Ham Radio Technician Flashcards: 90 Core Concepts for 2026-2030
Review 90 core concepts for the 2026–2030 U.S. Technician Class exam across all ten NCVEC subelements.
Sobre aquesta baralla
Prepare for the U.S. Technician Class (Element 2) exam pool in effect from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2030. These 90 core-concept flashcards use one-target prompts, direct answers, and brief explanations across all ten official NCVEC subelements.
This compact deck complements—not replaces—the full 409-question pool, randomized 35-question practice exams, and the three official diagrams. It does not reproduce the official multiple-choice wording, choices, distractors, or answer letters, and it does not claim full-pool coverage.
Facts were checked against the corrected February 19, 2026 NCVEC pool and current 47 CFR Part 97. Card wording and explanations are original. This independent study resource is not affiliated with or endorsed by NCVEC, the FCC, or any examination team. Consult the official pool at https://ncvec.org/index.php/2026-2030-technician-question-pool.
Targetes d'aquesta baralla
Targeta 1
Pregunta
Which component is commonly used as an adjustable volume control?
Resposta
A potentiometer. It is a variable resistor with a movable contact.
Targeta 2
Pregunta
Which U.S. agency regulates and enforces the Amateur Radio Service rules?
Resposta
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC). It administers the rules that govern U.S. amateur stations.
Targeta 3
Pregunta
Which common voice mode uses less bandwidth: SSB or FM?
Resposta
SSB uses less bandwidth. This makes it well suited to crowded HF spectrum.
Targeta 4
Pregunta
What determines a radio wave’s polarization?
Resposta
The orientation of its electric field.
Targeta 5
Pregunta
What power-supply rating is typical for a 50-watt mobile FM transceiver?
Resposta
About 13.8 volts at 12 amperes. The current rating must cover the radio’s transmit demand.
Targeta 6
Pregunta
What is an amateur band plan?
Resposta
A voluntary guide for using different modes and activities within a band. It supplements—not replaces—FCC frequency privileges.
Targeta 7
Pregunta
How fast does a radio wave travel through free space?
Resposta
At the speed of light. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves.
Targeta 8
Pregunta
What is a fuse designed to do during an electrical overload?
Resposta
Open the circuit and remove power. It protects wiring and equipment from excessive current.
Targeta 9
Pregunta
What electrical quantity causes electrons to flow in a circuit?
Resposta
Voltage, or electrical potential difference. Current is the resulting flow of charge.
Targeta 10
Pregunta
When the station licensee and control operator are different people, who is responsible for proper station operation?
Resposta
Both are equally responsible. The station licensee and the control operator share responsibility for compliance.
Targeta 11
Pregunta
Which two major radio functions are combined inside a transceiver?
Resposta
A transmitter and a receiver. Both functions are combined in one unit.
Targeta 12
Pregunta
Which component stores energy in an electric field?
Resposta
A capacitor.
Targeta 13
Pregunta
What is the defining radiation-pattern advantage of a beam antenna?
Resposta
It concentrates radiation in one direction.
Targeta 14
Pregunta
What bandwidth is typical for an SSB voice signal?
Resposta
About 3 kHz.
Targeta 15
Pregunta
What is a clear way to begin a voice CQ call?
Resposta
Say “CQ” a few times, then “this is” and your call sign; pause and listen before repeating.
Targeta 16
Pregunta
Where does an RF power meter belong when measuring transmitter output to an antenna?
Resposta
In the feed line between the transmitter and the antenna.
Targeta 17
Pregunta
How often must an amateur station identify during a communication?
Resposta
At least every 10 minutes and at the end of the communication. A tactical identifier does not replace the assigned call sign.
Targeta 18
Pregunta
What unit measures electric current?
Resposta
The ampere (amp).
Targeta 19
Pregunta
Where should a fuse or circuit breaker go in a 120-volt AC circuit?
Resposta
In series with the hot conductor only. Do not put the protective device only in the neutral conductor.
Targeta 20
Pregunta
How does wavelength change when frequency increases?
Resposta
Wavelength decreases. Frequency and wavelength are inversely related when propagation speed is fixed.
Targeta 21
Pregunta
What does receiver sensitivity describe?
Resposta
The ability to detect weak signals. Better sensitivity means a weaker usable signal can be received.
Targeta 22
Pregunta
Which component stores energy in a magnetic field?
Resposta
An inductor.
Targeta 23
Pregunta
What does antenna gain describe?
Resposta
Signal-strength improvement in a chosen direction compared with a reference antenna. Gain redistributes radiation rather than creating transmitter power.
Targeta 24
Pregunta
What 10-meter frequency range gives a Technician voice privileges?
Resposta
28.300 to 28.500 MHz. This is the Technician phone segment on 10 meters.
Targeta 25
Pregunta
What does simplex operation mean?
Resposta
Both stations transmit and receive on the same frequency. No repeater frequency pair is involved.
Targeta 26
Pregunta
What bandwidth is typical for a VHF repeater FM voice signal?
Resposta
About 10 to 15 kHz.
Targeta 27
Pregunta
How many milliamperes are in 1.5 amperes?
Resposta
1,500 milliamperes. Multiply amperes by 1,000.
Targeta 28
Pregunta
What conductor is preferred for RF bonding between station equipment?
Resposta
Flat copper strap.
Targeta 29
Pregunta
What hazard can rapid charging or discharging create in an unprotected battery?
Resposta
Overheating or out-gassing. Use the battery’s specified protection and charge limits.
Targeta 30
Pregunta
Which semiconductor component normally allows current in only one direction?
Resposta
A diode.
Targeta 31
Pregunta
When may a newly licensed amateur first transmit?
Resposta
After the license grant appears in the FCC license database. Passing the exam alone does not authorize transmission.
Targeta 32
Pregunta
What does receiver selectivity describe?
Resposta
The ability to separate a desired signal from signals on nearby frequencies.
Targeta 33
Pregunta
What repeater offset is commonly used on the 2-meter band?
Resposta
Plus or minus 600 kHz. The sign depends on the repeater’s input/output pair.
Targeta 34
Pregunta
What shortcut estimates wavelength in meters from frequency in megahertz?
Resposta
Divide 300 by the frequency in MHz.
wavelength (m) ≈ 300 / frequency (MHz)Targeta 35
Pregunta
What happens to a dipole’s resonant frequency when the antenna is shortened?
Resposta
The resonant frequency increases. A shorter dipole resonates at a shorter wavelength and therefore a higher frequency.
Targeta 36
Pregunta
Which electrical property describes energy storage in an electric field?
Resposta
Capacitance. Its unit is the farad.
Targeta 37
Pregunta
What is Doppler shift?
Resposta
A change in observed frequency caused by relative motion between transmitter and receiver. Satellite operators compensate for it as the spacecraft passes.
Targeta 38
Pregunta
What should an antenna installer do about nearby overhead electrical wires?
Resposta
Locate them first and stay clear of them. This is an installation-safety rule, not an RF operating technique.
Targeta 39
Pregunta
Where should a mobile transceiver’s negative power return connect in a vehicle?
Resposta
At the 12-volt battery’s chassis-ground connection. Follow the radio and vehicle installation instructions when making the connection.
Targeta 40
Pregunta
Which amateur transmissions may use deliberately obscured message content?
Resposta
Commands to space stations or radio-controlled models. Ordinary amateur messages may not be encoded to hide their meaning.
Targeta 41
Pregunta
Which semiconductor component can act as an electronic switch?
Resposta
A transistor. It can control a larger current with a smaller input signal.
Targeta 42
Pregunta
What repeater offset is commonly used on the 70-centimeter band?
Resposta
Plus or minus 5 MHz.
Targeta 43
Pregunta
What simple device can suppress RF feedback traveling on a microphone cable?
Resposta
A ferrite choke. It adds impedance to unwanted common-mode RF current on the cable.
Targeta 44
Pregunta
What does a loading coil do in a shortened antenna?
Resposta
It electrically lengthens the antenna. The added inductive reactance helps a physically short radiator resonate lower.
Targeta 45
Pregunta
Which electrical property describes energy storage in a magnetic field?
Resposta
Inductance. Its unit is the henry.
Targeta 46
Pregunta
Which polarization is normally used for long-distance VHF/UHF CW and SSB contacts?
Resposta
Horizontal polarization.
Targeta 47
Pregunta
What is the maximum transmitter power in the HF segments available to a Technician?
Resposta
200 watts PEP. That ceiling applies to the Technician HF segments, including 28.0–28.5 MHz.
Targeta 48
Pregunta
How much clearance should a new antenna have from power wires?
Resposta
Enough that no part of the antenna can come within 10 feet of the wires if it falls.
Targeta 49
Pregunta
About how long does a low-Earth-orbit amateur satellite take to circle Earth?
Resposta
About 100 minutes.
Targeta 50
Pregunta
What happens when an SSB transmitter’s microphone gain is set too high?
Resposta
The transmitted audio becomes distorted.
Targeta 51
Pregunta
What does a CTCSS tone do in repeater operation?
Resposta
It provides a subaudible access tone that can open the repeater receiver. It does not encrypt the conversation.
Targeta 52
Pregunta
What does a schematic diagram show?
Resposta
Electrical connections using standardized component symbols. It describes circuit function, not physical placement.
Targeta 53
Pregunta
What formula gives DC electrical power from voltage and current?
Resposta
P = E × I. For example, 12 volts at 2 amperes is 24 watts.Targeta 54
Pregunta
Where is a half-wave dipole’s radiation strongest?
Resposta
Broadside to the wire. Radiation is weakest off the ends.
Targeta 55
Pregunta
How long is a normal U.S. amateur radio license term?
Resposta
10 years. Renewal is required to continue operating after the term expires.
Targeta 56
Pregunta
What load should replace an antenna for transmitter tests that should not radiate a signal?
Resposta
A dummy load. It absorbs RF power while presenting a suitable impedance to the transmitter.
Targeta 57
Pregunta
What is a proper grounding arrangement for a tower?
Resposta
Use a separate eight-foot ground rod at each tower leg, bonded to the tower and to the other rods. Follow applicable electrical codes and local requirements.
Targeta 58
Pregunta
Why can a VHF signal change sharply when an antenna moves only a few feet?
Resposta
Multipath propagation. Reflected signal paths can add or cancel at nearby points.
Targeta 59
Pregunta
How can an operator judge suitable uplink power through a linear amateur satellite transponder?
Resposta
Keep the received downlink signal about as strong as the satellite beacon.
Targeta 60
Pregunta
What is a DMR color code?
Resposta
A repeater access code used by DMR systems. It is not a description of display color or signal quality.
Targeta 61
Pregunta
What does a power-supply rectifier do?
Resposta
It changes AC into a varying or pulsating DC voltage. Filtering can then smooth that voltage.
Targeta 62
Pregunta
Which receiver control corrects a returned SSB voice that sounds too high or too low in pitch?
Resposta
The RIT, also called the clarifier. It shifts the receive tuning enough to restore natural voice pitch.
Targeta 63
Pregunta
When may a U.S. amateur station normally relay a third party’s message to a station in another country?
Resposta
When that country has a third-party communications arrangement with the United States. Emergency or disaster-relief traffic has a separate exception.
Targeta 64
Pregunta
What form of Ohm’s law gives current from voltage and resistance?
Resposta
I = E / R. For example, 12 volts across 6 ohms produces 2 amperes.Targeta 65
Pregunta
How does coaxial-cable loss change as signal frequency increases?
Resposta
Loss increases. The same cable run usually wastes more power at higher frequencies.
Targeta 66
Pregunta
What does a 4:1 SWR indicate?
Resposta
A serious impedance mismatch. It is much worse than the near-1:1 match a transmitter normally prefers.
Targeta 67
Pregunta
Are amateur radio signals ionizing or non-ionizing radiation?
Resposta
Non-ionizing radiation. RF exposure still requires compliance with FCC limits.
Targeta 68
Pregunta
What is the general maximum transmitter power for Technician operation above 30 MHz?
Resposta
1,500 watts PEP, unless a narrower rule sets a lower limit. In actual operation, Part 97 also requires using only the power needed for the communication.
Targeta 69
Pregunta
What does a DMR talkgroup identify?
Resposta
A logical group of users or traffic on a DMR system. It routes a transmission to the intended group.
Targeta 70
Pregunta
What is a Maidenhead grid locator?
Resposta
A letter-and-number designator for a geographic area. Operators exchange it to describe station location compactly.
Targeta 71
Pregunta
Which component uses an electrical control signal to open or close contacts in another circuit?
Resposta
A relay. It is an electrically controlled switch.
Targeta 72
Pregunta
Which electrical quantity is the same through every component in a series circuit?
Resposta
Current. A series circuit has only one current path.
Targeta 73
Pregunta
Why is the VHF/UHF radio horizon usually a little farther than the visual horizon?
Resposta
The atmosphere refracts radio waves slightly. This modest bending extends the practical radio horizon.
Targeta 74
Pregunta
How should receiver filter bandwidth be set to reduce noise and nearby interference?
Resposta
Use the narrowest bandwidth that still passes the desired signal. Different modes need different practical widths.
Targeta 75
Pregunta
What is the main function of an antenna tuner?
Resposta
To match the antenna system’s impedance to the transceiver’s output impedance. It helps the transmitter see a suitable load.
Targeta 76
Pregunta
What does Part 97 say about deliberately disrupting another radio communication?
Resposta
Willful or malicious interference is prohibited. Frequency use is shared, not assigned exclusively to one station.
Targeta 77
Pregunta
How is a voltmeter connected to measure voltage across a component?
Resposta
In parallel with the component.
Targeta 78
Pregunta
Why does duty cycle matter in an RF exposure evaluation?
Resposta
It changes average exposure. A transmitter active for a smaller fraction of the averaging period contributes less average RF energy.
Targeta 79
Pregunta
What is the central job of a net control station?
Resposta
Call the net to order and direct participating stations. Net control organizes check-ins and traffic flow.
Targeta 80
Pregunta
Which electrical quantity is the same across every branch of a parallel circuit?
Resposta
Voltage. Each branch connects across the same two nodes.
Targeta 81
Pregunta
Which component can step 120-volt AC down to a lower AC voltage?
Resposta
A transformer.
Targeta 82
Pregunta
What does APRS commonly provide?
Resposta
Real-time tactical digital communication, including station positions shown on a map.
Targeta 83
Pregunta
When a DMR radio’s channels, repeater settings, contacts, and talkgroups are saved together, what is that data set called?
Resposta
A DMR code plug. It is the radio’s configuration data set.
Targeta 84
Pregunta
What does standing wave ratio measure in a feed line?
Resposta
How well the load impedance matches the feed line. An SWR near 1:1 indicates a close match.
Targeta 85
Pregunta
What can an operator do during the two-year filing grace period after an amateur license expires?
Resposta
Apply for renewal, but do not transmit until the license is renewed. The grace period preserves a renewal path, not operating privileges.
Targeta 86
Pregunta
Which propagation mode can produce occasional strong 10-, 6-, and 2-meter contacts beyond the normal radio horizon?
Resposta
Sporadic E. It can briefly carry signals well beyond ordinary VHF line-of-sight range.
Targeta 87
Pregunta
Do Part 97 rules stop applying during ARES, RACES, FEMA, or emergency operations?
Resposta
No. FCC amateur radio rules always apply. Emergency conditions may activate specific provisions, but they do not erase Part 97.
Targeta 88
Pregunta
Who is responsible for keeping people below FCC RF exposure limits at an amateur station?
Resposta
The station licensee. This is a compliance responsibility; practical evaluations can use calculation, modeling, or calibrated measurement.
Targeta 89
Pregunta
How is an ammeter connected to measure current in a circuit?
Resposta
In series with the circuit path.
Targeta 90
Pregunta
What decibel change represents doubling transmitter power from 5 watts to 10 watts?
Resposta
About +3 dB. A 3 dB increase corresponds to roughly twice the power.
90 targetes
Ham Radio Technician Flashcards: 90 Core Concepts for 2026-2030
Nibomo s'obre perquè puguis començar a estudiar.