FCC Technician Class Exam Study Guide - 2014-2018/Subelement T9 Group B

Feed lines: types of feed lines; attenuation vs. frequency; SWR concepts; matching; weather protection; choosing RF connectors and feed lines

The Question Pool

Question 1

Why is it important to have a low SWR in an antenna system that uses coaxial cable feed line?

A. To reduce television interference

B. To allow the efficient transfer of power and reduce losses

C. To prolong antenna life

D. All of these choices are correct

The correct answer is B.

Question 2

What is the impedance of the most commonly used coaxial cable in typical amateur radio installations?

A. 8 ohms

B. 50 ohms

C. 600 ohms

D. 12 ohms

The correct answer is B.

Question 3

Why is coaxial cable used more often than any other feed line for amateur radio antenna systems?

A. It is easy to use and requires few special installation considerations

B. It has less loss than any other type of feed line

C. It can handle more power than any other type of feed line

D. It is less expensive than any other types of feed line

The correct answer is A.

Question 4

What does an antenna tuner do?

A. It matches the antenna system impedance to the transceiver's output impedance

B. It helps a receiver automatically tune in weak stations

C. It allows an antenna to be used on both transmit and receive

D. It automatically selects the proper antenna for the frequency band being used

The correct answer is A.

Question 5

What generally happens as the frequency of a signal passing through coaxial cable is increased?

A. The apparent SWR increases

B. The reflected power increases

C. The characteristic impedance increases

D. The loss increases

The correct answer is D.

Question 6

Which of the following connectors is most suitable for frequencies above 400 MHz?

A. A UHF (PL-259/SO-239) connector

B. A Type N connector

C. An RS-213 connector

D. A DB-25 connector

The correct answer is B.

Question 7

Which of the following is true of PL-259 type coax connectors?

A. They are preferred for microwave operation

B. They are water tight

C. They are commonly used at HF frequencies

D. They are a bayonet type connector

The correct answer is C.

Question 8

Why should coax connectors exposed to the weather be sealed against water intrusion?

A. To prevent an increase in feed line loss

B. To prevent interference to telephones

C. To keep the jacket from becoming loose

D. All of these choices are correct

The correct answer is A.

Question 9

What might cause erratic changes in SWR readings?

A. The transmitter is being modulated

B. A loose connection in an antenna or a feed line

C. The transmitter is being over-modulated

D. Interference from other stations is distorting your signal

The correct answer is B.

Question 10

What electrical difference exists between the smaller RG-58 and larger RG-8 coaxial cables?

A. There is no significant difference between the two types

B. RG-58 cable has less loss at a given frequency

C. RG-8 cable has less loss at a given frequency

D. RG-58 cable can handle higher power levels

The correct answer is C.

Question 11

Which of the following types of feed line has the lowest loss at VHF and UHF?

A. 50-ohm flexible coax

B. Multi-conductor unbalanced cable

C. Air-insulated hard line

D. 75-ohm flexible coax

The correct answer is C.