Amateur Radio License 2016
My Technician Class Amateur license, N3WLN, expired, so I have to re-take the exam to activate it.
Contents
Exam
The exam is computerized. A passing grade is 26 from 35 question drawn from a 426 question pool. That is about 76%. My goal is 100%.
The actual exam is still paper. But the certificate is digital. The FCC doesn't send you paper anymore.
Passed with 34/35 correct, a personal best, on April 30, 2017. :)
Acronyms
- CTCSS Continuous Tone Coded Squelch - A sub-audible tone used to activate repeaters.
- VFO Variable Frequency Oscillator
Formulas
1. Converting Frequency to Wavelength
To find wavelength
- $$ \text{Meters} = \frac{300}{f(\text{MHz})}$$
where \(f\) is frequency in megahertz (MHz)
2. Converting Wavelength to Frequency
To find frequency
- $$ f(\text{MHz}) = \frac{300}{ \text{Meters}}$$
where \(f\) is frequency in megahertz (MHz)
3. Antenna Length
- 1. Convert Length to MHz
4. Quarter-wavelength = 19 inches
5. 6 meter 1/2-wavelength = 112 inches
Question Pool
The 426 Question Pool[1]
Online Exams
- AA9PW - Exam Practice[2]
- ARRL - Exam Practice[3]
- eHam - Exam Practice[4] using this one, seems more reliable
- Hamexam - with flashcards[5]
Study Notes
Antennas
Electric Field runs along the antenna.
Magnetic Field runs perpendicular to the antenna.
Polarization - antenna's electric field alignment.
Repeaters are vertically aligned.
Duty Cycle for RF exposure. The percentage of time the transmitter is operating.
Misc
Frequencies 3 30 MHz HF 30 300 MHz VHF 50 54 MHz 6 Meter 144 148 MHz 2 Meter 222 MHz 1.25 Meter 300 3000 MHz UHF VFO Variable Frequency Oscillator VFO Squelch Control - Silences background noise when no transmission is received. CW Continuous Wave Carrier Squelch - Silences background noise when no transmission is received. 10 Minute Rule - Identify your station every 10 minutes. N3WLN November 3 Whisky Lima November Picket Fencing - Rapid signal fluttering from a mobile station due to changing location. tropospheric ducting Pages to scan glossary ROAR leadership team (Remediation, Product Management, Production Operations) Six meter meteor scatter Ionosphere Mountain Polarization the Electric Field Elementary Keplerian satellites Capacitance Farad The Transistor Band members are Emitter, Base, and Collector Six or ten meter sun spots. Electric Polarity ARQ Automatic Repeat Request PSK Phase Shift Keying AGC Automatic Gain Control FET Field Effect Transistor Signals and Systems For Dummies 1st Edition Schaum's Outline of Signals and Systems, 3rd Edition (Schaum's Outlines) 4.6 out of 5 stars 25 $15.76 Prime 46 used and new from $7.14 I've forgotten sooo much about signals :/ What text does UCF use for signals and systems? What text does UF use for signals and systems? UC Berkely - think I already have this one. Textbook: Structure and Interpretation of Signals and Systems, by E. A. Lee and P. Varaiya, 2011 UF - maybe not that good a book. Textbook: Signal Processing First, by McClellan, Schafer, Yoder, McGraw Hill, 2002, ISBN number : 0-07-229135-4 * In RF 90% of the problems are between the transmitter/receiver and the antenna. The other 10% are between the ears. * Carbon-Zinc batteries are not rechargeable. Glossary -------- # Cable Leakage - RF signal leakage from damaged cables or loose/weak cable connectors. # Decibel - # Gain - the ability to amplify a signal # Over-deviation # Squelch # Ferrite Choke - Iron clamp on a video or audio cable to prevent RF signal buildup along the cable's outer shell from distorting the signal. Thus "choking off" the interfering RF signal. # Impedance - The composite opposition to current flow in an AC ( or radio frequency ) circuit. # Reactance - # Field Effect Transistor has three electrodes - Source, Gate, and Drain. Ohm's Law<br /> E = volts<br /> R = resistance in ohms<br /> I = amps in amperes<br /> E=I x R<br /> electricity used = power electrical power = watts Rosin-core solder Cold solder joint looks grainy and dull. Good joints are bright and shiny.
Coaxial Cable resistance is 50 ohm.
Higher frequency, larger cable is needed.
Antenna Gain - The signal strength increases due to the antenna absorbing electromagnetic radiation and sending that radiation in the transmission direction.
dB | Power change |
---|---|
3 | 2 |
6 | 4 |
9 | 8 |
10 | 10 |
20 | 100 |
30 | 1000 |
40 | 10000 |
Study Materials
Technician Class 2014-18 FCC Element 2 Radio License Preparation 8th Edition[6]
Technician Class 2010-14 FCC Element 2 Radio License Preparation Instructor Edition in PDF.[7]
Wikibooks Technician Class Study Guide[8]
Frequency Bands | Frequency Range | Modes |
---|---|---|
High Frequency | 21-30 MHz | H |
VHF | 144-146 MHz | V |
UHF | 435-438 MHz | U |
L band | 1.26-1.27 GHz | L |
S band | 2.4-2.45 GHz | S |
C band | 5.8 GHz | C |
X band | 10.4 GHz | X |
K band | 24 GHz | K |
Web Sites
- AC6 Morse Code Training - Morse Code[9]
- AC6V - Operating Aids and References[10]
- AC6V - Operating Frequencies[11]
- AIM-Spice - Automated Circuit Modeling[12]
- Alinco - Handheld Radios[13]
- Amateur Television Network[14]
- AMSAT[15]
- ARRL - ARES[16]
- ARRL - Call-Sign-Research[17]
- ARRL - Control Op duties[18]
- ARRL - Emergency Comms Training[19]
- ARRL - Emergency Volunteers[20]
- ARRL - Find a Club[21]
- ARRL - Graphical Frequency Allocations[22]
- ARRL - Making Your First Contact[23]
- ARRL - Tech Class Bands[24]
- ARRL - Weak Signal -- (VHF-DX, Meteor Scatter, EME-Moonbounce)[25]
- ARRL - What is HAM Radio?[26]
- Arrow Antenna - Antennas for Handheld Radios[27]
- Art Sci - Publications - Repeaters[28]
- Associated Radio - Radio Catalog[29]
- ATV/DX Band Propagation Logger[30]
- Aviation Maps[31]
- B & H Sales - Radio Catalog[32]
- CQ Amateur Radio Magazine[33]
- Cube Sat - Cheap Cube shaped satellites[34]
- dBj Radio and Electronics[35]
- Dog Park Software - Satellite Software for Mac[36]
- DX Engineering - Radio Catalog[37]
- DX.QSL.NET - Dx and propagation[38]
- EchoLink - Internet Radio[39]
- eHam - Radio Equipment Reviews[40]
- EM Connectors[41]
- FCC - Amateur Radio Service[42]
- FCC - Rules & Regulations for Title 47 | Federal Communications Commission[43]
- Forrest Mims - Electronics[44]
- Gateway Electronics - Radio Catalog[45]
- Giga Parts - Radio Catalog[46]
- HamCall [47]
- Ham-Radio[48]
- Ham Radio Outlet[49]
- Ham Station - Radio Catalog[50]
- Hamunivrse Blog[51]
- Ham World[52]
- Heavens Above - Satellite Overpass[53]
- ICOM[54]
- Internet Radio Linking Project (IRLP)[55]
- Intusoft - Circuit Simulation[56]
- ISS Fan Club[57]
- ITU[58]
- Kenwood - Radio Catalog[59]
- KJI Electronics - Radio Catalog[60]
- Main Trading Co. - Radio Catalog[61]
- Master Publishing - Electronics Manuals[62]
- MFJ - Radio Catalog[63]
- Military Radio Groups[64][65]
- Moon Bounce[66]
- MRX Software - Morse Code[67]
- NASA - ISS Flight Info[68]
- Naval Electrical and Electronics Training[69]
- NCVEC - Question Pool[70]
- NIST - Time and Frequency[71]
- Popular Q Signals[72]
- QRZ - Callsign Database[73]
- RACES - Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service[74]
- Radio City - Radio Catalog[75]
- Radioqth - Vanity Call Signs[76]
- Renato Romero - Radio below 22 kHz[77]
- R&L Electronics - Radio Catalog[78]
- RT Systems - Radio Programming[79]
- San Bernardino Microwave Society[80]
- Smirk - 6 meter radio[81]
- Spaceweather.com[82]
- Sun Spot Watch - Radio Propagation Space Weather[83]
- TAPR - Digital Radio[84]
- Tube Depot - Vacume Tubes[85]
- Universal Radio - Radio Catalog[86]
- W3BE [87]
- W5YI : Resources for Amateur & Commercial Radio[88]
- Walcott Radio - CB Radio[89]
- Winlink - Radio Global Messaging System[90]
- Win System - Repeaters[91]
- Wired Communications - Cables[92]
- Work Satellites[93]
- Yaesu - Radio Catalog[94]
- YLRL - Women in Radio[95]
Internal Links
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