Ham Radio Technician Test License 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the minimum age requirement to obtain a Technician class amateur radio license in the US?
- 13 years old
- 16 years old
- 18 years old
- There is no minimum age requirement (Correct answer)
Correct answer: There is no minimum age requirement
The FCC imposes no minimum age requirement for an amateur radio license; anyone of any age may be licensed.
Question 2: Which document serves as proof of a Technician license while waiting for the physical license to arrive?
- The ARRL membership card
- A letter from the Volunteer Examiner
- The FCC ULS license query printout showing grant status (Correct answer)
- The CSCE (Certificate of Successful Completion of Examination)
Correct answer: The FCC ULS license query printout showing grant status
Once the FCC grants the license in ULS, an official printout from the ULS database serves as valid proof of licensure.
Question 3: A Technician license has expired and the 2-year grace period has also passed. What must the person do to get licensed again?
- Pay a reinstatement fee only
- Pass the Technician exam again (Correct answer)
- Pass all three license exams
- Apply for a waiver from the FCC
Correct answer: Pass the Technician exam again
After the grace period, the license is cancelled and the person must pass the Technician written exam again to become licensed.
Question 4: What is a CSCE in the context of amateur radio licensing?
- A type of operating certificate issued by the ARRL
- A document showing an exam element was passed, valid for 365 days (Correct answer)
- The official FCC license certificate
- A credit card used to pay exam fees
Correct answer: A document showing an exam element was passed, valid for 365 days
A CSCE (Certificate of Successful Completion of Examination) records a passed exam element and is valid for 365 days toward upgrading.
Question 5: Which of the following is NOT a valid reason for the FCC to suspend or revoke an amateur radio license?
- Willful interference with another station
- Failure to maintain a current mailing address
- Operating outside authorized frequency privileges
- Using a radio purchased from another country (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Using a radio purchased from another country
The origin of radio equipment is not grounds for license revocation as long as the equipment meets FCC technical standards.
Question 6: Can a Technician class licensee be a control operator for a repeater that operates on 2 meters?
- No, repeater control requires General class or higher
- Yes, because 2 meters is within Technician privileges (Correct answer)
- Only if the repeater owner holds an Extra class license
- Yes, but only during daylight hours
Correct answer: Yes, because 2 meters is within Technician privileges
Technicians have full privileges on the 2-meter band (144–148 MHz), including acting as control operator for repeaters on that band.
Question 7: What is the call sign structure typically assigned to a newly licensed Technician in the US?
- A 1×2 call sign (e.g., W1AB)
- A 2×3 call sign (e.g., KD9XYZ) (Correct answer)
- A 1×1 call sign (e.g., K1A)
- A 2×1 call sign (e.g., WB1A)
Correct answer: A 2×3 call sign (e.g., KD9XYZ)
New Technician licensees are typically assigned sequential 2×3 call signs (two-letter prefix, one-digit region, three-letter suffix).
Ham Radio Technician Test License 3
What is the minimum age requirement to obtain a Technician class amateur radio license in the US?