General

What is the frequency deviation for a 12.21 MHz reactance modulated oscillator in a 5 kHz deviation, 146.52MHz FM phone transmitter? [G8B07] A. 101.75 Hz B. 416.7 Hz C. 5 kHz D. 60 kHz Whoa, what?  Guess what, dust off that calculator, because here’s where it starts to get mathy.  This question is also terribly … Read more

Which type of code is used for sending characters in a PSK31 signal? [G8C12] A. Varicode B. Viterbi C. Volumetric D. Binary Alright, here we are again at a real head scratcher.  This is yet another example of something you just “need to know” for the test.  In real life you really wouldn’t use this … Read more

How should the winding axes of two solenoid inductors be oriented to minimize their mutual inductance? [G6A19] A. In line B. Parallel to each other C. At right angles to each other D. Interleaved The best way to answer this is to imagine the magnetic field lines coming off of a device, much like in … Read more

What does it mean when a CW operator sends “KN” at the end of a transmission? A. Listening for novice stations B. Operating full break-in C. Listening only for a specific station or stations D. Closing station now The answer is, C. Listening only for a specific station or stations.  You would use this “word,” … Read more

What part of a data packet contains the routing and handling information? A. Directory B. Preamble C. Header D. Footer The answer is C. Header.  When dealing with data “packets”, no matter the type, there has to be a portion of data that contains information regarding what’s to be done with the data inside it.  … Read more

What frequency range is occupied by a 3 kHz USB signal with the displayed carrier frequency set to 14.347 MHz? A. 14.347 to 14.647 MHz B. 14.347 to 14.350 MHz C. 14.344 to 14.347 MHz D. 14.3455 to 14.3485 MHz This is really just a question of simple addition, so don’t let all the numbers … Read more

Delving into the crease where radio and computers converge, this week’s General class exam question is…… What is meant by the term “software defined radio” (SDR)? A. A radio in which most major signal processing functions are performed by software B. A radio that provides computer interface for automatic logging of band and frequency C. … Read more

Which value of an AC signal results in the same power dissipation as a DC voltage of the same value? [G5B07] A. The peak-to-peak value B. The peak value C. The RMS value D. The reciprocal of the RMS value This is, unfortunately a “definition” question, so we’ll just come right out and tell you … Read more

What precaution should be taken when installing a ground-mounted antenna? [G0A13] A. It should not be installed higher than you can reach B. It should not be installed in a wet area C. It should limited to 10 feet in height D. It should be installed so no one can be exposed to RF radiation … Read more

This question comes from the General exam, the “rules” section…. [G1D06] When must you add the special identifier “AG” after your call sign if you are a Technician Class licensee and have a CSCE for General Class operator privileges, but the FCC has not yet posted your upgrade on its Web site? A. Whenever you … Read more