# RAE objectives and syllabus

## Appendix A

### Assessment pattern

The Radio Amateurs Examination consists of one paper, 7650 containing 80 multiple-choice questions. Questions are allocated to the syllabus sections as indicated below. Candidates must pass Part A to pass the examination as a whole.

7650 - Radio Amateurs Examination (2 hours and 15 minutes

Syllabus | Questions
Part A |
1 Licensing conditions | 18
2 Operating procedures and practices | 7
Part B |
3 Electronic principles and practice | 6
4 Receivers, transmitters and transceivers | 8
5 Transmitter interference | 14
6 Electromagnetic compatibility | 14
7 Propagation and antennas | 7
8 Measurements | 6
Total | 80 questions

## Appendix B

### Notes for guidance

#### General

The objective of the examination is to test the candidate's suitability to operate an amateur radio station. The candidate should have a knowledge of the current licence conditions, the causes, symptoms and cures of radio interference as it applies to amateur radio stations and an understanding on how the equipment must coexist with other electronic equipment. In order to achieve this objective the candidate requires a general knowledge of elementary radio communication. It is essential that components used in transceivers are shown to the candidates. Practical work, which should include tuning of transceivers, measurement of harmonics and use of test equipment, should be carried out wherever possible. Graphical symbols used in diagrams should be in accordance with the British Standards Institution publication BS3939 Graphical symbols for electrical power, telecommunications and electronics diagrams. A selection of relevant symbols is given in BSI Education publication PP7303 Electrical and electronic graphical symbols for schools and colleges.

#### Section 1 - Licensing conditions

It is essential that each candidate should have a personal copy of How to become a Radio Amateur including the Terms, Provisions and Limitations Booklet BR68 (obtainable from Radiocommunications Agency, Document Distribution Centre, 8th Floor, New King's Beam House, 22 Upper Ground, London SE1 9SA, Tele: 0171 211 0502 or 0505). Questions will be set on the information contained in the booklet. A copy of the Schedule will be supplied to candidates for reference during the examination.

#### Section 2 - Operating procedures and practices

The questions are intended to examine such operating procedures and practices which, if not observed, could lead to breaches of licence conditions. For example, questions will not examine the details to be entered in a log book but could cover methods of setting out log entries.

#### Section 3 - Electronic principles and practice

The syllabus items should be dealt with so as to give clear elementary concepts. Candidates should know the formulae for calculating resonant frequency of a circuit, inductive reactance, capacitance, impedance, dynamic resistance, Q factor for a.c. circuits, but will not be required to derive any of these from first principles.

As components often have tolerances of up to ±20% (and sometimes greater), calculations beyond two places of decimals are not required. For example,π2 can be taken as equal to 10, 10/π as 3.2, and 1/2π as 0.16. Simple equations, squares, square roots, and positive and negative powers of 10, will cover nearly all calculations.

The three simple amplifier configurations should be taught with stress on biasing and input and output impedances. Candidates should have a knowledge of the applications of integrated circuits in amateur radio. For example, it will be necessary to know that integrated circuits are available that will stabilize the output voltage of a power supply. Candidates will need to know what stabilization means and why it is necessary, but will not need to know how the integrated circuit used is constructed or what circuitry it contains.

#### Section 4 - Receivers, transmitters and transceivers

Candidates should have an understanding of the general principles of reception, including the need for selectivity, sensitivity and demodulation and amplification of received signals in the s.s.b. and f.m. modes. They should be able to explain in general terms the superheterodyne principle of reception with the aid of a block diagram and should have a general knowledge of the circuitry covering amplification, frequency changing diode demodulation, heterodyne reception of continuous wave telegraphy and automatic gain control.

Individual parts of receiver circuitry can be treated in some detail, the whole being represented by block diagrams. Image (second channel) problems with superheterodyne receivers should be clearly understood. The ratio detector circuit can be used for explaining f.m. demodulation and limiting.

The emphasis is on understanding the operation and use of a transmitter, including knowledge of simple typical circuits. Candidates should understand the general principles of s.s.b. and f.m. Although candidates will be expected to know the classes of emission involved in all types of transmission in common use, they will not be required to answer questions on the techniques or equipment involved in all these modes. The transceiver should be recognized as a transmitter and receiver with some common circuitry; candidates should be familiar with all its controls.

#### Section 5 - Transmitter interference

The emphasis here is on the cause and effects of the various forms of interference which can be produced by transmitting apparatus. This includes all forms of spurious emission such as harmonics and parasitic oscillations from all types of transmission in common use, as well as out-of-band radiation of the fundamental due to poor frequency stability or poor frequency measuring techniques. Some knowledge of high and low pass filters and screening and of the elementary design principles and operation of oscillators is required

#### Section 6 - Electromagnetic compatibility

With the increased use of electronic equipment in close proximity to radio transmitters, the e.m.c. syllabus has been designed to ensure that candidates have knowledge of the problems likely to arise when an amateur operates in a domestic environment and when operating mobile and the practical skills to remedy them.

#### Section 7 - Propagation and antennas

Only well established principles are required and candidates will not be questioned on experimental aspects of propagation.

Candidates should have a knowledge of typical antennas used by radio amateurs, e.g. simple end-fed, dipole, multiband wire antennas including trap dipole, ground plane, Yagi (including multiband) and quad and their polar diagrams.

#### Section 8 - Measurements

Emphasis is on the practical use of the various instruments used in amateur radio. Questions may be asked on the limitations of the instalments mentioned in the syllabus. Candidates should be able to calculate the d.c. power input, r.f. power output, efficiency and dissipation of a p.a. stage. Detailed questions will not be asked on the circuitry of the instalments although candidates will be expected to recognize the circuits, e.g. s.w.r. meter, crystal calibrator and multimeter.

(Reproduced by kind permission of The City & Guilds of London Institute)

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