Ham Radio General Class Test Study Guide 2026
Everything you need to pass the Ham Radio General Class Test exam in one place: the exam format, every topic to study, real practice questions with explanations, flashcards, and full-length practice tests. Free, no sign-up needed.
📋 Ham Radio General Class Test Exam Format at a Glance
📚 Ham Radio General Class Test Topics to Study (51)
✍️ Sample Ham Radio General Class Test Questions & Answers
1. What is the feed point impedance of a quarter-wave ground-plane antenna with the radials bent downward at 45 degrees?
Bending the radials of a ground-plane antenna downward to 45 degrees raises the feed point impedance to approximately 50 ohms, providing a good match to common coaxial cable.
2. What is the primary advantage of a log-periodic dipole array (LPDA) antenna?
An LPDA provides relatively constant gain and impedance characteristics across a wide frequency range.
3. What type of feed line loss increases significantly when the line is operated with high SWR?
Coaxial cable losses increase dramatically under high SWR conditions compared to open-wire feed lines.
4. What is the recommended minimum safe distance approach when working near an energized amateur antenna?
The safest practice is to completely de-energize the antenna system before anyone works near it to eliminate all RF exposure risk.
5. What may a ground loop in your station's audio connections manifest as?
When people report hearing a "hum" in your station's transmitted signal, a ground loop may be the cause. Ground loops frequently cause interference and noise, and in rare situations, they could even put users at danger for electric shock.
6. An amateur operator is setting up an HF station and finds the SWR is 3:1 on their desired frequency. Which of the following is the most likely consequence of operating with this high SWR?
A high SWR indicates a significant impedance mismatch, causing a portion of the transmitter's power to be reflected back down the feed line. Modern solid-state transceivers have protective circuitry that detects high SWR and automatically reduces the output power to prevent the reflected power from damaging the final amplifier transistors. While some power is lost and the system is inefficient, the primary immediate effect is often this protective power reduction.