2010 Technician Class Element 2

Proposed Draft syllabus
35 Exam questions
March 13, 2009

Subelement T1: FCC Rules – 8 exam questions, 8 groups

T1A: Amateur Radio Licensing – Basis and purpose of Amateur Radio service, definitions, licensee privileges, duties, basic FCC regulations

T1B: Authorized frequencies – Frequency allocations, ITU regions, mode restricted sub-bands, spectrum sharing, operation near band edges

T1C: Call signs and international regulations – US structure, special events, vanity calls, operating in other countries

T1D: The station license – Correct name and address on file, license term, renewal, grace period

T1E: Permissible and prohibited communications

T1F: Control operator – Location of control operator, automatic and remote control, repeaters, auxiliary stations

T1G: Identification requirements – Repeater ID standards, identification for non-voice modes, identification requirements for mobile and portable operations

T1H: Station operations - Guest operators, third party communications, compensation of operators, clubs stations, station security, station inspections


Subelement T2: Operating Procedures – 3 exam questions, 3 groups

T2A: Station operation – Choosing an operating frequency, calling another station, test transmission, use of minimum power, band plans

T2B: Operating practices – Phone, repeater, use of phonetic alphabet, CW, signal reports

T2C: Public service – Emergency and non-emergency operations


Subelement T3: Radio Wave Propagation – 3 exam questions, 3 groups

T3A: Radio wave characteristics – How a radio signal travels; distinctions of HF, VHF, and UHF; fading, multipath; radio horizon; wavelength vs. penetration; antenna orientation

T3B: Radio and electromagnetic wave properties – Electromagnetic spectrum, wavelength vs. frequency, velocity of electromagnetic waves

T3C: Propagation modes – Line of sight, sporadic E, meteor, aurora scatter, tropospheric ducting, F layer skip, ground wave


Subelement T4: Amateur Radio Practices and Station Set Up – 2 exam questions, 2 groups

T4A: Station setup – Microphone, speaker, headphones, filters, power source, connecting a computer, RF grounding

T4B: Operating controls – Tuning, use of filters, squelch, AGC, repeater offset, memory channels


Subelement T5: Electrical and Radio Principles – 3 exam questions, 3 groups

T5A: Electrical principles – Current and voltage, conductors and insulators, alternating and direct current

T5B: Mathematics for electronics – Units and the metric system, Ohm’s Law

T5C: Electronic principles – Resistance, capacitance, inductance, current flow in circuits, alternating current, definition of RF, power calculations


Subelement T6: Circuit Components and Practical Circuits – 3 exam questions, 3 groups

T6A: Electrical components – Fixed and variable resistors, capacitors, and inductors; fuses, switches, batteries

T6B: Semiconductors – Basic principles of diodes and transistors

T6C: Circuit diagrams – Schematic symbols


Subelement T7: Practical Circuits and Testing – 4 exam questions, 4 groups

T7A: Station radios – Receivers, transmitters, transceivers

T7B: Common transmitter and receiver problems – Symptoms of overload and overdrive, distortion, interference, over and under modulation; RF feedback; off frequency signals; fading and noise; problems with digital communications interfaces

T7C: Antenna measurements and troubleshooting – Measuring SWR, dummy loads, feed line failure modes

T7D: Basic repair and testing – Soldering, use of a voltmeter, ammeter, and ohmmeter.


Subelement T8: Amateur Radio Modes, Methods, and Operations – 4 exam questions, 4 groups

T8A: Modulation modes – description of bandwidth of AM, FM, SSB

T8B: Satellite operation – Doppler shift, basic orbits, sub-bands,
ISS communications, operating protocols

T8C: Operating activities – Radio direction finding, radio control, contests, special event stations, basic linking over internet

T8D: Non-voice communications – Image data, digital modes: CW, Packet, PSK31


Subelement T9: Antennas and Feed lines - 2 exam questions, 2 groups

T9A: Antennas – Vertical and horizontal, concept of gain, common portable and mobile antennas, losses with short antennas, relationships between antenna length and frequency

T9B: Feed lines – Types, losses vs. frequency, SWR concepts, matching and power transfer, weather protection, connectors


Subelement T0: Electrical and RF Safety – 3 exam questions, 3 groups

T0A: Electrical safety – AC power, hazardous voltages, fuses and circuit breakers, grounding, lightning protection, battery safety, electrical code compliance

T0B: Antenna safety – Power lines, erecting towers and masts

T0C: RF safety – Radiation exposure, RF hazards, proximity to antennas, recognized safe power levels, hand held radio safety, exposure to others

2008-2009 NCVEC Question Pool Commitee