones are used for several control situations when operating. Yes, these are the same tones used on Touch-Tone telephones. Other tones such as CTCSS, or subaudible tones, are a fixed single tone and can’t be easily used for control functions.
What term describes the use of a sub-audible tone transmitted along with normal voice audio to open the squelch of a receiver?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. Carrier squelch
B. Tone burst
C. DTMF
D. CTCSS
CTCSS
Many times, to help eliminate interference from other stations or repeaters on the same frequency as your local repeater, a technique called subaudible tones will be used. This means that the repeater’s squelch will be opened only by a transmitter that transmits the proper subaudible tone. This technique was developed and implemented by Motorola under the name “Private Line” or PL. Many modern radios and programming software refer to this subaudible tone as CTCSS, or Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System. The FCC is looking for the term CTCSS when referring to PL tones and codes. There also are digital codes that aren’t subaudible but work in the same way and are known as Digital Code Squelch, or DCS. The Motorola term for DCS is “Digital Private Line,” or DPL.
What term describes an amateur station that is transmitting and receiving on the same frequency?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. Full duplex
B. Diplex
C. Simplex
D. Multiplex
Simplex
Simplex operation defines an amateur station that is transmitting and receiving on the same frequency. Sometimes you will hear hams asking you to go to the repeater’s transmit frequency on simplex. An example would be: “WB1XXX, this is WB2XXX. Joe, please go to 146.94 simplex.” The national calling frequency, 146.52 MHz, is used on a simplex basis.
Which Q signal indicates that you are receiving interference from other stations?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. QRM
B. QRN
C. QTH
D. QSB
QRM
When first getting started in amateur radio, you quickly will find out many operators use a lot of different abbreviations in their conversations. Nearly all of these originated from CW operations, where it was important to keep your transmissions as short as possible by using common abbreviations. The Q signals are one example of these abbreviations; you will learn them after operating on the air for a short while, especially using CW. QRM refers to man-made interference from other amateur stations. QRN refers to interference due to static.
If a station is not strong enough to keep a repeater’s receiver squelch open, which of the following might allow you to receive the station’s signal?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. Open the squelch on your radio
B. Listen on the repeater input frequency
C. Listen on the repeater output frequency
D. Increase your transmit power
Listen on the repeater input frequency
Usually, if another amateur station is unable to constantly keep the repeater’s receive squelch open, you can quickly monitor the repeater’s input frequency. This means you are receiving on the same frequency that the other amateur station is transmitting on. In many cases, you will be able to receive the other station. Most amateur FM transceivers have a button for “reverse split” that allows you to easily monitor the repeater’s input frequency.
What should be done when using voice modes to ensure that voice messages containing unusual words are received correctly?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. Send the words by voice and Morse code
B. Speak very loudly into the microphone
C. Spell the words using a standard phonetic alphabet
D. All of these choices are correct
Spell the words using a standard phonetic alphabet
The propagation between two amateur stations is not always perfect and sometimes atmospheric conditions make communications difficult. When using voice modes, you are encouraged to use a phonetic alphabet to spell strange or unusual words, names, locations, etc., to ensure the voice message is received correctly.
What is meant by the term “NCS” used in net operation?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. Nominal Control System
B. Net Control Station
C. National Communications Standard
D. Normal Communications Syntax
Net Control Station
Many times to efficiently utilize our amateur frequencies, nets will be established. A net is where multiple operators gather on one frequency. In a directed net, everyone will identify their station and state their business. The “NCS,” or Net Control Station, will recognize that station and try their best to take care of the station’s business. There are hundreds of different on-the-air nets in the world. The ARRL maintains an extensive list of nets worldwide.
What is the meaning of the procedural signal “CQ”?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. Call on the quarter hour
B. A new antenna is being tested (no station should answer)
C. Only the called station should transmit
D. Calling any station
Calling any station
This is the process where you make a general call to any other amateur station. A good rule of thumb is to call CQ three times and then give your call sign three times. If you are using phone, it is always a good idea to use a widely recognized phonetic alphabet when giving your call sign. An example would be: “CQ CQ CQ. This is WB1XXX, Whiskey Bravo One X-ray X-ray X-ray, Whiskey Bravo One X-ray X-ray X-ray.”
Which of the following is a characteristic of good traffic handling?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. Passing messages exactly as received
B. Making decisions as to whether messages are worthy of relay or delivery
C. Ensuring that any newsworthy messages are relayed to the news media
D. All of these choices are correct
Passing messages exactly as received
The National Traffic System takes great pride in the fact the messages that travel through their system are received exactly as they were sent. Many of the prosigns used today came from the formal traffic and message handling procedures. Each message has a “check” that is used to validate the number of words or groups in a formal message. The characteristic of good traffic handling is passing the messages exactly as they were received.
Which of the following is an accepted practice for an amateur operator who has checked into a net?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. Provided that the frequency is quiet, announce the station call sign and location every 5 minutes
B. Move 5 kHz away from the net’s frequency and use high power to ask other hams to keep clear of the net frequency
C. Remain on frequency without transmitting until asked to do so by the net control station
D. All of these choices are correct
Remain on frequency without transmitting until asked to do so by the net control station
After checking into a net, you are to remain on frequency without transmitting until you are asked to do so by the net control station. After a group of amateur operators checks into the net, the NCS will acknowledge who has checked into the net. If your call sign was not mentioned, then you can check in again and avoid conflicting with other stations when you transmit. If for some reason you need to leave the net before it terminates, wait until there is a pause in the net, give your call sign, and request to secure your station. This is important in traffic nets because the net control may direct formal messages to your station and you would have left long before.
Which of the following results from the fact that skip signals refracted from the ionosphere are elliptically polarized?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. Digital modes are unusable
B. Either vertically or horizontally polarized antennas may be used for transmission or reception
C. FM voice is unusable
D. Both the transmitting and receiving antennas must be of the same polarization
Either vertically or horizontally polarized antennas may be used for transmission or reception
When radio waves bounce – or skip – off the ionosphere and are refracted back to earth, many times they lose their original polarization and become elliptically polarized. The elliptically polarized signals contain properties of both vertical and horizontal polarization. Because of this distortion from the original polarization, either a vertically or horizontally polarized antenna may be used for transmitting or receiving.
What is the formula for converting frequency to approximate wavelength in meters?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. Wavelength in meters equals frequency in hertz multiplied by 300
B. Wavelength in meters equals frequency in hertz divided by 300
C. Wavelength in meters equals frequency in megahertz divided by 300
D. Wavelength in meters equals 300 divided by frequency in megahertz
Wavelength in meters equals 300 divided by frequency in megahertz
The formula for converting frequency to an approximate wavelength is 300 divided by the frequency in megahertz. So using this formula, let’s take our constant of 300 million meters per second and divide it by the national calling frequency of 146.52 MHz. The millions cancel out, so the answer is 2.047474 meters, or you can say that 146.52 MHz is in the 2-meter amateur band. Remember, on the FCC exam you are asked to pick the most correct answer, so 2.047474 meters is closer to 2 meters than 20 meters.
How does the wavelength of a radio wave relate to its frequency?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. The wavelength gets longer as the frequency increases
B. The wavelength gets shorter as the frequency increases
C. There is no relationship between wavelength and frequency
D. The wavelength depends on the bandwidth of the signal
The wavelength gets shorter as the frequency increases
There is a direct relationship between the wavelength of radio waves and frequency. As the wavelength gets shorter, the frequency increases – just like the strings on a musical instrument where the shorter the string the higher the frequency of the note.
What causes tropospheric ducting?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. Discharges of lightning during electrical storms
B. Sunspots and solar flares
C. Updrafts from hurricanes and tornadoes
D. Temperature inversions in the atmosphere
Temperature inversions in the atmosphere
Sometimes warmer air becomes trapped above cooler air. This is called temperature inversion or thermal inversion. This atmospheric condition allows for a condition called tropospheric ducting.
Which of the following is an advantage of HF vs VHF and higher frequencies?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. HF antennas are generally smaller
B. HF accommodates wider bandwidth signals
C. Long-distance ionospheric propagation is far more common on HF
D. There is less atmospheric interference (static) on HF
Long-distance ionospheric propagation is far more common on HF
The amateur radio VHF and UHF and above bands are mostly for communications with other stations that are within line of sight. These bands depend on repeaters to increase their effective range. The HF bands are well suited for long-range communications because their radio waves are reflected back toward earth instead of punching through the ionosphere. The ability of HF frequencies to bounce off the ionosphere and provide long-distance propagation is far more common.
What are the two components of a radio wave?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. AC and DC
B. Voltage and current
C. Electric and magnetic fields
D. Ionizing and non-ionizing radiation
Electric and magnetic fields
Radio waves are made up of both electric and magnetic fields. This is why you sometimes will see radio waves referred to as electromagnetic waves. Think about a circuit that helps tune your antenna; the capacitor stores energy in an electric field, the inductor stores energy in a magnetic field. But these two different properties work together to create a resonate circuit.
What is a characteristic of VHF signals received via auroral reflection?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. Signals from distances of 10,000 or more miles are common
B. The signals exhibit rapid fluctuations of strength and often sound distorted
C. These types of signals occur only during winter nighttime hours
D. These types of signals are generally strongest when your antenna is aimed west
The signals exhibit rapid fluctuations of strength and often sound distorted
Sometimes you will hear other amateur stations on VHF that are much farther away than your local repeater coverage or line-of-sight communications. Their signals will exhibit rapid fluctuations of strength and often sound distorted. These distorted signals are being received via auroral reflection.
What antenna polarization is normally used for long-distance weak-signal CW and SSB contacts using the VHF and UHF bands?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. Right-hand circular
B. Left-hand circular
C. Horizontal
D. Vertical
Horizontal
Most man-made RF noise and static is vertically polarized. On the VHF and UHF bands, horizontally polarized antennas are normally better for long-distance weak-signal CW and SSB contacts.
What property of a radio wave is used to describe its polarization?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. The orientation of the electric field
B. The orientation of the magnetic field
C. The ratio of the energy in the magnetic field to the energy in the electric field
D. The ratio of the velocity to the wavelength
The orientation of the electric field
This is one of those questions that you must read very carefully to make sure you understand what is being asked. A radio wave contains two properties, electric waves, and magnetic waves, therefore the name “electromagnetic waves.” The property of the electric field is used to describe the polarization. So just remember radio waves travel at the speed of light and the polarization does not affect the speed of the radio waves. Other distractors such as the ratio of velocity to wavelength have no effect on the polarization.
Why are direct (not via a repeater) UHF signals rarely heard from stations outside your local coverage area?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. They are too weak to go very far
B. FCC regulations prohibit them from going more than 50 miles
C. UHF signals are usually not reflected by the ionosphere
D. UHF signals are absorbed by the ionospheric D layer
UHF signals are usually not reflected by the ionosphere
Usually, the ionosphere has little or no effect on UHF radio waves. Because of not being reflected back to the earth, you rarely will receive UHF transmissions from other amateur stations outside your local area. Because VHF and UHF signals are able to easily penetrate the ionosphere, instead of being reflected back to the earth, these bands are well suited for EME (Earth-Moon-Earth, or moonbounce) activities.
Which of the following is an appropriate receive filter bandwidth for minimizing noise and interference for SSB reception?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. 500 Hz
B. 1000 Hz
C. 2400 Hz
D. 5000 Hz
2400 Hz
A single-sideband (SSB) bandwidth should not exceed 3 kHz. The appropriate receive bandwidth for SSB reception would be 2400 Hz or 2.4 kHz.
What is the advantage of having multiple receive bandwidth choices on a multimode transceiver?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. Permits monitoring several modes at once
B. Permits noise or interference reduction by selecting a bandwidth matching the mode
C. Increases the number of frequencies that can be stored in memory
D. Increases the amount of offset between receive and transmit frequencies
Permits noise or interference reduction by selecting a bandwidth matching the mode
Today’s multimode transceivers have multiple bandwidth choices or filters available to the amateur operator. These filters allow you to eliminate, or reduce, noise and interference. You will select the bandwidth option that matches the mode you are using. Narrow modes such as CW allow you to use a narrow bandwidth such as 250 Hz or 500 Hz. Single-sideband bandwidth is limited to 3 kHz, but most stations do not use that much bandwidth so a 2.4-kHz filter is best for SSB. Digital modes such as FT8 pack as many different signals as possible into a 3-kHz bandwidth. In this case, your 3-kHz or 3.5-kHz bandwidth option would be the best selection.
Where should the negative return connection of a mobile transceiver’s power cable be connected?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. At the battery or engine block ground strap
B. At the antenna mount
C. To any metal part of the vehicle
D. Through the transceiver’s mounting bracket
At the battery or engine block ground strap
The negative power cable to your radio should be connected to the battery or the engine block ground strap. The battery or the engine block ground strap is the answer the FCC is expecting for this question. In real life, please consult with the vehicle’s manufacturer if unsure. Some newer vehicles use the negative battery connection to determine current drain, thus your radio connection might cause inaccurate readings or problems. Many electric vehicles have voltages in excess of 12 volts flowing through some wiring harnesses. If unsure, please consult with an expert or professional.
Which of the following is an appropriate receive filter bandwidth for minimizing noise and interference for CW reception?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. 500 Hz
B. 1000 Hz
C. 2400 Hz
D. 5000 Hz
500 Hz
The bandwidth of a CW (continuous wave) transmission is dependent on the speed of the CW transmissions. Typically a CW transmission is only 25 Hz when sending 5 words per minute (WPM) to 15 WPM. When using CW, choosing the 500-Hz bandwidth option would be the appropriate option for minimizing noise and interference for CW reception.
How might a computer be used as part of an amateur radio station?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. For logging contacts and contact information
B. For sending and/or receiving CW
C. For generating and decoding digital signals
D. All of these choices are correct
All of these choices are correct
Nowadays, a computer in an amateur station is as important as a power supply. Computers are used to perform logging of other stations you communicate with. Many contest managers expect all log submissions to be computer-generated. Many operators use their computers to send and receive CW. Nearly all the digital modes found on the amateur bands require a computer to encode and decode transmissions. In order to get the full benefit out of some amateur radio software programs, a connection is needed from the computer to the radio for rig control or CAT (computer-aided transceiver) control.
How is a computer’s sound card used when conducting digital communications?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. The sound card communicates between the computer CPU and the video display
B. The sound card records the audio frequency for video display
C. The sound card provides audio to the radio’s microphone input and converts received audio to digital form
D. All of these choices are correct
The sound card provides audio to the radio’s microphone input and converts received audio to digital form
The sound card is a very important piece of digital communications in an amateur station. The sound card provides the audio into the radio’s microphone input and converts the received audio into a digital form. There are some companies that make high-quality sound cards that are external to the one built into the computer. Several of the newer amateur transceivers have sound cards built into the radio.
What is the proper location for an external SWR meter?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. In series with the feed line, between the transmitter and antenna
B. In series with the station’s ground
C. In parallel with the push-to-talk line and the antenna
D. In series with the power supply cable, as close as possible to the radio
In series with the feed line, between the transmitter and antenna
This is another question that individuals get correct on the FCC exam and then fail in real life when assembling their station. The SWR (standing wave ratio) measures the standing waves, or the amount of RF energy reflected back from your feed line and antenna. A high SWR can damage your transceiver. You want to place your SWR meter in series with the feed line – between the transmitter and your antenna. Most modern radios have an SWR meter built-in.
Which computer sound card port is connected to a transceiver’s headphone or speaker output for operating digital modes?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. Headphone output
B. Mute
C. Microphone or line input
D. PCI or SDI
Microphone or line input
When operating digital modes, including CW, the operation becomes very easy when using your computer’s sound card to perform all the work. Some individuals become confused at this point. You simply want to connect the audio output from the radio to the audio input to the computer. The radio’s audio output usually comes from the transceiver’s headphones or speaker. The audio input to the computer goes to the microphone or line input. Connect the audio of the radio to the input of the computer. In this case, the sound card’s microphone or line input port would be used.
Which of the following could be used to remove power line noise or ignition noise?
Choose only ONE best answer.
A. Squelch
B. Noise blanker
C. Notch filter
D. All of these choices are correct
Noise blanker
Ignition noise and power line noise always has affected reception for amateurs over the years. The noise blanker circuits in most radios are able to effectively eliminate nearly all manmade noise such as power line Interference and vehicle ignition noise.
