Amateur Radio Practices Flashcards
7 cards from real Ham Radio General Class Test practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Amateur Radio Practices flashcards as text
What is the purpose of the RIT (Receiver Incremental Tuning) control on a transceiver?
Answer: To adjust receive frequency independently of transmit frequency
RIT allows you to shift the receive frequency slightly without moving the transmit frequency, useful when the other station is slightly off frequency.
What is a 'gray line' and why is it significant to HF operators?
Answer: The terminator between day and night where propagation is often enhanced
The gray line is the transition zone between day and night; the ionosphere behaves unusually there, often producing excellent long-distance propagation.
What is meant by 'full break-in' (QSK) CW operation?
Answer: The ability to receive signals between individual dots and dashes while transmitting
QSK (full break-in) allows you to hear other signals in the gaps between CW characters, enabling instant detection of interference or an emergency call.
When must an amateur station identify itself during a QSO?
Answer: At the end of each transmission and at least every 10 minutes
FCC Part 97 requires station identification at the end of each transmission and at least every 10 minutes during a contact.
What is the function of an 'automatic level control' (ALC) circuit in a transmitter?
Answer: To prevent overdriving the final amplifier by reducing drive on strong audio peaks
ALC feeds back a control voltage to reduce driver gain when audio peaks threaten to overdrive the PA, preventing distortion and splatter.
What type of emission is produced by a transmitter that is being overmodulated?
Answer: Splatter, which causes interference on adjacent frequencies
Overmodulation causes the signal to 'splatter' — spreading energy beyond the intended bandwidth and interfering with adjacent channels.
What is the purpose of a 'balun' at a dipole antenna feed point?
Answer: To prevent RF current from flowing on the outside of the coaxial feed line
A balun (balanced-to-unbalanced) chokes off common-mode current on the coax shield, preventing the feed line from acting as part of the antenna.