Station Setup and Equipment Flashcards
6 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 6 Station Setup and Equipment flashcards as text
What test instrument is most useful for checking the frequency response and spurious outputs of a transmitter?
Answer: Spectrum analyzer
A spectrum analyzer displays signal amplitude versus frequency, revealing harmonics, spurious emissions, and bandwidth of the transmitted signal.
What is the purpose of a dummy load in an amateur radio station?
Answer: Provide a non-radiating resistive load for testing the transmitter
A dummy load is a 50-ohm non-inductive resistor that dissipates transmitter power as heat without radiating RF, allowing testing without on-air transmission.
What does a two-tone test evaluate in a single-sideband transmitter?
Answer: Transmitter linearity and intermodulation distortion (IMD)
A two-tone test applies two equal audio tones to the SSB transmitter and examines the output for intermodulation products, which indicate non-linearity.
Which type of connector is recommended for low-loss VHF/UHF coaxial cable connections at an amateur station?
Answer: N-type
N-type connectors have lower loss and better shielding than PL-259 connectors at VHF and UHF frequencies, making them preferred for these bands.
What is the function of a preamplifier placed ahead of an HF receiver or transceiver?
Answer: Boost weak incoming signals to improve reception on noisy bands
A preamplifier adds gain before the receiver's first stage, improving signal-to-noise ratio when antenna signals are weak relative to the receiver's noise floor.
Why should coaxial cable connectors be weatherproofed when installed outdoors?
Answer: To prevent moisture from entering and causing high-resistance connections and RF leakage
Moisture wicking into coaxial connectors causes oxidation, increases contact resistance, raises SWR, and can allow RF to leak into the cable shield.