In article , Robert Casey
writes:
QST for July 1960, page 54. "FCC Written Exam Procedure Changing" . This
article describes the new FCC answer sheet that will go into use "in a few
months". It shows the new answer sheet and describes how the "draw a
diagram" questions will be replaced by questions about a diagram, such
as "what should be done to neutralize this circuit"
Back in 1976 when I took the general written at the FCC field office, I
remember that question was on it. The circuit looked a lot like an IF stage
of an
early transistor radio, which also used neutralization.
I recall a similar question in 1968.
So of the other questions required knowledge of a few different points
of knowledge to get right. "You have a linear which uses B+ of 800V.
For use with SSB, what is the max current your ampmeter on the finals will
show?"
You had to know
1) The FCC dictated input "plate" power for power limits for hams,
And that the amateur rules of the time dictated that hams measure
plate/collector power input, not transmitter output.
2) What the power limit was for SSB,
And the band in use
3) and how to factor in PEP averaging.
And
4) how to calculate plate power.
Yup - all in *one* little multiple choice question!
Knew everything except I was hazy on how to do #3. SSB voice is full of
short bursts
of higher power; however an analog amp meter's needle isn't responsive
enough to show
those spikes. So does this lack of response compensate for the FCC
permitting SSB
spikes up to 2KW, where CW is limited to 1KW (back then in the good 'ol
days)?
The rule was 2 kW peak, which worked out to 1 kW average, according to the
rules.
I made the choice to assume that this is true, and selected 1.25 amps
for the answer. No
way of knowing if I got it right or not, but I did pass (though by a
thin margin of one excess
correct answer). Embarrising as I was an EE student in college at the
time. :-)
Which is why FCC makes all applicants take the test, regardless of their
"professional" status.
I did
ace the code test, which I had not expected to do so well on. Sometimes
wonder if
they gave me an all dit suffix (ISE) because I did so well on code.. :-)
I did ace my restructured upgrade to "extra lite" a few years ago.
And what did you think of the written tests then?
73 de Jim, N2EY
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