Short Course for
the
Amateur Radio
Technician License
Element 2
Richie Allen KC5NZR
kc5nzr@arrl.net
Sponsored by:
Albuquerque Amateur Radio
Club
Who is the Amateur Operator?
•
•
•
•
History of the Amateur Service
Innovations
Public Service
Real Life Examples
2
Video
Amateur Radio Today
3
Course Syllabus (NYT pages 12,13)
T1 FCC Rules
T2 Operating Procedures
T3 Propagation
T4 Ham Radio Practices
T5 Electrical Principles
T6 Circuit Components
T7 Practical Circuits
T8 Signals and Emissions
T9 Antennas & Feedlines
T0 RF Safety
9 Questions
5 Questions
3 Questions
4 Questions
3 Questions
2 Questions
2 Questions
2 Questions
2 Questions
3 Questions
35 total questions on exam
4
EXAM (element 2)
•35 questions from the question pool in chapter 12
of NYT
• Administered by a Volunteer Examiner (VE) team
•Test fee $12 as of 1/1/2003
•1:00 PM Sunday, right here
•Bring: photo ID, second ID, exam fee, pencils,
calculator
•Your instructor is not a member of the VE team
•There are other exam opportunities, but this
course is designed to optimize your short term
retention of the material
5
License Classes
•Technician
•Technician with code
•General
•Extra
6
Federal Communications Commission
FCC
•Governing agency of Amateur Radio
•Part 97
Principles of the amateur service
•Increase number of trained radio operators
•Improve international good will
Terms
•Amateur Station
•Control operator
•License
•License grant
•License class
•License term
•Grace period
•Form 605
7
Wavelength, Frequency & RF
Electromagnetic Spectrum
8
Wavelength, Frequency & RF
9
Wavelength, Frequency & RF
10
11
Frequency Privileges (ITU region 2)
VHF, UHF, Microwave (Tech bands)
•6 meters
•2 meters
•1.25 meters
•70 cm
•33 cm
•23 cm
•13 cm
50.0 - 54.0 MHz
144.0 - 148.0 MHz
222.0 - 225.0 MHz
420.0 - 450.0 MHz
902.0 - 928.0 MHz
1240.0 - 1300.0 MHz
2300 - 2310, 2390 - 2450 MHz
12
Frequency Privileges (ITU region 2)
HF (Tech with code)
•80 meters
•40 meters
•15 meters
•10 meters
3675 - 3725 kHz
7100 - 7150 kHz
21.100 - 21.200 MHz
28.100 - 28.500 MHz
13
Emission Privileges
Basic Emission Types
•Phone: AM, SSB, FM
•RTTY: direct printing radio telegraphy
•Data: Packet (APRS), ASCII
•Image: FAX, SSTV, FSTV
•CW: Morse Code
Another term:
CSCE
14
Emission Privileges
•HF
•6 meter phone
•2 meter image
•2 meter CW only
•80 meter tech
•7100 - 7150 tech
•28.1 - 28.5 MHz
•1.25 meters
•23 cm
•70 cm image
Tech cannot use FM
50.1 - 54.0 MHz
144.1 - 148.0 MHz
144.0 - 144.1
CW only
CW only
CW, RTTY, DATA
all emissions
all emissions
420 - 450 MHz
15
Emission Privileges
16
More FCC Regulations
•Control point
•responsible party
•your responsibility
•control operator
•ID requirements
•Third party
•Broadcasting
•Codes, ciphers
•One way transmissions
•Secondary users
•Repeater coordination
•Peak Envelope Power
•DATA, RTTY rates
17
FCC Regulations (cont)
•Space communication
•Deceptive signals
•More ID requirements
•Harmful interference
•Beacon stations
•Radio control
•Emergency communication
•Broadcasting
•Obscene, Indecent language
18
Operating Procedures
•Before transmitting
•Emergencies
•Using appropriate frequency
•Testing a transmitter
•Morse code “CQ”, “DE”
19
Operating Procedures (cont)
Amateur Repeaters
20
Operating Procedures (cont)
Amateur Repeaters
21
Operating Procedures (cont)
Amateur Repeaters
22
Operating Procedures (cont)
Using a repeater
I/O Offsets
•Autopatch
•Calling
•Courtesy tone
•Rush hour
•Breaking
•I/O offset
•Time out timer
•CTCSS/PL
•2 meter
600 kHz
•1.25 meter 1.6 MHz
•70 cm
5 MHz
•Purpose
•Open/Closed
•Courtesy
23
Operating Procedures
•Simplex
•RST
•CQ
•QSL Card
•Full Quieting
•Distress Calls
•SOS
•Mayday
•“Break, break!”
•Emergency messages
•Equipment for emergency
24
Operating Procedures
Voice communication
ITU Phonetics
25
Operating Procedures
Packet Radio
26
Operating Procedures
Packet Radio
27
Operating Procedures
Digital transmissions
•RTTY
•“CONNECTED”
•“MONITORING”
•Digipeater
•Network
28
Operating Procedures
•CW & SSB on HF
•Answering CQ on RTTY
•Operating on commercial aircraft
•Operating away from home
29
Propagation
30
Propagation
Ionosphere
31
Propagation
•Line of sight
•Ionosphere
•Ionosphere regions
•UV radiation
•Reflections
•Ducting
•Inversion
•EME
•Satellites
32
Propagation
Ionospheric Propagation
33
Propagation
Ionospheric Propagation
34
Propagation
Ionospheric Propagation
•D region characteristics
•Scatter
•MUF
•Ground Wave
•Sky-wave
•Skip zone
•F region characteristics
•Sunspots
35
Amateur Radio Practices
•Grounding and lightning
•Electrical ground
•Safety
•Dummy antennas
36
Amateur Radio Practices
SWR Standing Wave Ratio
•Good SWR 1.5:1 or less
•High SWR indicates antenna is wrong length,
or there is an open or short in the feed line.
Lo
Hi
50.1………………………………………………..54.0 MHz
2.5:1 -----------------------------------------------------> 5:1
Antenna is too long!
37
Amateur Radio Practices
SWR Standing Wave Ratio
Lo
Hi
144.1……………………………………………148.0 MHz
5:1 <--------------------------------------------------------- 2.5:1
Antenna is too short!
•SWR meter
•1:1
38
Amateur Radio Practices
Test equipment
•Voltmeter
•Ammeter
•RF wattmeter
•Multimeter
•Directional wattmeter
•Fuses
39
Amateur Radio Practices
Radio Frequency Interference
•Receiver overload
•Harmonic Radiation
•Low pass filter
•High pass filter
40
Electrical Principles
•Hz - kHz
•ma - ampere
•Ampere
•Volt
•Conductors & insulators
•Open & short circuits
•Resistance & Resistors
•Inductance & Inductors
•Capacitance & Capacitors
•Parallel & Series connections
41
Electrical Principles
Ohm’s Law
E = Electromotive Force
measured in VOLTS
I = Current
measured in AMPERES
R = Resistance
measured in OHMS
42
Electrical Principles
Ohm’s Law
I=E/R
I is expressed in AMPS
R=E/I
R is expressed in OHMS
E=IxR
E is expressed in VOLTS
43
Electrical Principles
Ohm’s Law
T5C04
If a current of 2 amperes flows through a 50-ohm
resistor, what is the voltage across the resistor?
E=IxR
E = 2 x 50
A. 25 volts
B. 52 volts
C. 100 volts
D. 200 volts
44
Electrical Principles
Ohm’s Law
T5C05
If a 100-ohm resistor is connected to 200 volts, what is
the current through the resistor?
I=E/R
I = 200 / 100
A. 1 ampere
B. 2 amperes
C. 300 amperes
D. 20,000 amperes
45
Electrical Principles
Ohm’s Law
T5C06
If a current of 3 amperes flows through a resistor
connected to 90 volts, what is the resistance?
R=E/I
R = 90 / 3
A. 3 ohms
B. 30 ohms
C. 93 ohms
D. 270 ohms
46
Electrical Principles
Other concepts
•Power
•Watt
•Wavelength
•Frequency
•AC
•DC
47
Circuit Components
Resistors
Variable Resistor
48
Circuit Components
Resistors
Fixed Resistor
49
Circuit Components
Switches
Double Pole Single Throw
DPST
Single Pole Single Throw
SPST
50
Circuit Components
Fuses, batteries
Fuse
Single Cell Battery
51
Circuit Components
More on resistors
Fixed Resistor
52
Circuit Components
More on resistors
Fixed Resistor
53
Circuit Components
Transistors
PNP Transistor
“Points in proudly”
NPN Transistor
“Not pointing in”
54
Circuit Components
Antenna & ground
Earth Ground
Antenna
55
Circuit Components
Capacitors
Fixed Capacitor
Variable Capacitor
56
Circuit Components
Inductors
Fixed Inductor
Variable Inductor
57
Circuit Components
Capacitors
58
Circuit Components
Capacitors
Fixed Capacitor
59
Circuit Components
Capacitors
Variable Capacitor
60
Practical Circuits
Functional Layout
Terms
•Antenna switch
•Feed line
•Power supply
•Antenna tuner
•Dummy load
61
Practical Circuits
Functional Layout
T7A05
In Figure N7-1, if block 1 is a transceiver and block 3
is a dummy antenna, what is block 2?
A.
B.
C.
D.
A terminal-node switch
An antenna switch
A telegraph key switch
A high-pass filter
62
Practical Circuits
Functional Layout
T7A05
In Figure N7-1, if block 1 is a transceiver and block 3
is a dummy antenna, what is block 2?
A. A terminal-node switch
B. An antenna switch
C. A telegraph key switch
D. A high-pass filter
63
Practical Circuits
Functional Layout
T7A06
In Figure N7-1, if block 1 is a transceiver and block 2
is an antenna switch, what is block 3?
A.
B.
C.
D.
A terminal-node switch
An SWR meter
A telegraph key switch
A dummy antenna
64
Practical Circuits
Functional Layout
T7A06
In Figure N7-1, if block 1 is a transceiver and block 2
is an antenna switch, what is block 3?
A. A terminal-node switch
B. An SWR meter
C. A telegraph key switch
D. A dummy antenna
65
Practical Circuits
Functional Layout
T7A07
In Figure N7-2, if block 1 is a transceiver and block 3
is an antenna switch, what is block 2?
A.
B.
C.
D.
A terminal-node switch
A dipole antenna
An SWR meter
A high-pass filter
66
Practical Circuits
Functional Layout
T7A07
In Figure N7-2, if block 1 is a transceiver and block 3
is an antenna switch, what is block 2?
A. A terminal-node switch
B. A dipole antenna
C. An SWR meter
D. A high-pass filter
67
Practical Circuits
Functional Layout
T7A08
In Figure N7-3, if block 1 is a transceiver and block 2
is an SWR meter, what is block 3?
A.
B.
C.
D.
An antenna switch
An antenna tuner
A key-click filter
A terminal-node controller
68
Practical Circuits
Functional Layout
T7A08
In Figure N7-3, if block 1 is a transceiver and block 2
is an SWR meter, what is block 3?
A. An antenna switch
B. An antenna tuner
C. A key-click filter
D. A terminal-node controller
69
Practical Circuits
Functional Layout
•Microphone
•Modem, teleprinter, computer
•TNC Terminal Node Controller
70
Practical Circuits
Block diagrams
An FM receiver uses a limiter and a
discriminator to produce an audio signal.
These circuits are unique to FM receivers.
71
Practical Circuits
Block diagrams
T7B02
What circuit is pictured in Figure T7-1 if block 1 is a variablefrequency oscillator?
A.
B.
C.
D.
A packet-radio transmitter
A crystal-controlled transmitter
A single-sideband transmitter
A VFO-controlled transmitter
72
Practical Circuits
Block diagrams
T7B02
What circuit is pictured in Figure T7-1 if block 1 is a variablefrequency oscillator?
A. A packet-radio transmitter
B. A crystal-controlled transmitter
C. A single-sideband transmitter
D. A VFO-controlled transmitter
73
Practical Circuits
Block diagrams
T7B03
What circuit is pictured in Figure T7-1 if block 1 is a crystal
oscillator?
A.
B.
C.
D.
A crystal-controlled transmitter
A VFO-controlled transmitter
A single-sideband transmitter
A CW transceiver
74
Practical Circuits
Block diagrams
T7B03
What circuit is pictured in Figure T7-1 if block 1 is a crystal
oscillator?
A. A crystal-controlled transmitter
B. A VFO-controlled transmitter
C. A single-sideband transmitter
D. A CW transceiver
75
Practical Circuits
Block diagrams
T7B04
What type of circuit does Figure T7-2 represent if block 1 is a
product detector?
A.
B.
C.
D.
A simple phase modulation receiver
A simple FM receiver
A simple CW and SSB receiver
A double-conversion multiplier
76
Practical Circuits
Block diagrams
T7B04
What type of circuit does Figure T7-2 represent if block 1 is a
product detector?
A. A simple phase modulation receiver
B. A simple FM receiver
C. A simple CW and SSB receiver
D. A double-conversion multiplier
77
Practical Circuits
Block diagrams
T7B05
If Figure T7-2 is a diagram of a simple single-sideband
receiver, what type of circuit should be shown in block 1?
A.
B.
C.
D.
A high pass filter
A ratio detector
A low pass filter
A product detector
78
Practical Circuits
Block diagrams
T7B05
If Figure T7-2 is a diagram of a simple single-sideband
receiver, what type of circuit should be shown in block 1?
A. A high pass filter
B. A ratio detector
C. A low pass filter
D. A product detector
79
Practical Circuits
Block diagrams
T7B06
What circuit is pictured in Figure T7-3, if block 1 is a
frequency discriminator?
A.
B.
C.
D.
A double-conversion receiver
A variable-frequency oscillator
A superheterodyne receiver
An FM receiver
80
Practical Circuits
Block diagrams
T7B06
What circuit is pictured in Figure T7-3, if block 1 is a
frequency discriminator?
A. A double-conversion receiver
B. A variable-frequency oscillator
C. A superheterodyne receiver
D. An FM receiver
81
Practical Circuits
Filters
Low Pass Filter
Reduces harmonic
radiation
82
Practical Circuits
Filters
Band Pass Filter
Blocks RF above and
below a certain
frequency
83
Practical Circuits
A few more circuits
•Detector
•Duplexer
84
Signals and Emissions
RF emissions
RF Carrier
85
Signals and Emissions
RF emissions
Emission types, narrowest to widest:
CW
RTTY
SSB Signal
FM Signal
SSB
FM
2 - 3 kHz wide
10 - 20 kHz wide
86
Signals and Emissions
RF emissions
87
Signals and Emissions
RF emissions
Why use SSB?
Efficiency!
88
Signals and Emissions
RF emissions
•CW emissions
•Modulation
•Over deviation
•Splatter
•Harmonic radiation
•Testing microphones
•Grounding
89
Signals and Emissions
Modulation types
•Packet radio
•FM phone
•USB
•Phone emissions
•FSK
•Modern data transmission
•Over deviation
•Chirp
90
Antennas & feedlines
Wavelength and antenna length
Half wave dipole antenna
length = 468 / frequency (MHz)
Quarter wave vertical antenna
length (feet) = 234 / frequency (MHz)
91
Antennas & feedlines
Wavelength and antenna length
Half wave dipole antenna
92
Antennas & feedlines
Wavelength and antenna length
Quarter wave
vertical antenna
93
Antennas & feedlines
Wavelength and antenna length
How long should you make a 1/4
wave vertical for 440 MHz?
length (feet) = 234 / frequency (MHz)
length (feet) = 234 / 440 MHz
.5318 feet = 234 / 440 MHz
(.5318 * 12) inches = 234 / 440 MHz
6 inches
94
Antennas & feedlines
Wavelength and antenna length
How long should you make a 1/4
wave vertical for 28.450 MHz?
length (feet) = 234 / frequency (MHz)
length (feet) = 234 / 28.450 MHz
8.2249 feet = 234 / 28.450 MHz
8 feet
95
Antennas & feedlines
Wavelength and antenna length
How long should you make a 1/4
wave vertical for 146 MHz?
length (feet) = 234 / frequency (MHz)
length (feet) = 234 / 146 MHz
1.6 feet = 234 / 146 MHz
(1.6 * 12) inches = 234 / 440 MHz
19 inches
96
Antennas & feedlines
Wavelength and antenna length
If an antenna is made shorter
its resonant frequency………..
INCREASES
If an antenna is made longer
its resonant frequency……..
DECREASES
97
Antennas & feedlines
Wavelength and antenna length
To decrease the resonant
frequency of a dipole antenna...
LENGTHEN the
antenna
To increase the resonant
frequency of an antenna...
SHORTEN the
antenna
98
Antennas & feedlines
Wavelength and antenna length
Multi band antennas
- Allow operation on several bands
- Caveat: may radiate unwanted harmonics
99
Antennas & feedlines
Beam antennas - Yagi
100
Antennas & feedlines
Beam antennas - Yagi
101
Antennas & feedlines
Beam antennas - Yagi
102
Antennas & feedlines
Beam antennas - Yagi
•Directional antenna
•Yagi construction
•Driven element
•Parasitic elements
103
Antennas & feedlines
Beam antennas - Cubical Quad
Two or more parallel
four sided loops, each 1
wavelength long.
104
Antennas & feedlines
Antennas
•Ground plane
•Electrical noise
•SWR
•Feedlines
•Balun
105
RF Safety
Fundamentals, terms
•Use minimum power
•Most hazardous frequencies
•Biological effects
•Power density
•Near fields
•Microwave hazards
•FCC requirements
•MPE and the human body
•Specific absorption rate
106
RF Safety
Rules & guidelines
•Rules defined: FCC Part 1, OET Bulletin 65
•All sources of RF from a site must be considered
•MPE average in uncontrolled area: 30 minutes
•MPE average in controlled areas: 6 minutes
•Portable devices
•Certification of RF exposure rules: form 605
•All stations must comply
•Licensee is responsible for compliance
107
RF Safety
Rules & guidelines
•Body’s ability to absorb RF
•Duty cycle
•Impact of duty cycle on minimum safe distance
108
RF Safety
Routine station evaluation
•Power density measurement vs. other methods
•Do not have to perform calculations
•Hand held antennas
•UHF antennas
•RF burns
•Mobile installations
•Amplifier shielding
109
Clubs and organizations
•QST, Monthly magazine
•New! Members-Only Web Access
•Technical Information Service (TIS)
•Ham Radio Equipment Insurance
•A Voice in Washington
•ARRL Field Organization
An Amateur Radio VHF/UHF Wide
Coverage Repeater Linking System
Serving New Mexico, Southern Colorado,
Western Oklahoma, West Texas and
Eastern Arizona
110
Clubs and organizations
Albuquerque Amateur Radio Club
•License classes
•Operating activities
•Social gatherings
•Public service
111