FCC Technician Class Exam Study Guide - 2014-2018/Subelement T3 Group A

Radio wave characteristics: how a radio signal travels; fading; multipath; wavelength vs. penetration; antenna orientation

The Question Pool

Question 1

What should you do if another operator reports that your station's 2 meter signals were strong just a moment ago, but now they are weak or distorted?

A. Change the batteries in your radio to a different type

B. Turn on the CTCSS tone

C. Ask the other operator to adjust his squelch control

D. Try moving a few feet or changing the direction of your antenna if possible, as reflections may be causing multi-path distortion

The correct answer is D.

Question 2

Why are UHF signals often more effective from inside buildings than VHF signals?

A. VHF signals lose power faster over distance

B. The shorter wavelength allows them to more easily penetrate the structure of buildings

C. This is incorrect; VHF works better than UHF inside buildings

D. UHF antennas are more efficient than VHF antennas

The correct answer is B.

Question 3

What antenna polarization is normally used for long-distance weak-signal CW and SSB contacts using the VHF and UHF bands?

A. Right-hand circular

B. Left-hand circular

C. Horizontal

D. Vertical

The correct answer is C.

Question 4

What can happen if the antennas at opposite ends of a VHF or UHF line of sight radio link are not using the same polarization?

A. The modulation sidebands might become inverted

B. Signals could be significantly weaker

C. Signals have an echo effect on voices

D. Nothing significant will happen

The correct answer is B.

Question 5

When using a directional antenna, how might your station be able to access a distant repeater if buildings or obstructions are blocking the direct line of sight path?

A. Change from vertical to horizontal polarization

B. Try to find a path that reflects signals to the repeater

C. Try the long path

D. Increase the antenna SWR

The correct answer is B.

Question 6

What term is commonly used to describe the rapid fluttering sound sometimes heard from mobile stations that are moving while transmitting?

A. Flip-flopping

B. Picket fencing

C. Frequency shifting

D. Pulsing

The correct answer is B.

Question 7

What type of wave carries radio signals between transmitting and receiving stations?

A. Electromagnetic

B. Electrostatic

C. Surface acoustic

D. Magnetostrictive

The correct answer is A.

Question 8

Which of the following is a likely cause of irregular fading of signals received by ionospheric reflection?

A. Frequency shift due to Faraday rotation

B. Interference from thunderstorms

C. Random combining of signals arriving via different paths

D. Intermodulation distortion

The correct answer is C.

Question 9

Which of the following results from the fact that skip signals refracted from the ionosphere are elliptically polarized?

A. Digital modes are unusable

B. Either vertically or horizontally polarized antennas may be used for transmission or reception

C. FM voice is unusable

D. Both the transmitting and receiving antennas must be of the same polarization

The correct answer is B.

Question 10

What may occur if data signals propagate over multiple paths?

A. Transmission rates can be increased by a factor equal to the number of separate paths observed

B. Transmission rates must be decreased by a factor equal to the number of separate paths observed

C. No significant changes will occur if the signals are transmitting using FM

D. Error rates are likely to increase

The correct answer is D.

Question 11

Which part of the atmosphere enables the propagation of radio signals around the world?

A. The stratosphere

B. The troposphere

C. The ionosphere

D. The magnetosphere

The correct answer is C.