Supplement: Testing Before July 2026 #

If you studied using this 2026-2030 Technician HamBook but plan to take your exam before July 1, 2026, you’ll be tested on the 2022-2026 question pool instead. The good news is that most of what you learned still applies! This supplement covers topics where the older exam asks different questions or emphasizes different details.

Don’t panic—you’re well prepared. Think of this as a quick look at how certain topics were tested before the questions were updated. The underlying knowledge is the same; only the specific wording and focus differs.

Licensing and Regulations #

One License Per Person #

Key Information: Each person may hold only one operator/primary station license grant.

This fundamental rule means you get one license and one call sign. Even if you have multiple radios scattered across different locations, they all operate under your single license grant.

What Can Get Your License Revoked? #

Key Information: Failure to provide and maintain a correct email address with the FCC can result in revocation of the station license or suspension of the operator license.

The FCC needs to be able to reach you! Always keep your contact information current in the FCC’s Universal Licensing System.

Where You Can Operate #

Key Information: An FCC-licensed amateur station may transmit from any vessel or craft located in international waters and documented or registered in the United States.

Your FCC license is valid aboard US-documented vessels in international waters, opening up maritime mobile operation for hams who find themselves at sea.

Interference Rules #

Key Information: Willful interference to other amateur radio stations is permitted at no time—never, under any circumstances.

This question is framed as “when is it permitted?” and the answer is emphatic: never.

The 219-220 MHz Segment #

Key Information: The 219 to 220 MHz segment of the 1.25 meter band may be used for fixed digital message forwarding systems only.

This narrow slice of spectrum is reserved exclusively for fixed digital message forwarding—essentially packet radio infrastructure. You won’t be using this for casual voice contacts!

Station Control #

Remote Control Requirements #

Key Information: Remote control operation requires: the control operator must be at the control point, a control operator is required at all times, and the control operator must indirectly manipulate the controls.

The focus here is on what’s required for remote control rather than which stations can use it.

The Presumed Control Operator #

Key Information: The FCC presumes the station licensee to be the control operator of an amateur station, unless documentation to the contrary is in the station records.

If something goes wrong and there’s no documentation showing otherwise, the FCC will assume you (as the licensee) were the control operator.

Stations That Can Automatically Retransmit #

Key Information: Repeater, auxiliary, or space stations are the types of amateur stations that can automatically retransmit the signals of other amateur stations.

These three special types of stations are permitted to automatically retransmit signals without a control operator actively involved in each transmission.

Beacons and Special Stations #

The Definition of a Beacon #

Key Information: A beacon is defined as an amateur station transmitting communications for the purposes of observing propagation or related experimental activities.

You’ll want to know this formal definition. Beacon stations help the amateur community monitor band conditions.

Electronic Fundamentals #

Gain: The Ability to Amplify #

Key Information: Gain is the term that describes a device’s ability to amplify a signal.

The simple definition: gain is the measure of amplification.

RF Preamplifier Location #

Key Information: An RF preamplifier is installed between the antenna and receiver.

A preamp boosts weak signals before they reach your receiver, so it needs to be positioned right after the antenna.

Propagation #

The Ionosphere #

Key Information: The ionosphere is the region of the atmosphere that can refract or bend HF and VHF radio waves.

The ionosphere makes long-distance communication possible. Note that this question uses “refract or bend” rather than “reflect”—there’s long-standing debate about which term best describes what the ionosphere does, but the concept is the same: the ionosphere enables skywave propagation.

Auroral Backscatter #

Key Information: VHF signals received via auroral backscatter are distorted and signal strength varies considerably.

When VHF signals bounce off the aurora, they come back distorted with varying strength. The newer pool describes this as a “characteristic raspy sound”—same phenomenon, slightly different description.

Antennas and Feed Lines #

Horizontal Dipole Polarization #

Key Information: A simple dipole oriented parallel to Earth’s surface is a horizontally polarized antenna.

When your dipole is horizontal (parallel to the ground), it produces horizontally polarized waves.

Quarter-Wave Antenna Length for 2 Meters #

Key Information: The approximate length of a quarter-wavelength vertical antenna for 146 MHz is 19 inches.

At 146 MHz, a quarter wavelength works out to approximately 19 inches.

Half-Wave Dipole Length for 6 Meters #

Key Information: The approximate length of a half-wavelength 6 meter dipole antenna is 112 inches.

For a half-wave dipole on the 6-meter band (around 50 MHz), you’ll need about 112 inches of total wire length.

Benefits of Low SWR #

Key Information: A benefit of low SWR is reduced signal loss.

When your antenna system is well-matched (low SWR), more of your transmitted power actually radiates from the antenna instead of being reflected back.

Air Core Coax #

Key Information: A disadvantage of air core coaxial cable compared to foam or solid dielectric types is that it requires special techniques to prevent moisture in the cable.

Air core coax has the lowest loss, but that air space can allow moisture to enter and travel along the cable. Special sealing techniques are needed.

Station Equipment and Troubleshooting #

Dummy Loads #

Key Information: A dummy load consists of a non-inductive resistor mounted on a heat sink.

The older wording doesn’t specify the 50-ohm impedance in the answer, though dummy loads are still 50 ohms. Just be aware the answer doesn’t include that detail.

Curing RF on the Microphone Cable #

Key Information: A ferrite choke can cure distorted audio caused by RF current on the shield of a microphone cable.

When RF gets onto your mic cable, snapping a ferrite choke onto the cable absorbs that unwanted RF energy.

Recognizing RF Feedback #

Key Information: A symptom of RF feedback in a transmitter or transceiver is reports of garbled, distorted, or unintelligible voice transmissions.

If people tell you that your audio sounds garbled or distorted, RF might be getting back into your transmitter’s audio stages.

Digital Modes and Operating #

FT8 Station Setup #

Key Information: For FT8 operation, the transceiver’s audio connects to a computer running WSJT-X software.

The older question specifically names WSJT-X as the software, while the newer pool refers generically to “FT8 software.” Same setup, just different wording.

FM Voice Peaks #

Key Information: Talking too loudly causes your FM transmission audio to be distorted on voice peaks.

When you speak too loudly into an FM transmitter, you over-deviate the signal. The older question describes this as “distorted” while the newer says “drop out”—same cause, slightly different symptom description.

Before Calling CQ #

Key Information: Before calling CQ, you should: listen first to be sure that no one else is using the frequency, ask if the frequency is in use, and make sure you are authorized to use that frequency.

Good operating practice: listen, ask, and verify authorization before transmitting.

DMR Color Code Purpose #

Key Information: The color code used on DMR repeater systems must match the repeater color code for access.

Your radio’s color code setting must match the repeater’s code, or you won’t be able to access it.

Good Traffic Handling #

Key Information: A characteristic of good traffic handling is passing messages exactly as received.

Good traffic handlers relay messages word-for-word, without “improving” or paraphrasing.

DMR Code Plugs #

Key Information: A DMR “code plug” contains access information for repeaters and talkgroups.

The wording focuses on what the code plug contains rather than what it is.

RACES #

Key Information: RACES (Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service) is: a radio service using amateur frequencies for emergency management or civil defense communications, using amateur stations for such communications, with amateur operators certified by a civil defense organization as being enrolled in that organization.

You’ll need a comprehensive understanding of what RACES is, not just the requirements to participate.

Satellites #

What is a LEO Satellite? #

Key Information: A LEO satellite is a satellite in low earth orbit.

LEO stands for Low Earth Orbit—satellites that orbit relatively close to Earth. The newer pool adds detail about the ~100 minute orbital period.

Summary #

The differences between question pools reflect the evolving nature of amateur radio. If you’ve studied this book thoroughly, you already understand the underlying concepts. This supplement simply highlights where the older exam asks questions from a different angle or uses different wording for the same topics.

Good luck on your exam—you’ve got this!