General Class Practice Test

Select the most correct answer for each question, then submit your practice test to check your score. This practice test randomly pulls one question from each topic in the General pool.

Good Luck!

G9C05:

How does increasing boom length and adding directors affect a Yagi antenna?

Gain increases
Beamwidth increases
Front-to-back ratio decreases
Front-to-side ratio decreases

G1E05:

What types of messages for a third party in another country may be transmitted by an amateur station?

Any message, as long as the amateur operator is not paid
Only messages for other licensed amateurs
Only messages relating to Amateur Radio or remarks of a personal character, or messages relating to emergencies or disaster relief
Any messages, as long as the text of the message is recorded in the station log

G1A02:

On which of the following bands is phone operation prohibited?

160 meters
30 meters
17 meters
12 meters

G6A06:

Which of the following is a reason not to use wire-wound resistors in an RF circuit?

The resistor's tolerance value would not be adequate for such a circuit
The resistor's inductance could make circuit performance unpredictable
The resistor could overheat
The resistor's internal capacitance would detune the circuit

G2C09:

What does the Q signal "QSL" mean?

Send slower
We have already confirmed by card
I acknowledge receipt
We have worked before

G3A04:

Which of the following are least reliable for long-distance communications during periods of low solar activity?

80 meters and 160 meters
60 meters and 40 meters
30 meters and 20 meters
15 meters, 12 meters, and 10 meters

G7C06:

What should be the impedance of a low-pass filter as compared to the impedance of the transmission line into which it is inserted?

Substantially higher
About the same
Substantially lower
Twice the transmission line impedance

G9D09:

What is the primary use of a Beverage antenna?

Directional receiving for low HF bands
Directional transmitting for low HF bands
Portable direction finding at higher HF frequencies
Portable direction finding at lower HF frequencies

G4C10:

What could be a symptom of a ground loop somewhere in your station?

You receive reports of "hum" on your station's transmitted signal
The SWR reading for one or more antennas is suddenly very high
An item of station equipment starts to draw excessive amounts of current
You receive reports of harmonic interference from your station

G5B03:

How many watts of electrical power are used if 400 VDC is supplied to an 800 ohm load?

0.5 watts
200 watts
400 watts
3200 watts

G8C07:

How does the receiving station respond to an ARQ data mode packet containing errors?

It terminates the contact
It requests the packet be retransmitted
It sends the packet back to the transmitting station
It requests a change in transmitting protocol

G2B06:

What is a practical way to avoid harmful interference on an apparently clear frequency before calling CQ on CW or phone?

Send "QRL?" on CW, followed by your call sign; or, if using phone, ask if the frequency is in use, followed by your call sign
Listen for 2 minutes before calling CQ
Send the letter "V" in Morse code several times and listen for a response, or say "test" several times and listen for a response
Send "QSY" on CW or if using phone, announce "the frequency is in use," then give your call sign and listen for a response

G6B06:

What kind of device is an integrated circuit operational amplifier?

Digital
MMIC
Programmable Logic
Analog

G3C10:

What is Near Vertical Incidence Skywave (NVIS) propagation?

Propagation near the MUF
Short distance MF or HF propagation using high elevation angles
Long path HF propagation at sunrise and sunset
Double hop propagation near the LUF

G2D08:

What is a reason why many amateurs keep a station log?

The ITU requires a log of all international contacts
The ITU requires a log of all international third-party traffic
The log provides evidence of operation needed to renew a license without retest
To help with a reply if the FCC requests information

G4B03:

Which of the following is the best instrument to use when checking the keying waveform of a CW transmitter?

An oscilloscope
A field strength meter
A sidetone monitor
A wavemeter

G9A02:

What are the typical characteristic impedances of coaxial cables used for antenna feed lines at amateur stations?

25 and 30 ohms
50 and 75 ohms
80 and 100 ohms
500 and 750 ohms

G1C15:

What measurement is specified by FCC rules that regulate maximum power output?

RMS
Average
Forward
PEP

G9B06:

Where should the radial wires of a ground-mounted vertical antenna system be placed?

As high as possible above the ground
Parallel to the antenna element
On the surface of the Earth or buried a few inches below the ground
At the center of the antenna

G7B04:

Which of the following describes the function of a two input NOR gate?

Output is high when either or both inputs are low
Output is high only when both inputs are high
Output is low when either or both inputs are high
Output is low only when both inputs are high

G1D06:

When must you add the special identifier "AG" after your call sign if you are a Technician class licensee and have a Certificate of Successful Completion of Examination (CSCE) for General class operator privileges, but the FCC has not yet posted your upgrade on its website?

Whenever you operate using General class frequency privileges
Whenever you operate on any amateur frequency
Whenever you operate using Technician frequency privileges
A special identifier is not required if your General class license application has been filed with the FCC

G2A09:

Why do most amateur stations use lower sideband on the 160-meter, 75-meter, and 40-meter bands?

Lower sideband is more efficient than upper sideband at these frequencies
Lower sideband is the only sideband legal on these frequency bands
Because it is fully compatible with an AM detector
It is good amateur practice

G3B07:

What does LUF stand for?

The Lowest Usable Frequency for communications between two points
The Longest Universal Function for communications between two points
The Lowest Usable Frequency during a 24-hour period
The Longest Universal Function during a 24-hour period

G8A04:

What emission is produced by a reactance modulator connected to a transmitter RF amplifier stage?

Multiplex modulation
Phase modulation
Amplitude modulation
Pulse modulation

G0B12:

What is the purpose of a power supply interlock?

To prevent unauthorized changes to the circuit that would void the manufacturer's warranty
To shut down the unit if it becomes too hot
To ensure that dangerous voltages are removed if the cabinet is opened
To shut off the power supply if too much voltage is produced

G4A15:

Which of the following can be a symptom of transmitted RF being picked up by an audio cable carrying AFSK data signals between a computer and a transceiver?

The VOX circuit does not un-key the transmitter
The transmitter signal is distorted
Frequent connection timeouts
All these choices are correct

G5C13:

Which of the following components should be added to a capacitor to increase the capacitance?

An inductor in series
A resistor in series
A capacitor in parallel
A capacitor in series

G4D10:

How close to the lower edge of the phone segment should your displayed carrier frequency be when using 3 kHz wide LSB?

At least 3 kHz above the edge of the segment
At least 3 kHz below the edge of the segment
At least 1 kHz below the edge of the segment
At least 1 kHz above the edge of the segment

G5A10:

Which of the following devices can be used for impedance matching at radio frequencies?

A transformer
A Pi-network
A length of transmission line
All these choices are correct

G0A05:

What must you do if an evaluation of your station shows RF energy radiated from your station exceeds permissible limits?

Take action to prevent human exposure to the excessive RF fields
File an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS-97) with the FCC
Secure written permission from your neighbors to operate above the controlled MPE limits
All these choices are correct

G4E03:

Which of the following direct, fused power connections would be the best for a 100 watt HF mobile installation?

To the battery using heavy-gauge wire
To the alternator or generator using heavy-gauge wire
To the battery using resistor wire
To the alternator or generator using resistor wire

G1B10:

What is the power limit for beacon stations?

10 watts PEP output
20 watts PEP output
100 watts PEP output
200 watts PEP output

G8B04:

What is the stage in a VHF FM transmitter that generates a harmonic of a lower frequency signal to reach the desired operating frequency?

Mixer
Reactance modulator
Pre-emphasis network
Multiplier

G2E04:

What segment of the 20-meter band is most often used for digital transmissions (avoiding the DX propagation beacons)?

14.000 - 14.050 MHz
14.070 - 14.112 MHz
14.150 - 14.225 MHz
14.275 - 14.350 MHz

G7A06:

What portion of the AC cycle is converted to DC by a full-wave rectifier?

90 degrees
180 degrees
270 degrees
360 degrees