Ham Radio General Class Test Ham Radio General Class MCQ 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the maximum transmitter output power permitted for a General class licensee operating on the 60-meter (5 MHz) channels?
- 1500 watts PEP
- 100 watts ERP (effective radiated power) (Correct answer)
- 200 watts PEP output
- 50 watts ERP
Correct answer: 100 watts ERP (effective radiated power)
On the 60-meter channels, the FCC limits General class (and all amateur) stations to 100 watts ERP referenced to a dipole, not the usual 1500-watt PEP limit that applies to most HF bands. This is a special restriction due to the band's shared status with federal users.
Question 2: What is the maximum symbol rate permitted for RTTY or data transmissions on HF frequencies below 28 MHz?
- 300 baud (Correct answer)
- 1200 baud
- 9600 baud
- 19,200 baud
Correct answer: 300 baud
FCC rules limit RTTY and unspecified digital emissions on HF bands below 28 MHz to a maximum of 300 baud. This restriction helps control occupied bandwidth on the crowded HF spectrum. Above 28 MHz, higher symbol rates are permitted.
Question 3: What formula is used to calculate the resonant length of a half-wave dipole antenna in feet?
- 234 / f(MHz)
- 468 / f(MHz) (Correct answer)
- 492 / f(MHz)
- 936 / f(MHz)
Correct answer: 468 / f(MHz)
A half-wave dipole's resonant length in feet is approximated by 468 divided by the frequency in MHz. The constant 234 applies to a quarter-wave element (one half of the dipole). The slight reduction from the theoretical 492 accounts for the velocity factor of real wire.
Question 4: Which layer of the ionosphere is primarily responsible for long-distance HF sky-wave propagation during daylight hours?
- D layer
- E layer
- F2 layer (Correct answer)
- Troposphere
Correct answer: F2 layer
The F2 layer, located roughly 200–400 km above Earth, is the highest and most stable ionospheric layer and is the primary reflector enabling long-distance (DX) HF communications. The D layer absorbs lower-frequency HF signals during the day, while the E layer supports shorter skip distances. The troposphere affects VHF/UHF, not HF.
Question 5: How often must an amateur station transmit its call sign to meet FCC identification requirements during a contact?
- At the start of each transmission only
- At least once every 10 minutes and at the end of the contact (Correct answer)
- Only when asked by another station
- Every 5 minutes throughout the contact
Correct answer: At least once every 10 minutes and at the end of the contact
FCC Part 97 rules require amateur stations to transmit their call sign at the end of each contact and at least every 10 minutes during a contact. This ensures other stations and monitoring agencies can identify who is on the air. Identification must be in English (or CW).
Question 6: What is Near Vertical Incidence Skywave (NVIS) propagation, and for what purpose is it most useful?
- Radiating HF signals nearly straight up so they reflect back down within roughly 300–500 km — ideal for regional communication with no dead zone (Correct answer)
- Bouncing VHF signals off the troposphere for inter-continental contacts
- Using a vertical antenna aimed at the horizon for maximum DX
- Reflecting signals off the D layer for local ground-wave coverage
Correct answer: Radiating HF signals nearly straight up so they reflect back down within roughly 300–500 km — ideal for regional communication with no dead zone
NVIS involves angling the antenna to radiate most energy at very high angles (near 90°), causing the signal to reflect from the ionosphere and land close to the transmitter — typically within 300–500 km. This eliminates the skip zone that plagues lower-angle HF signals, making NVIS ideal for emergency and regional nets where local and mid-distance coverage is needed simultaneously.
Ham Radio General Class Test Ham Radio General Class MCQ 1
What is the maximum transmitter output power permitted for a General class licensee operating on the 60-meter (5 MHz) channels?