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. An amateur transceiver that is being over modulated by an excessive audio signal may result in:-

a) an increase in the distance the signal may travel

b) a hum in the receiver speaker

c) the house lights dimming

d) interference to broadcast radio and television reception

2. When a receiver or transmitter drifts off the operating frequency, as it warms up, it is said to be:-

a) unstable

b) stable

c) selective

d) insensitive

3. The diagram below that closely represents output of a sinewave oscillator is:-

a) diagram B

b) diagram C

c) diagram D

d) diagram A

4. A Foundation Licence will permit you to communicate by radio with other radio amateurs:-

a) operating in any amateur band and mode provided you announce that that is your intention

b) and transmit entertainment materials provided it is not copyright

c) using all modes including Telephony or Morse code

d) and send them amateur slow scan television pictures

5. EMC problems from an amateur station are dependent on the:-

a) transmitter power, frequency, and distance from affected equipment

b) sun spot cycle, time of day and weather

c) grade of amateur licence held by the operator

d) date, time, and person operating

6. The maximum power using SSB allowed for foundation amateur stations is:-

a) 20 watts PEP

b) 50 watts PEP

c) 10 watts PEP

d) 100 watts PEP

7. Amateur radio operators must operate:-

a) within the FM broadcast band

b) within the AM broadcast band

c) within the allocated amateur bands

d) within the television bands

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

a) switch to another band

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

c) switch off your radio

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

9. All equipment connected to the mains supply should have:-

a) an electricity authority approval label

b) an extra fuse in the cable

c) a residual magnetic circuit Doppler for safety

d) the leads uncoiled only as far as necessary

10. Overmodulation of a transmitter:-

a) may cause interference to other services

b) makes the audio quality of the transmitter sound better

c) increases the power and cuts through the noise better

d) is beneficial for DX working

11. Long distance radio communication in the range 3-30 MHz mostly relies on:-

a) ionospheric refraction

b) tropospheric refraction

c) faraday bounce from the upper atmosphere

d) tropospheric diffraction

12. A transmitter should be matched to its load to:-

a) reverse standing waves on the transmission line

b) capture standing waves on the transmission line

c) reduce standing waves to 1.5:1 or less

d) allow standing waves to move freely along the line

13. It is important that people:-

a) must be more than 10 metres from all antennas while transmitting on VHF

b) should be earthed at all times when near transmitting antennas

c) be kept a safe distance from transmitting antennas while transmitting

d) who work on antennas have an amateur operators certificate of proficiency

14. When wearing headphones, make sure that:-

a) visual alarms must be used

b) they are the padded type

c) the RF gain is low to avoid static

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

15. Foundation stations may use:-

a) any non commercial or commercially manufactured transmitting equipment

b) modified amateur transmitting equipment transmitting above 10 watts PEP output

c) home made equipment transmitting 100 watts output

d) new commercial equipment modified by you for the Citizens Band service

16. The reason mains operated equipment is earthed is to:-

a) reduce the likelihood of electric shock

b) terminate the third wire in the mains cable

c) discharge static electricity when the equipment is touched

d) provide for the use of a transformer

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) the neighbours electrical mains acting as an antenna

b) direct pickup by the electronics inside the TV

c) harmonic interference

d) ghosting

18. AM is the abbreviation for:-

a) ascii modulation

b) analogue modulation

c) alpine modulation

d) amplitude modulation

19. If the antenna elements are vertical with respect to the ground the antenna would normally be considered to be:-

a) horizontally polarised

b) cross polarised

c) vertically polarised

d) circular polarised

20. As a radio wave travels outward from an antenna it will become:-

a) slower once it enters space

b) spread out and weaker

c) faster when it hits the troposphere

d) narrowed and stronger

21. It is a condition of the Foundation Licence that, if you change your postal address, you must:-

a) advise the local council that you are removing your antennas

b) notify the ACMA

c) broadcast your new address on the bands before you move

d) notify the WIA

22. The amateur licence authorises an amateur to:-

a) talk with aeronautical band operators

b) operate on the CB communication band

c) talk with marine band operators

d) talk on air with other radio amateurs

23. The most likely locations for filters used to reduce interference are in the:-

a) modulator

b) RF amplifier, oscillator and IF amplifier stages

c) oscillator, buffer stages

d) antenna cabling and power supply

24. An amateur transceiver that has the transmitter incorrectly tuned may cause :-

a) neighbourhood dogs to bark or become frightened

b) interference to broadcast radio and television reception

c) a hum in the receiver speaker

d) interference to small kitchen appliances

25. When a fuse blows, it should only be replaced with:-

a) the specified type and current rating

b) the next biggest current rating

c) a circuit breaker

d) the next smallest current rating