Technician Licensing Class “T7”

1. Technician Licensing Class“T7” Our thanks to the Plano Amateur Radio Club, Plano, Texas

2. Amateur Radio Technician ClassElement 2 • ELEMENT 2 SUBELEMENTS • T1 - FCC Rules, station license responsibilities • T2 - Control operator duties • T3 - Operating practices • T4 - Radio and electronic fundamentals • T5 - Station setup and operation • T6 - Communications modes and methods • T7 - Special operations • T8 - Emergency and Public Service Communications • T9 - Radio waves, propagation, and antennas • T0 - Electrical and RF Safety

3. Special operations T7A • Radio direction finding • Radio direction finding is a method used to locate sources of noise interference or jamming. A directional antenna would be the most useful for a hidden transmitter hunt.

4. Special operations T7A • Operating in the field • A good thing to have when operating a hand-held transceiver away from home are one or more fully charged spare battery packs. • A 1500 watt output linear amplifier would probably not be very useful to include in an emergency response kit.

5. Special operations T7A • Operating in the field (cont) You can make the signal from a hand-held radio stronger when operating in the field by using an external antenna instead of the rubber-duck antenna.

6. Special operations T7A • Operating in the field (cont) • A combination headset and microphone would be a good thing to have when operating from a location that includes lots of crowd noise.

7. Special operations T7A • Radio control • The maximum power allowed when transmitting telecommand signals to radio controlled models is 1 watt. • The station identification requirement when sending commands to a radio control model using amateur frequencies is a label indicating the licensee's call sign and address affixed to the transmitter.

8. Special operations T7A • Contests • Contesting is a popular operating activity that involves contacting as many stations as possible during a specified period of time. (Field Day 2006, K5PRK) • A grid locator is a letter-number designator assigned to a geographic location.

9. Special operations T7B • Satellite operation, split frequency operation, operating protocols • The class of license required to use amateur satellites is any amateur whose license allows them to transmit on the satellite uplink frequency. • The minimum amount of power needed to complete the contact is the power that you should use to transmit when using an amateur satellite.

10. Special operations T7B • Satellite operation, split frequency operation, operating protocols (cont) • Something you can do when using an amateur radio satellite is talk to amateur radio operators in other countries. • A satellite beacon is a signal that contains information about a satellite.

11. Special operations T7B • Satellite sub bands • A satellite sub-band is a portion of a band where satellite operations are permitted. • The satellite sub-band on 70-CM is 435 to 438 MHz. • Orbit calculation • You should use a satellite tracking program to determine when you can access an amateur satellite.

12. Special operations T7B • Doppler shift • Doppler shift is a change in signal frequency caused by motion through space. (It does not cause radio frequency interference … RFI) • LEO • The initials, LEO, tell you that the amateur satellite is in a Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

13. Special operations T7A • Special event stations • A special event station is a temporary station that operates in conjunction with an activity of special significance.

14. Special operations T7B • AMSAT • AMSAT is the name of the group that coordinates the building and/or launch of the largest number of amateur radio satellites. • ISS communications • Any amateur with a Technician or higher class license may make contact with an astronaut on the International Space Station using amateur radio frequencies.

15. Take Aways • RDF … Radio Direction Finding • Locate interference or jamming • Directional antenna … hidden transmitter hunt • Spare batteries good to have when away from home QTH • 1500 Watt amplifier not too good an item for emergency response kit

16. Take Aways (cont) • Use external antenna instead of rubber-duck out in field • Combo headset/mic in noisy areas • Max power for RC models … 1 watt • Station ID for RC … affixed to the transmitter

17. Take Aways (cont) • Contacting as many stations as possible is contesting • Grid Locator: Letter/number assigned to geographic area • Uplink frequency determines class of license for satellite use • Power for contact to satellite is minimum needed • Satellite communications permits QSO with operators in other countries

18. Take Aways (cont) • Satellite beacon contains info on satellite • 70-CM … 435-438 Satellite sub-band • Doppler shift…change in frequency due to motion thru space • LEO … Low Earth Orbit • Special event station … temporary station with activity of special significance

19. Take Aways (cont) • AMSAT … Amateur Satellite. • Group builds/launches satellites • ISS … International Space Station • Tech or higher can contact ISS

20. Element 2 Technician Class Question PoolT7 Valid July 1, 2006 Through June 30, 2010

21. T7A01 What is a good thing to have when operating a hand-held transceiver away from home? • A selection of spare parts • A programming cable to load new channels • One or more fully charged spare battery packs • A dummy load

22. T7A02 Which of these items would probably not be very useful to include in an emergency response kit? • An external antenna and several feet of connecting cable • A 1500 watt output linear amplifier • A cable and clips for connecting your transceiver to an external battery • A listing of repeater frequencies and nets in your area

23. T7A03 How can you make the signal from a hand-held radio stronger when operating in the field? • Switch to VFO mode • Use an external antenna instead of the rubber-duck antenna • Stand so there is a metal building between you and other stations • Speak as loudly as you can

24. T7A04 What would be a good thing to have when operating from a location that includes lots of crowd noise? • A portable bullhorn • An encrypted radio • A combination headset and microphone • A pulse noise blanker

25. T7A05 What is a method used to locate sources of noise interference or jamming? • Echolocation • Doppler radar • Radio direction finding • Phase locking

26. T7A06 Which of these items would be the most useful for a hidden transmitter hunt? • Binoculars and a compass • A directional antenna • A calibrated noise bridge • Calibrated SWR meter

27. T7A07 What is a popular operating activity that involves contacting as many stations as possible during a specified period of time? • Contesting • Net operations • Public service events • Simulated emergency exercises

28. T7A09 What is a grid locator? • A letter-number designator assigned to a geographic location • Your azimuth and elevation • Your UTC location • The 4 digits that follow your ZIP code

29. T7A10 What is a special event station? • A station that sends out birthday greetings • A station that operates only on holidays • A temporary station that operates in conjunction with an activity of special significance • A station that broadcasts special events

30. T7A11 What is the maximum power allowed when transmitting telecommand signals to radio controlled models? • 500 milliwatts • 1 watt • 25 watts • 1500 watts

31. T7A12 What is the station identification requirement when sending commands to a radio control model using amateur frequencies? • Voice identification must be transmitted every 10 minutes • Morse code ID must be sent once per hour • A label indicating the licensee's call sign and address must be affixed to the transmitter • There is no station identification requirement for this service

32. T7B01 What class of license is required to use amateur satellites? • Only Extra class licensees can use amateur radio satellites • General or higher class licensees who have a satellite operator certification • Only persons who are AMSAT members and who have paid their dues • Any amateur whose license allows them to transmit on the satellite uplink frequency

33. T7B02How much power should you use to transmit when using an amateur satellite? • The maximum power of your transmitter • The minimum amount of power needed to complete the contact • No more than half the rating of your linear amplifier • Never more than 1 watt

34. T7B03 What is something you can do when using an amateur radio satellite? • Listen to the Space Shuttle • Get global positioning information • Make autopatch calls • Talk to amateur radio operators in other countries

35. T7B04 Who may make contact with an astronaut on the International Space Station using amateur radio frequencies? • Only members of amateur radio clubs at NASA facilities • Any amateur with a Technician or higher class license • Only the astronaut's family members who are hams • You cannot talk to the ISS on amateur radio frequencies

36. T7B05 What is a satellite beacon? • The primary transmit antenna on the satellite • An indicator light that that shows where to point your antenna • A reflective surface on the satellite • A signal that contains information about a satellite

37. T7B06 What should you use to determine when you can access an amateur satellite? • A GPS receiver • A field strength meter • A telescope • A satellite tracking program

38. T7B07 What is Doppler shift? • A change in the satellite orbit • A mode where the satellite receives signals on one band and transmits on another • A change in signal frequency caused by motion through space • A special digital communications mode for some satellites

39. T7B08What is the name of the group that coordinates the building and/or launch of the largest number of amateur radio satellites? • NSA • USOC • AMSAT • FCC

40. T7B09 What is a satellite sub-band? • A special frequency for talking to submarines • A frequency range limited to Extra Class licensees • A portion of a band where satellite operations are permitted • An obsolete term that has no meaning

41. T7B10 What is the satellite sub-band on 70-CM? • 420 to 450 MHz • 435 to 438 MHz • 440 to 450 MHz • 432 to 433 MHz

42. T7B11 What do the initials LEO tell you about an amateur satellite? • The satellite battery is in Low Energy Operation mode • The satellite is performing a Lunar Ejection Orbit maneuver • The satellite is in a Low Earth Orbit • The satellite uses Light Emitting Optics