ARRL Narrative Writing 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When writing a narrative about a successful emergency communications activation, which element should be established in the opening paragraph?
- The exact frequency used
- The setting, context, and stakes of the situation (Correct answer)
- A list of all operators involved
- The technical specifications of the equipment
Correct answer: The setting, context, and stakes of the situation
The opening of an emergency communications narrative should establish setting, context, and stakes to immediately engage the reader and provide necessary background.
Question 2: In a QST article recounting a DXpedition, what narrative technique best conveys the tension of working rare DX?
- Using passive voice throughout
- Building suspense through pacing and selective detail (Correct answer)
- Listing every callsign worked in order
- Including full technical schematics
Correct answer: Building suspense through pacing and selective detail
Suspense and pacing through selective detail keep readers engaged and emotionally invested in the outcome of the DXpedition story.
Question 3: A ham writing about their first HF contact should use which point of view for maximum personal impact?
- Third person omniscient
- Second person imperative
- First person singular (Correct answer)
- Third person limited
Correct answer: First person singular
First person singular ('I') creates immediacy and authenticity that draws readers into a personal milestone experience.
Question 4: Which transitional phrase best signals a chronological shift in an operating log narrative?
- Furthermore
- In contrast
- Three hours later, as conditions deteriorated (Correct answer)
- On the other hand
Correct answer: Three hours later, as conditions deteriorated
Specific time-based transitions like 'three hours later' clearly anchor chronological shifts in event-based narratives.
Question 5: When describing a complex antenna installation for a general ham radio audience, the writer should:
- Use all technical jargon without explanation
- Assume no readers have any radio knowledge
- Balance technical accuracy with accessible language and analogies (Correct answer)
- Omit technical details entirely to avoid confusion
Correct answer: Balance technical accuracy with accessible language and analogies
Effective technical narratives balance accuracy with accessibility by using analogies and defining jargon to serve both novice and experienced readers.
Question 6: In a Field Day narrative, which sensory detail would most effectively immerse the reader in the scene?
- The exact UTC time of each contact
- The smell of morning dew, the hiss of static, and the excitement of the first CQ call (Correct answer)
- The equipment serial numbers
- The club's membership count
Correct answer: The smell of morning dew, the hiss of static, and the excitement of the first CQ call
Multisensory details — sound, smell, feeling — transport readers into the scene far more effectively than purely factual data.
Question 7: What is the primary purpose of a 'resolution' section in a narrative about overcoming interference on a contest weekend?
- To list all contacts made during the interference
- To show how the problem was solved and what was learned (Correct answer)
- To blame the source of the interference
- To recommend new FCC regulations
Correct answer: To show how the problem was solved and what was learned
The resolution section closes the narrative arc by demonstrating the outcome and any lessons learned, giving the story satisfying closure.
ARRL Narrative Writing 2
When writing a narrative about a successful emergency communications activation, which element should be established in the opening paragraph?