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