FCC Technician Class to be used with Element 2 Question Pool 2010-2014

1. FCC Technician Classto be used with Element 2 Question Pool2010-2014 Presented by Jeff Smith W4ZH

2. Course Philosophy (Atleast do the following #2,3,4 & 5) 1. Introduce the concepts of electricity and radio communications 2. Do your own memory work 3. 6 - 12 hours of study will be required 4.. Use of On-Line practice exam: 5. http://www.qrz.com/p/testing.pl 6. What is not covered: Material that is not on the exam

3. Materials • Highly recommended Ham Radio License Manual & FCC Rules & Regulations • Both are available from the American Radio Relay League [ARRL.org]

4. Materials • Available from http://www.w5yi.org/ • 1-800-669-9594, or Ham Radio Outlet 1-800-444-7927 • WWW.ARRL.ORG • WWW.QRZ.com

5. Elmers • An “Elmer” is an experienced amateur radio operator who helps you get started in amateur radio, study for your license exams or upgrades, or offers any similar encouragement. • That’s US! Scott, AL & Jeff • If you don’t have an “Elmer” to mentor you, ask for one.

6. HAM Radio???? • HAM Radio is a slang term meaning Amateur Radio • Jeff Smith’s Great Grandfather “coined” the Term HAM Radio to describe “Hobbyist AMateur Radio” in 1922 • Jeff’s Grandfather is Herbert Hoover W3ZH (Just kidding!)

7. The 10 Sub-Elements (6) Rules (4) Electrical Components (3) Operating Procedures (4) Station Equipment (3) Propagation (4) Modulation Modes (2) Amateur Radio Practice (2) Antennas & Feed lines (4) Electrical Principles (3) RF Safety There are 396 questions in the pool. There are 35 questions on the test. We will use 57 real test questions during today's course.

8. Introduction to Amateur Radio The Entry-Level Technician License (Element 2 Exam)

9. Only 3 Classes of “Amateur Radio Licenses” In order of privileges • Technician • General • Extra

10. Entry Level License • Technician • Written Exam (Element 2) • There is no Morse Code requirement • Provides all operating privileges above 50 MHz, including the popular 2-meter band; all modes including exotic data and satellite modes

11. What’s this about Morse Code? NONE! Feb 23, 2007 FCC has eliminated Morse Code! Right: Scott Teerlinck MLI and J.Smith PNS teaching one of the TSA MARS Hands On Radio Class in MLI (Very Cold)

12. 73’s (means “Best Wishes”) Why Amateur Radio? How the FCC Defines the Amateur Radio Service

13. Sec. 97.1 Basis and purpose FCC RULES Part 97 More on FCC Part 97 Rules at www.fcc.gov The rules and regulations in this part are designed to provide an amateur radio service having a fundamental purpose as expressed in the following principles: (a) Recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur service to the public as a voluntary non-commercial communication service, particularly with respect to providing emergency communications. (b) Continuation and extension of the amateur’s proven ability to contribute to the advancement of the radio art.

14. (c) Encouragement and improvement of the amateur service through rules which provide for advancing skills in both the communication and technical phases of the art. (d) Expansion of the existing reservoir within the amateur radio service of trained operators, technicians and electronics experts. (e) Continuation and extension of the amateur’s unique ability to enhance international goodwill.

15. For whom is the Amateur Radio Service untended? A. Persons who have messages to broadcast to the public B. Persons who need communications for the activities of their immediate family members, relatives and friends C. Persons who need two-way communications for personal reasons D. Persons who are interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and witout pecuniary interest

16. Rules Can’t we all just get along?

17. Courtesy and Common Sense With only a few exceptions that may seem silly, the rules are basically common sense • No music (except from NASA) • No payment, unless you are teaching in a school • No profanity or obscenity, no exceptions! • In a life or property threatening emergency, just about anything goes.

18. Control Operator Control Operator: An amateur operator designated by the licensee of a station to be responsible for the transmissions from that station to assure compliance with the FCC rules. • Generally, that means YOU • You can allow another licensed amateur to use your station equipment and call sign

19. Third Party Communications Third Party Communications: A message from the control operator (1st party) of an amateur station to another amateur station control operator (2nd party) on behalf of another person (3rd party) • Be sure there is a 3rd party agreement between the US and the other station’s country before handling 3rd party traffic.

20. Maximum Transmitter Power • In HF Technician Bands, 200 watts Peak Envelope Power (PEP) • In most other bands, 1500 watts PEP except for some restrictions on Technician class. • In all cases, use the minimum power required to make a reliable contact.

21. Station Identification • FCC rules require amateur stations to identify every 10 minutes and at the end of transmissions • Do not make unidentified transmissions, (with some exceptions, like for Radio Controlled toys.) Note: More about station identification will be covered under “Operating Procedures”

22. About Your Call sign • Amateur call signs in the US begin with the letters A, K, N or W • Each call sign contains a one-digit number, zero through nine (0 – 9) • The arrangement of letters indicates license class, with shorter calls going to higher license classes (W3ABC is legit!) • Licenses are good for 10 years • There is a 2 year grace period for renewal

23. ITU “International Telecommunications Union” Region2 is North America!!!”

24. Technician class - Band Privileges • All amateur bands 50 MHz and above • All available modes • No power restrictions • NO PRIVILEGES ON FREQUENCIES BELOW 50 MHz!

25. ARRL CALL DISTRICT MAP

26. Technician with Morse Code • NEWINGTON, CT, Feb 23, 2007 -- A new Amateur Radio Service regime now is in place. The requirement to demonstrate Morse code proficiency to gain HF privileges officially disappeared from the FCC's Part 97 rules today at 12:01 AM Eastern Time. At the same time, some 200,000 Technician licensees without Morse code exam credit acquired HF privileges equivalent to those available to Novice licensees.

27. Former Novice-class Band Privileges

28. Amateur Radio Frequency Bands

29. The Relationship of Frequency and Wavelength The distance a radio wave travels in one cycle is called wavelength. V+ One Cycle 0V time V- One Wavelength

30. Wavelength Formula To convert from frequency to wavelength also this tells you what Band you are on: Wavelength and Frequency are Inversely Proportional. As one goes up, the other must go down. 300 freq (MHz) Wavelength/Band =

31. On what amateur bands will you find these frequencies? 3.975 MHz _______ meter band 21.25 MHz _______ meter band 145.21 MHz _______ meter band 7,233 kHz _______ meter band 28.350 MHz _______ meter band 80/75 15 2 40 10

32. What is an amateur station control point? A. The location of the station’s transmitting antenna B. The location of the station transmitting apparatus C. The location in which the control operation function is performed D. The mailing address of the station licensee

33. How soon may you operate a transmitter on an Amateur radio service frequency after you pass the examination required for you first amateur radio license? A. Immediately B. 30 days after the test date C. As soon as your name and call sign appear in the FCC’s ULS database D. You must wait until you receive your license in the mail from the FCC

34. Which of the following types of transmissions Are prohibited? A. Transmissions that contain obscene or indecent words or language B. Transmissions to establish one-way communications C. Transmission to establish model aircraft control D. Transmissions for third party communications

35. What are the frequency limits of the VHF spectrum? A. 30 - 300 kHz B. 30 - 300 MHz C. 300 - 3000 kHz D. 300 - 3000 MHz

36. Which of the following is an acceptable language for use for station identification when operating in a phone sub-band? A. Any language recognized by the United Nations B. Any language recognized by the ITU C. The English language D. English, French or Spanish

37. What amount of transmitter power should be used on the uplink frequency of an amateur satellite or space station? A. The maximum power of your transmitter B. The minimum amount of power needed to complete the contact C. No more than half the rating of your linear amplifier D. No more than 1 watt

38. What is the maximum power allowed when transmitting telecommand signals to radio controlled models? A. 500 milliwatts B. 1 watt C. 25 watts D. 15-- watts

39. Operating Procedures Work the neighborhood on the repeater. Work the world on HF Right is a ProtoType “TSA Go Kit by J. Smith PNS for HF/VHF/UHF Voice and HF Email & will deliver 100 watts

40. Repeaters • Repeater: An amateur station that simultaneously retransmits the transmission of another amateur station on a different channel or channels • Why? A powerful repeater transmitter located at altitude greatly increases the effective range of weaker hand held and mobile radios.

41. Repeaters In order to use a repeater, you must first know the repeater’s transmit frequency and offset. The offset is the difference in the repeater’s transmit and receive frequencies. Most modern radios will calculate the offset for you.

42. A Repeater in Action Output Freq 145.21 MHz Input Freq 144.61 MHz Offset - 600 kHz 60 miles

43. Repeaters • Squelch: A squelch circuit keeps the radio speaker turned off until sufficient RF energy is present at the receiver. This keeps the radio quiet until a signal is received. In a repeater, the squelch also turns on the transmitter. • In some areas, there is such a level of RF noise the squelch circuit is constantly opening the audio. What do we do?

44. Repeaters • PL Tones: Developed by Motorola, Privacy Lock (PL) tones, or Continuous Tone Coded Squelch System (CTCSS) tones are sub-audible tones sent by your radio to the repeater along with your regular transmission. • On a PL equipped repeater, there must be enough signal strength to open the squelch, the PL tone must be present and on the correct frequency, before the repeater will retransmit a signal.

45. Repeaters • At the end of each transmission through a repeater, you will hear a “roger beep” or “courtesy tone” (a short beep, or series of beeps). • Do not begin your transmission until after you hear the courtesy beep. • Do not confuse the roger beep with the PL tone.

46. Repeater Operations • Listen! If nobody is there, then the repeater is not in use. Give your call sign once. • If the repeater is busy, wait for a break and give your call sign ONCE. • DO NOT “KER-CHUNK” THE REPEATER • Observe rotation, if there is one. • When calling another station, always give the other station’s call sign first, then yours. • ID every 10 minutes and at the end of the conversation (QSO), you need not ID after every exchange.

47. Autopatch Amateurs can use the repeater’s “autopatch” to connect to the public telephone network via radio.

48. Autopatch • You can make phone calls from your radio • All repeaters are required to have a 3 minute transmit time-out feature. This applies to the autopatch as well. • Do not abuse the autopatch. • Use judgment calling 911. • Use of autopatch may be subject to payment of dues to the repeater owner or club.

49. The World of High Frequency (HF) These are the traditional world wide bands people usually associate with ham radio.

50. HF/Single Sideband (SSB) Operations • When trying to find a clear frequency, LISTEN FIRST, then ask, “Is this frequency in use? <call sign>.” • If the frequency is clear, then call “CQ” 3 x 3 - Call CQ three times followed by your call sign phonetically three times, listen, repeat. • When calling another station, always give the other station’s call sign first, then yours. • ID every 10 minutes and at the end of the QSO, you need not ID after every exchange. • Give stations you contact honest signal reports.