Understanding the Technician License Exam #

The exam questions come from publicly available question pools developed by the National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators (NCVEC). These pools are updated on a regular schedule:

Technician Class pool: Updated every four years (last updated 2022)
General Class pool: Updated every four years (last updated 2023)
Amateur Extra Class pool: Updated every four years (last updated 2024)

The updates are staggered, so only one pool changes each year. This ensures that study materials and exams remain current with evolving technology and regulations.

The Technician Class Question Pool #

Before diving into the study material, it’s helpful to understand what you’re preparing for. The Technician license exam consists of 35 multiple-choice questions chosen from a pool of about 400 possible questions. To pass, you need to answer 26 questions correctly (74%).

Some key points about the exam:

All possible questions and their correct answers are publicly available
Many of the questions simply test your knowledge of terminology or specific numbers you need to remember
Though there is a lot to learn, some of the material is just common sense. Once you learn it you won’t forget it easily!
You don’t need to be a technical expert to pass - many concepts are practical and straightforward
Questions are grouped into subelements (major topics) which are in turn grouped into sections (minor topics). Each exam draws one question from each section, so if there is a section you just don’t understand you can safely skip that one and still pass the exam!

The exam format means that with focused study, most people can prepare for and pass the test much more quickly than one might expect. While some students have passed by simply memorizing the questions and answers, understanding the material will make you a more confident and capable operator once licensed.

Why Is the Question Pool So Comprehensive? #

You might wonder why the Technician question pool covers so many topics when you may only be interested in a specific aspect of amateur radio. There are good reasons for this breadth:

Different Paths in Amateur Radio #

Amateur radio operators pursue surprisingly different interests under the same license. Possible focus areas include (among others):

Emergency communications and public service
DXing (contacting distant stations around the world)
Digital modes and computer integration
Satellite communications
Contesting
Building and experimenting with equipment
VHF/UHF local communications
First Person View drones and/or model aircraft
Wide area Mesh networking

The question pool tries to ensure all new licensees have at least basic knowledge across these diverse areas, even if you initially only plan to use one aspect of the hobby.

Historical Evolution #

The question pool has evolved over decades and is managed by committee. This creates some interesting dynamics:

Changes tend to happen slowly and conservatively
Content may reflect both cutting-edge technology and legacy practices
Removing topics requires convincing evidence it’s no longer relevant
The committee strives for consensus across many different perspectives

Focus on What Matters For You #

The important takeaway is this: don’t get discouraged if parts of the question pool seem irrelevant to your interests. Your strategy should be to:

Learn enough to pass the exam (which this book will help you do)
Understand which topics might be relevant to your specific interests
Know where to find more information about other topics if your interests expand

Remember that you need to answer 26 out of 35 questions correctly, which gives you some flexibility. Even the most experienced hams specialize in certain areas of the hobby - nobody expects you to be an expert in everything!

The beauty of amateur radio is that you can start with whatever interests you most, then explore other facets of the hobby at your own pace after getting licensed.

The moral? This exam isn’t as difficult as you might think, and with this book you can choose how deeply you want to learn the material while preparing for your license!