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