12 November 19

The most common RF mixer is known as
A. Jones Cell
B. Gilbert Cell
C. Barrie Cell
D. Howard Cell
Answer is B… The basic circuit concept that is employed in the Gilbert cell mixer was originally devices by H E Jones, but it was used in other applications.

The Gilbert cell mixer topology was first used as a mixer by Barrie Gilbert around 1967 / 68. Although Gilbert himself did not suggest the use of the name, it is widely used to describe this mixer circuit topology.

More at Electronics Notes and at Wikipedia

9 November 19

The “S” in RS and RST report stands for
A. Signal
B. Strength
C. Meter
D. Sound
Answer B

From Wikipedia

The S stands for “Strength”. Strength is an assessment of how powerful the received signal is at the receiving location. Although an accurate signal strength meter can determine a quantitative value for signal strength, in practice this portion of the RST code is a qualitative assessment, often made based on the S meter of the radio receiver at the location of signal reception. “Strength” is measured on a scale of 1 to 9.

  1. Faint—signals barely perceptible
  2. Very weak signals
  3. Weak signals
  4. Fair signals
  5. Fairly good signals
  6. Good signals
  7. Moderately strong signals
  8. Strong signals
  9. Extremely strong signals

8 November 19

The “R” in RST and RS stands for
A. Reading
B. Read
C. Readability
D. Radio Reading
Answer is C…

From Wikipedia

The R stands for “Readability”. Readability is a qualitative assessment of how easy or difficult it is to correctly copy the information being sent during the transmission. In a Morse code telegraphy transmission, readability refers to how easy or difficult it is to distinguish each of the characters in the text of the message being sent; in a voice transmission, readability refers to how easy or difficult it is for each spoken word to be understood correctly. Readability is measured on a scale of 1 to 5.[8]

  1. Unreadable
  2. Barely readable, occasional words distinguishable
  3. Readable with considerable difficulty
  4. Readable with practically no difficulty
  5. Perfectly readable

7 November 19

When was the first successful duplexer built

A. 1872
B. 1892
C. 1902
D. 1922

Answer is A… 

The first really successful duplex was designed by Joseph Barker Stearns of Boston in 1872. This was further developed into the quadruplex telegraph by Thomas Edison. The device is estimated to have saved Western Union $500,000 per year in construction of new telegraph lines.

He was president of Franklin Telegraph Co., from 1869 to 1871, during which time he invented the first practical system of duplex telegraphy which was successfully applied to the English, French and Belgian lines. Two years later this system was used for the Atlantic cables. He sold rights under his duplex patents to the Western Union Telegraph and Cable Companies, receiving large royalties for the use of his inventions from governments in England, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Russia and India, and several submarine cable companies. From 1879 to 1880, he was employed as engineer by the Mexican Telegraph Company in making, laying, and putting into operation the cables of that company between Galveston, Texas, and Veracruz, Mexico. In 1881, he performed a similar service for the Central and South American Telegraph Company, whose cables extended from the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Mexico to Callao, Peru, in all between 4,000 and 5,000 miles. This work he completed in 1882.

3 November 19

When giving a signal report on sideband would you be giving an RST or an RS report
A. RST
B. RS
Answer is B… The “T” stands for tone and applies to CW and digital modes…

From Wikipedia

The T stands for “Tone” and is measured on a scale of 1 to 9. Tone only pertains to Morse code and other digital transmission modes and is therefore omitted during voice operations. With modern technology, imperfections in the quality of transmitters’ digital modulation severe enough to be detected by human ears are rare.[8]

Value 1936 definition modern definition
1 Extremely rough hissing note Sixty cycle a.c or less, very rough and broad
2 Very rough a.c. note, no trace of musicality Very rough a.c., very harsh and broad
3 Rough, low-pitched a.c. note, slightly musical Rough a.c. tone, rectified but not filtered
4 Rather rough a.c. note, moderately musical Rough note, some trace of filtering
5 Musically modulated note Filtered rectified a.c. but strongly ripple-modulated
6 Modulated note, slight trace of whistle Filtered tone, definite trace of ripple modulation
7 Near d.c. note, smooth ripple Near pure tone, trace of ripple modulation
8 Good d.c. note, just a trace of ripple Near perfect tone, slight trace of modulation
9 Purest d.c. note Perfect tone, no trace of ripple or modulation of any kind
If there are other notable tonal qualities add one or more of the letters AXlisted below, after the number.

Suffixes were historically added to indicate other signal properties, and might be sent as 599K to indicate a clear, strong signal but with bothersome key clicks.

Suffix code Meaning
A signal distorted by auroral propagation[10]
C “chirp” (frequency shift when keying)
K key clicks
M signal distorted by multipath propagation
S signal distorted by scatter propagation
X stable frequency (crystal control)

2 November 19

The requirement of having to pass a CW test was an FCC requirement
A. True
B. False
Answer B – False

By Report and Order 05-235 the FCC has modified the amateur radio service rules, eliminating Morse code exam requirements.
The current amateur service operator license structure contains three classes of amateur radio operator licenses: Technician Class, General Class, and Amateur Extra Class.
Previously, the Commission, in accordance with international radio regulations, required applicants for General Class and Amateur Extra Class operator licenses to pass a five words-per-minute Morse code examination.
The FCC has decided that is no longer a requirement because the FCC believes that the public interest is not served by requiring facility in Morse Code when the trend in amateur communications is to use voice and digital technologies for exchanging messages.
This change eliminates an unnecessary regulatory burden that may discourage current amateur radio operators from advancing their skills and participating more fully in the benefits of amateur radio.
The new FCC rules went into effect on February 23, 2007. All Technician licensees — whether or not they have passed a Morse code examination — will have “Tech Plus” operating privileges. This means you will have all of your current VHF/UHF and above frequencies and also will have access to the Novice/Technician Plus frequencies on HF to operate voice on 10 meters and CW on several HF bands..
If you have a Certificate for Successful Completion of Examination (CSCE) for Element 3 (General written test) and have been waiting for the FCC to drop the Morse code requirement. It will not happen automatically. You also will need to wait until the new rules are in effect. CSCEs remain valid for 365 days. There’s been no change in that rule. If you have a non-expired CSCE for Element 3 credit, you would need to take the CSCE to a VE test session and have the examination team prepare and submit the paperwork for your license upgrade.
If you hold a novice license, there is no grandfather provision. In order to upgrade to Technician, you will need to pass the Element 2 written examination. The FCC did not change operating privileges for Novice, General, Advanced and Amateur Extra class licensees.

31 October 19

Voice of America had multiple sites during WW2 and the fall back was located in West Chester Ohio. This station is an operational museum. A division of VOA is the West Chester Amature Radio Club (WC8VOA) they do contesting and other events from the site.

More on VOA which was also known as the Bethany Relay Station can be found at Wikipedia

During the early during the 50’s VOA had plans for a fleet of ships to be known as “Truth Ships”, the first went on the air April 18, 1952 while on a cruise to the Panama Canal Zone. The ships name was USCGC Courier. For the whole story on the Courier (Click Here)

VOA-USIA_Booklet-1965

30 October 19

In what year did the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) authorize amateur radio spread spectrum communications?

A: 1985
B: 1988
C: 1990
D: 1992
Answer A…The ISM bands were first established at the International Telecommunications Conference of the ITU in Atlantic City, 1947. In the U.S., the FCC first made unlicensed spread spectrum available in the ISM bands in rules adopted on May 9, 1985

More at Wikipedia