Foundation Licence

WIA Amateur Radio
Foundation Level Online Assessment

Check your knowledge - Instant results

This online assessment has been made available for prospective amateurs studying for their Foundation level licence.

For the best outcome we strongly recommend you purchase a copy of "Your Entry Into Amateur Radio" the foundation licence study manual Rev 3, accessible in the Left Hand menu or by clicking this Link.

Each question in this assessment carries equal marks.
Questions must be answered by clicking the button associated with the correct answer for each question.
You have 30 minutes to complete this Amateur Radio Foundation Level online assessment.
The questions are selected at random from a pool of questions.
The order of the answers for each question have been randomised.
Exam questions are © Wireless Institute of Australia (September 2020)
Copyright in this material is owned by the Wireless Institute of Australia (‘WIA’). All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the Copyrights Act 1968 you must not reproduce, adapt, publish, distribute or commercialise this material without the express written permission of the WIA. This material must not be transmitted, transcribed, stored in a retrieval system or translated to any human or computer language without written permission. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be directed to the WIA.

1. The Amateur radio service:-

a) permits cross communication with the Maritime service

b) has frequency allocations with the AM broadcast band

c) may share radio bands with other radio services

d) comprises of exclusive bands for amateur radio use

2. The safe distance from the antennas is dependent on:-

a) the moisture content of the air

b) the type of clothes you are wearing

c) the transmitter brand and output filter arrangements

d) effective radiated power, frequency, antennas type and orientation

3. A Foundation station licensee may:-

a) repair and fix faults inside transmitting equipment

b) construct and operate a transmitter at above 10 watts PEP output

c) fix simple faults and test 100 watt transmitting equipment on air

d) make internal adjustments to the transmitting equipment to produce harmful interference

4. The degree of interference to household equipment may be decreased or improved by:-

a) waiting until the D-layer has gone

b) overmodulating the transmitter

c) decreasing the transceivers RF gain control

d) changing to a different transmission mode

5. When making Amateur band transmissions on SSB:-

a) the lowest part of the upper sideband must be wholly within the amateur band

b) the centre of the transmission should be no more then 1.5 kHz from the band edge

c) they must be wholly within the amateur bands

d) the carrier frequency should remain inside the amateur bands

6. Amateur radio is primarily:-

a) a hobby/service that utilises radiocommunications

b) an expansion of the citizens band radio service

c) a back up to the Maritime radio service

d) an encouragement for people to become radio engineers

7. Amateur radio, broadcast radio, and TV reception can suffer interference from:-

a) traffic vibration on nearby roads

b) loud noise

c) high intensity magnets

d) high voltage power lines

8. All commercially available mains operated equipment must have:-

a) a two year guarantee

b) a 2 pin plug

c) an approved equipment label

d) the mains voltage stamped on it

9. The unit of power is the:-

a) ohm

b) volt

c) ampere

d) watt

10. A receiver that can detect weak signals is said to be:-

a) a weak signal detector

b) sensitive

c) a parametric detector

d) selective

11. After an electric shock, you have isolated the power and a person is found to have stopped breathing and have no pulse, you should:-

a) wait a minute or two to see what happens

b) clear the patients airway and apply CPR

c) call MAYDAY

d) place the patient in the coma position

12. Interference to a neighbours television equipment by amateur transmissions has been identified; mains conducted interference has been dismissed as the problem. The most likely cause is:-

a) a high level of sun spots

b) ionospheric refraction

c) damp atmospheric conditions

d) pick up by the television set through its antenna

13. A radio amateur's transmission can be heard in a nearby neighbour's television receiver. These problems are best solved by:-

a) reducing the transmitter power until the problems disappears

b) ignoring the problem as you have a licence

c) not transmitting during the neighbour's viewing hours

d) a technical solution

14. To reduce the radiation from a transmitter under test:-

a) an antenna with zero gain should be used

b) low power should be used

c) a non-radiating load should be used

d) modulation should be equal or less than 10%

15. A radio wavelength of 20 metres is approximately equal to:-

a) 20 metres

b) 15 MHz

c) 2 MHz

d) 10 MHz

16. The Foundation Amateur Radio Licence is subject to conditions in:-

a) The Radiocommunications Act 1992 only

b) The Radiocommunications Act 1992 and the Licence Conditions (Amateur Licence) Determination

c) The Licence Conditions (Amateur Licence) Determinations only

d) The Foundation Licence Operators Handbook

17. Interference to a neighbours television is occurring when you are transmitting. Interference via the TV antenna and power leads have been eliminated. The most likely cause is:-

a) harmonic interference

b) ghosting

c) the neighbours electrical mains acting as an antenna

d) direct pickup by the electronics inside the TV

18. Referring to the following conversion chart, the approximate size of a half wavelength antenna to be used at 148 MHz is:-

a) 70cm

b) 20 metres

c) 160m

d) 1m

19. Amateur radio is intended to facilitate:-

a) a way of saving on phone bills

b) a way of getting rid of unwanted radio communications equipment

c) commercial gain in radio communications

d) a hobby in radiocommunications

20. If a radio amateur hears a distress call, on a non-amateur frequency, that is not acknowledged, the radio amateur:-

a) should urgently endevour to find anyone who can operate on the frequency of the distress

b) may not transmit and contact the appropriate emergency authority

c) should continue to monitor and call other stations on a different band

d) if there is no response, respond and provide assistance using whatever means available, and using radio if equipment allows

21. VHF and UHF transmissions are considered to require an obstacle free path between transmitter and receiver, this is called:-

a) ionospheric reflection

b) long path

c) short path propagation

d) line of sight propagation

22. The distance that line of sight VHF and UHF signals can travel is dependent on the:-

a) height of antenna, ionosphere, and time of day

b) height of antenna, clear path, and transmitter power

c) sun spot cycle, weather, and ionosphere

d) time of day, sun spot cycle and weather

23. When wearing headphones, make sure that:-

a) the RF gain is low to avoid static

b) visual alarms must be used

c) they are the padded type

d) the volume is adjusted so as not to damage hearing

24. What does ARPANSA the abbreviation for?

a) Australian Radio Producers and Noise Screening Abatement

b) Australian Rescue Personnel and National Safety Association

c) Australian Radio Products and National Space Antennas

d) Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency

25. If you respond to a MAYDAY message, you must:-

a) not allow anyone else to communicate with the station calling MAYDAY

b) record MAYDAY details, render all possible assistance, and report to appropriate authorities

c) switch to another band

d) switch off your radio