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