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What type of technical questions are on the FCC Technician Exam? I am asking because I have been reading the FCC Rules as a study guide for the Technician Exam and I don't want there to be any surprises when I go and take the test.

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If you want to know exactly what to expect from the test, you can read the test questions; they are public. You can get them directly from the source at NCVEC.org, or you can use a web site designed to help you study the test such as HamStudy.org.

The Technician question pool has several sections with technical questions, but they are mainly vocabulary/concepts rather than any sort of, say, calculation.

There are sections on electronic principles and components, which are easy if you have some familiarity with electric circuits, and study enough about RF to know the difference between an inductor and a capacitor in RF circuits.

However, there are several other areas that will require specific study unless you have a background with which you probably wouldn't be asking this question. You need to learn about radio equipment, modes and propagation, and various jargon specific to amateur operation.

Finally, the big area that you didn't mention in your question, which is neither regulatory nor exactly technical, is operating procedures and practices. Unfortunately, there is no good way to get this information without reading the question pool or a study guide; nothing else is going to contain all of the information in one place, because it covers a wide variety of topics and some of the questions can be fairly obscure.

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  • $\begingroup$ Thanks for your answer. I do have a little background in electronics, which is why I am looking to get my Tech license. I need to transmit signals from my project that I have been working on for a while and I want to ensure that I am in compliance with big brother, and I don't want to interfere with anyone else's operations, or have them interfere with mine. What is you opinion on AARL's study guide? I am looking into purchasing that to study, I just am not sure if that is the best use of my money. As you have mentioned, it is hard to find all of the information in one place. $\endgroup$
    – RedDogAlpha
    Mar 11, 2016 at 2:37
  • $\begingroup$ The ARRL study guide is thorough. It's the best book if you want to learn the concepts as you study to pass the exam. If you want to learn the material quickly, you're better off with the Gordon West book. You might consider getting in touch with your local ham club; they'll have lots of advice and maybe they can let you borrow the book for free, or at least take a look at one to see if you want to buy it. $\endgroup$
    – rclocher3
    Mar 11, 2016 at 2:46
  • $\begingroup$ Also, there are on-line practice tests that help you through the material and the tests. A good set is located at: qrz.com/hamtest/?op=start&t=t2014 for the Technician Test and the page for links to all tests is: qrz.com/hamtest $\endgroup$
    – K7PEH
    Mar 11, 2016 at 23:28

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