Ham Radio Technician Flashcards: 90 Core Concepts for 2026-2030

Question 1

Which component is commonly used as an adjustable volume control?

Accepted Answer

A potentiometer. It is a variable resistor with a movable contact.

Question 2

Which U.S. agency regulates and enforces the Amateur Radio Service rules?

Accepted Answer

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC). It administers the rules that govern U.S. amateur stations.

Question 3

Which common voice mode uses less bandwidth: SSB or FM?

Accepted Answer

SSB uses less bandwidth. This makes it well suited to crowded HF spectrum.

Question 4

What determines a radio wave’s polarization?

Accepted Answer

The orientation of its electric field.

Question 5

What power-supply rating is typical for a 50-watt mobile FM transceiver?

Accepted Answer

About 13.8 volts at 12 amperes. The current rating must cover the radio’s transmit demand.

Question 6

What is an amateur band plan?

Accepted Answer

A voluntary guide for using different modes and activities within a band. It supplements—not replaces—FCC frequency privileges.

Question 7

How fast does a radio wave travel through free space?

Accepted Answer

At the speed of light. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves.

Question 8

What is a fuse designed to do during an electrical overload?

Accepted Answer

Open the circuit and remove power. It protects wiring and equipment from excessive current.

Question 9

What electrical quantity causes electrons to flow in a circuit?

Accepted Answer

Voltage, or electrical potential difference. Current is the resulting flow of charge.

Question 10

When the station licensee and control operator are different people, who is responsible for proper station operation?

Accepted Answer

Both are equally responsible. The station licensee and the control operator share responsibility for compliance.

Question 11

Which two major radio functions are combined inside a transceiver?

Accepted Answer

A transmitter and a receiver. Both functions are combined in one unit.

Question 12

Which component stores energy in an electric field?

Accepted Answer

A capacitor.

Question 13

What is the defining radiation-pattern advantage of a beam antenna?

Accepted Answer

It concentrates radiation in one direction.

Question 14

What bandwidth is typical for an SSB voice signal?

Accepted Answer

About 3 kHz.

Question 15

What is a clear way to begin a voice CQ call?

Accepted Answer

Say “CQ” a few times, then “this is” and your call sign; pause and listen before repeating.

Question 16

Where does an RF power meter belong when measuring transmitter output to an antenna?

Accepted Answer

In the feed line between the transmitter and the antenna.

Question 17

How often must an amateur station identify during a communication?

Accepted Answer

At least every 10 minutes and at the end of the communication. A tactical identifier does not replace the assigned call sign.

Question 18

What unit measures electric current?

Accepted Answer

The ampere (amp).

Question 19

Where should a fuse or circuit breaker go in a 120-volt AC circuit?

Accepted Answer

In series with the hot conductor only. Do not put the protective device only in the neutral conductor.

Question 20

How does wavelength change when frequency increases?

Accepted Answer

Wavelength decreases. Frequency and wavelength are inversely related when propagation speed is fixed.

Question 21

What does receiver sensitivity describe?

Accepted Answer

The ability to detect weak signals. Better sensitivity means a weaker usable signal can be received.

Question 22

Which component stores energy in a magnetic field?

Accepted Answer

An inductor.

Question 23

What does antenna gain describe?

Accepted Answer

Signal-strength improvement in a chosen direction compared with a reference antenna. Gain redistributes radiation rather than creating transmitter power.

Question 24

What 10-meter frequency range gives a Technician voice privileges?

Accepted Answer

28.300 to 28.500 MHz. This is the Technician phone segment on 10 meters.

Question 25

What does simplex operation mean?

Accepted Answer

Both stations transmit and receive on the same frequency. No repeater frequency pair is involved.

Question 26

What bandwidth is typical for a VHF repeater FM voice signal?

Accepted Answer

About 10 to 15 kHz.

Question 27

How many milliamperes are in 1.5 amperes?

Accepted Answer

1,500 milliamperes. Multiply amperes by 1,000.

Question 28

What conductor is preferred for RF bonding between station equipment?

Accepted Answer

Flat copper strap.

Question 29

What hazard can rapid charging or discharging create in an unprotected battery?

Accepted Answer

Overheating or out-gassing. Use the battery’s specified protection and charge limits.

Question 30

Which semiconductor component normally allows current in only one direction?

Accepted Answer

A diode.

Question 31

When may a newly licensed amateur first transmit?

Accepted Answer

After the license grant appears in the FCC license database. Passing the exam alone does not authorize transmission.

Question 32

What does receiver selectivity describe?

Accepted Answer

The ability to separate a desired signal from signals on nearby frequencies.

Question 33

What repeater offset is commonly used on the 2-meter band?

Accepted Answer

Plus or minus 600 kHz. The sign depends on the repeater’s input/output pair.

Question 34

What shortcut estimates wavelength in meters from frequency in megahertz?

Accepted Answer

Divide 300 by the frequency in MHz. wavelength (m) ≈ 300 / frequency (MHz)

Question 35

What happens to a dipole’s resonant frequency when the antenna is shortened?

Accepted Answer

The resonant frequency increases. A shorter dipole resonates at a shorter wavelength and therefore a higher frequency.

Question 36

Which electrical property describes energy storage in an electric field?

Accepted Answer

Capacitance. Its unit is the farad.

Question 37

What is Doppler shift?

Accepted Answer

A change in observed frequency caused by relative motion between transmitter and receiver. Satellite operators compensate for it as the spacecraft passes.

Question 38

What should an antenna installer do about nearby overhead electrical wires?

Accepted Answer

Locate them first and stay clear of them. This is an installation-safety rule, not an RF operating technique.

Question 39

Where should a mobile transceiver’s negative power return connect in a vehicle?

Accepted Answer

At the 12-volt battery’s chassis-ground connection. Follow the radio and vehicle installation instructions when making the connection.

Question 40

Which amateur transmissions may use deliberately obscured message content?

Accepted Answer

Commands to space stations or radio-controlled models. Ordinary amateur messages may not be encoded to hide their meaning.

Question 41

Which semiconductor component can act as an electronic switch?

Accepted Answer

A transistor. It can control a larger current with a smaller input signal.

Question 42

What repeater offset is commonly used on the 70-centimeter band?

Accepted Answer

Plus or minus 5 MHz.

Question 43

What simple device can suppress RF feedback traveling on a microphone cable?

Accepted Answer

A ferrite choke. It adds impedance to unwanted common-mode RF current on the cable.

Question 44

What does a loading coil do in a shortened antenna?

Accepted Answer

It electrically lengthens the antenna. The added inductive reactance helps a physically short radiator resonate lower.

Question 45

Which electrical property describes energy storage in a magnetic field?

Accepted Answer

Inductance. Its unit is the henry.

Question 46

Which polarization is normally used for long-distance VHF/UHF CW and SSB contacts?

Accepted Answer

Horizontal polarization.

Question 47

What is the maximum transmitter power in the HF segments available to a Technician?

Accepted Answer

200 watts PEP. That ceiling applies to the Technician HF segments, including 28.0–28.5 MHz.

Question 48

How much clearance should a new antenna have from power wires?

Accepted Answer

Enough that no part of the antenna can come within 10 feet of the wires if it falls.

Question 49

About how long does a low-Earth-orbit amateur satellite take to circle Earth?

Accepted Answer

About 100 minutes.

Question 50

What happens when an SSB transmitter’s microphone gain is set too high?

Accepted Answer

The transmitted audio becomes distorted.

Question 51

What does a CTCSS tone do in repeater operation?

Accepted Answer

It provides a subaudible access tone that can open the repeater receiver. It does not encrypt the conversation.

Question 52

What does a schematic diagram show?

Accepted Answer

Electrical connections using standardized component symbols. It describes circuit function, not physical placement.

Question 53

What formula gives DC electrical power from voltage and current?

Accepted Answer

P = E × I. For example, 12 volts at 2 amperes is 24 watts.

Question 54

Where is a half-wave dipole’s radiation strongest?

Accepted Answer

Broadside to the wire. Radiation is weakest off the ends.

Question 55

How long is a normal U.S. amateur radio license term?

Accepted Answer

10 years. Renewal is required to continue operating after the term expires.

Question 56

What load should replace an antenna for transmitter tests that should not radiate a signal?

Accepted Answer

A dummy load. It absorbs RF power while presenting a suitable impedance to the transmitter.

Question 57

What is a proper grounding arrangement for a tower?

Accepted Answer

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.

Question 58

Why can a VHF signal change sharply when an antenna moves only a few feet?

Accepted Answer

Multipath propagation. Reflected signal paths can add or cancel at nearby points.

Question 59

How can an operator judge suitable uplink power through a linear amateur satellite transponder?

Accepted Answer

Keep the received downlink signal about as strong as the satellite beacon.

Question 60

What is a DMR color code?

Accepted Answer

A repeater access code used by DMR systems. It is not a description of display color or signal quality.

Question 61

What does a power-supply rectifier do?

Accepted Answer

It changes AC into a varying or pulsating DC voltage. Filtering can then smooth that voltage.

Question 62

Which receiver control corrects a returned SSB voice that sounds too high or too low in pitch?

Accepted Answer

The RIT, also called the clarifier. It shifts the receive tuning enough to restore natural voice pitch.

Question 63

When may a U.S. amateur station normally relay a third party’s message to a station in another country?

Accepted Answer

When that country has a third-party communications arrangement with the United States. Emergency or disaster-relief traffic has a separate exception.

Question 64

What form of Ohm’s law gives current from voltage and resistance?

Accepted Answer

I = E / R. For example, 12 volts across 6 ohms produces 2 amperes.

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