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[username]

oldzoot,

First off, thank you for starting this thread. Secondly, I am sorry to say you are going to have your hands full with us

Username

[Mr. Bill]

First off, thank you for starting this thread...

I just wanted to echo that.  Dunno if I'm ever going to get into amateur radio, but I am interested.

Anyway, the following outrage is not directed at you, but... What the is with some of these questions?  Like for example:

How many and what class of Volunteer Examiners are required to administer an Element 2 Technician written exam?

This is something I've got to memorize in order to be considered competent enough to run a radio?  Ridiculous.  This is a bit of information only needed by volunteer examiners who are organizing an exam, and they can go look up the rules when the need arises.

What classes of US amateur radio licenses may currently be earned by examination?

If I am trying to get a Technician license, why is it of any importance whatsoever that I know that the bureaucracy no longer issues novice, advanced, or tech-plus licenses?

What is one of the basic purposes of the Amateur Radio Service as defined in Part 97?

This question could have been much more pertinent if it had been worded as: "Which of the following services may not be performed by an Amateur Radio licenseholder?"

Etc., etc.

Grr.  Seems like the point is not to test your knowledge of important issues, but just to test your "dedication" by seeing if you've memorized a list of factoids.

[username]

Mr. Bill,

When dealing with the government, they want to make sure you understand "they're importance", which is why that is in the test. I am sure whoever made those questions made their pension early ...

Government Turds.

Username..

[oldzoot]

These are the most frustrating questions in the pool - the legal regulations BS.    There are sections on technical matters which are actually relevant.   I think instead of just copying them over in order,  I will begin mixing it up a bit so that we see some good stuff mixed in with the BBS. (bureaucratic BS).   Also,  in an actual test,  there will be only 4 questions out of the BS section I believe.     I am trying to make this easier than just blind memorization - that is why i am adding the comments I make -  I am tending toward fairly dry and factual,  but may attempt to slip in some humor where possible.   

The chunks are as follows :

 FCC rules / station license responsibilities   4 questions

Control operator duties  4 questions

Operating practices   4 questions

Radio & Electronic fundimentals  5 questions

Station setup and operation   4 questions

Communications modes and methods   3 questions

Special Operations  2 questions   ( no - not THAT kind!   -  ham radio special operations!  )

Emergency and public service communications  3  questions

Radio waves propagation and antennas   3 questions

Electrical and RF safety  3 questions.


OZ

[oldzoot]

Much of what is required of Amateur operators is set forth in international treaty.    The testing standards are defined there  (within broad limits)  to ensure that no country just hands out licenses for transmitters capable of destroying everyone elses capability to communicate.   The system almost works.  mostly.

OZ

[padre29]

Much of what is required of Amateur operators is set forth in international treaty.    The testing standards are defined there  (within broad limits)  to ensure that no country just hands out licenses for transmitters capable of destroying everyone elses capability to communicate.   The system almost works.  mostly.

OZ

First of all, thanks for going through all of this Oldzoot, if anyone ever had any inclination to receive a Ham license, this thread will be a boon for them.

Secondly, are the question dry by wrote memory questions or are there technical aspects such as math to configure antenna etc?

BTW, I found the pre amp that I was looking for as well as the BNC adapter.

I'll be quiet now and await your next round of Q&A.

[Mr. Bill]

These are the most frustrating questions in the pool - the legal regulations BS.    There are sections on technical matters which are actually relevant.   I think instead of just copying them over in order,  I will begin mixing it up a bit so that we see some good stuff mixed in with the BBS. (bureaucratic BS).   Also,  in an actual test,  there will be only 4 questions out of the BS section I believe. ...

Thanks, that clarifies the situation a lot.  I didn't realize you were going through them by section.

[oldzoot]

First of all, thanks for going through all of this Oldzoot, if anyone ever had any inclination to receive a Ham license, this thread will be a boon for them.

Secondly, are the question dry by wrote memory questions or are there technical aspects such as math to configure antenna etc?

BTW, I found the pre amp that I was looking for as well as the BNC adapter.

I'll be quiet now and await your next round of Q&A.

Well, it is all multiple guess so one could do it by rote.   There are technical questions ( I will do some of those tonight just to mix things up   wooo woo ! )  and some of the technical questions do involve math - at least they did in the extra class question pool.    I guess we will find out about the technician questions in a little bit. 

The "math"  in the extra segment when I took it was not too bad.   The hard part for me is memorizing arbitrary numbers like the band edge frequencies (upper and lower limits)  of specific bands.

and now,  on with the show!

OZ

[oldzoot]

T3D08 [C]

What is the best way to reduce on the air interference when testing your transmitter?

A. Use a short indoor antenna when testing  [ even with a short indoor antenna,  you will be transmitting and potentially interfering with stations nearby]

B. Use upper side band when testing  [ Any mode - voice, morse code,  fm  or digital  could cause interference if you transmit into an antenna.  Since the question does not say you are not using an antenna - the assumption is that you are ]

C. Use a dummy load when testing

D. Use a simplex frequency instead of a repeater frequency [ simplex  or repeater , you do not test with an antenna connected ]


Note:    in real life,  people transmit to test their transmitters.   You key up,  you say "testing - anybody hear me? " and give your callsign.  People call you back and you talk about how your signal sounds.   - The question is about reducing interference.   In that context,  perhaps we are tuning the transmitter,  or testing it to see if it can transmit digital signals for 20minutes solid.  For those kinds of tests, you want to use a dummy load to absorb the power from the transmitter and not jam up the airwaves.   Rush Limbaugh should be so considerate 

[oldzoot]

T3D09 [C] [97.103(a)]

What rules apply to your station when using amateur radio at the request of public service officials or at the scene of an emergency?

A. RACES [ Radio Amateur Civil Emergency System -  good guys, but they don't make the rules ]

B. ARES  [ Amateur Radio Emergency System   modern version of RACES and again,  they don't make law ]

C. FCC  [these guys think they make the rules. Since they are issuing the licenses, let's humor them]

D. FEMA  [Federal Eschewment of My Adulthood? ]

[oldzoot]

T3D10 [D]

What do RACES and ARES have in common?

A. They represent the two largest ham clubs in the United States [ They are not clubs, really, and are probably not as large as the Amateur Radio Relay League ]

B. One handles road traffic, the other weather traffic [ not! ]

C. Neither may handle emergency traffic [ actually they both exist specifically to handle emergency traffic ]

D. Both organizations provide communications during emergencies

RACES is an older organization,  in some areas it is phasing out.   ARES is newer and seems to be growing.   These groups may be affiliated with government operated EOCs  or  Red Cross centers.

[oldzoot]

T3D11 (C)

What is meant by receiver front-end overload?

A. Too much voltage from the power supply [too much voltage is a bad thing for the whole radio - not just the front end]

B. Too much current from the power supply  [ This is a poorly phrased answer that is also wrong. ]

C. Interference caused by strong signals from a nearby source

D. Interference caused by turning the volume up too high  [Turning up the volume may overload our ears, but not the front end of the receiver ]


Discussion:    The front-end of the receiver is the circuit closest to the antenna.   It is often a sensitive low-noise amplifier.  Since the amplifier is set up for weak signals,  strong ones can overwhelm it and cause distortion  sometimes obliterating the signal you are trying to hear.    There are various ways to work on this problem including cutting down the signal from the antenna using an attenuator ( of course it cuts down the signal you want also but that is okay if it gets rid of the interference)  or using a circuit called a pre-selector which can tune the amplifier to be more sensitive at some frequencies than others.  If you can tune out the strong signal while tuning in the weak one,  you win.   

Regarding the power supply current answer -  power supplies only deliver the current that the load (circuit) demands at the voltage the supply is providing.   If the load diminishes it's resistance (short circuit) then the power supply will provide more current (sometimes destructively)  up to it's capacity limit.    Also,  if the power supply increases it's voltage,  the current will increase  assuming that the load (circuit) remains the same.

[oldzoot]

T4A01 [D]

Electrical current is measured in which of the following units?

A. Volts

B. Watts

C. Ohms

D. Amperes

Sorry folks,  can't think of much cute to say.    All of the wrong answers are real electrical units - let's go over them:

Volts -   how hard the electricity is pushing.   Equates to PSI   in  air or water systems.

Watts    The measure of power.   It is  volts  times amps   for DC circuits.

Ohms    The measure of resistance.   Think of the difference of a 1/2 inch garden hose and a 2 inch firehose.    The bigger hose has less resistance to the flow of water than the small hose.   

Amps     How much electricity is flowing -   think of CFM   or   GPM  rather than PSI.


If you have a small hose  and you increase the pressure,   water flow will increase.

If you have a resistance in a circuit (and they all do)  when you increase the voltage,   the current will increase also.

If the voltage stays the same,  but the resistance decreases,   the current will increase proportionally

If the voltage stays the same,   but the resistance increases,   the current will decrease proportionally - think of taxes and happiness and you get the picture.

[username]

old zoot, Those are some great analogies

Honestly, I am the type of person that likes to picture things so even though I understand these terms fairly well this actually helped quite a bit.

Thank you!

Username

[oldzoot]

T1A07 [97.5]

Who makes and enforces the rules for the Amateur Radio Service in the United States?

A. The Congress of the United States

B. The Federal Communications Commission

C. The Volunteer Examiner Coordinators [ They are authorized by the commission to give tests & manage the question pool ]

D. The Federal Bureau of Investigation