Ham Exam Twice A Year Only ?

Seriously ? that's a bit mad isn't it ?

I've been trying to do some study, but would have made much more of an effort to study a lot sooner if I had known it was only twice a year......

If I fail in May I'll have to wait until November ?

martinedwards

Same in the UK

School exams are only twice a year too and there are a LOT more people taking them!

I suppose it will give me time to study.


Anyone got any tips for study ? where to concentrate on ?

I'm using the material on the IRTS site.

Someone told me the New Zealand study material is the best match for ours ? I found an app on the Iphone with sample questions for the NEw Zealand exam.

A+-Guru

Hi.

I just passed the recent exam.

All I used was the included IRTS training coarse book.

I did it in 2 weeks study 3-4 hours a day with pretty much 0 knowledge. What happened was I was intrested went to look next exam date and it was 2 weeks so started study.

I have a few links to videos on YouTube that also helped. I will send them on tomorrow.


P.s don't bother with the new zealand study material. It's more complicated than it needs to be. All you need is the IRTS material.

Deleted User wrote: »

I suppose it will give me time to study.


Anyone got any tips for study ? where to concentrate on ?

I'm using the material on the IRTS site.

Someone told me the New Zealand study material is the best match for ours ? I found an app on the Iphone with sample questions for the NEw Zealand exam.

A+-Guru

A+-Guru wrote: »

Hi.

I just passed the recent exam.

All I used was the included IRTS training coarse book.

I did it in 2 weeks study 3-4 hours a day with pretty much 0 knowledge. What happened was I was intrested went to look next exam date and it was 2 weeks so started study.

I have a few links to videos on YouTube that also helped. I will send them on tomorrow.


P.s don't bother with the new zealand study material. It's more complicated than it needs to be. All you need is the IRTS material.

Congrats !

Thanks for the tip,

I'm sorry I didn't check when the exams were a lot sooner but anyway I should be well prepared come May.

What Radio and Antenna have you got, or are thinking of getting ?

I was interested in the Yaesu FT 450D, great price considering a lot of the 2nd hand stuff.

I was also considering Icom IC 7300 or Kenwood FT 850, 870 etc, I love those radios.

I got plenty of time to decide.

A+-Guru

Hi.

Thank you very much.

I found the IRTS book very good and easy to understand, they really did an amazing job putting that together.
Also the coarse notes are very helpful be sure to read those.

Section A - know the band plans, the way I did it was to break the put the freqs into points, example 7.2 for 7.200mhz, I also just memorized the freq ranges and beacons, ssb contest preferred and global emergency, know the power limits for mobile operation and power levels for the band's, know the lowest dial settings for voice in the band's.

- know regulations inside out
- know your filters inside out
- know your safety inside out


Section B

- you will get asked questions in all areas I got 2 questions on working out the current in circuit going through resisters, simple enough just learn how to calculate them and the formulas.

I got few questions on propagation and layers, few on antennas, few general questions on electronics, resisters, capacitors etc etc.
Transmitters and recievers know the different stages, know the block diagrams, pros and cons of high and low IF.
Know the different ways of measurements etc etc.

Remember a pass is a pass, I only scored 65% overall. My brain went blank I could not recall info, directly after exam I knew I got at least 7 questions wrong that I actually did know the correct answers but picked the wrong ones. You need to get 18 right in each section that means there is a buffer of 12 you can get wrong in each section.

I picked up the 7300, it seems to be fantastic bang for buck, I got a chameleon hybrid mini with mil whip and mil whip extender, I however just ordered a chameleon f loop 2.0 plus with power compensator, this allows 60watts of tx power. The f loop is a very good antenna and doesn't require lots of space, my problem is antenna deployment. So I will sell the hybrid mini. The f loop can be used indoors and has spectacular performance.

Thanks for the tips about the exam, the handbook, is that the same as the info on the site ? where did you get the book ?

Interesting antenna, looks stealthy.

Due to excellent reviews I got the myantennas.com EFHW-8010-HP end fed antenna, it's 40 meters long , got loads of space to put it up but getting it in the trees will be a challenge. My thoughts are to install it as inverted L which should provide good DX, it's multiband and no tuner needed except for maybe 160 meters, I probably should have got the 160 meter version.

It does not need a counterpoise , only good earth.

The F loops look interesting, pity they don't have one to cover 80 meters but I expect it would have to be much larger.

The 7300 looks a great rig alright :-)

A+-Guru

Sorry yes I mean the online coarse guide, which can also be downloaded via irts.ie/downloads

You are lucky space is not an issue I have not heard about that antenna will look it up.

The Chameleon F Loop 2.0 PLUS covers 80m also out of the box it can handle 25w but with the compensator that extends it to 60w, it's plenty enough power though, guys are making 2k kms contacts with QRP power only..

Deleted User wrote: »

Thanks for the tips about the exam, the handbook, is that the same as the info on the site ? where did you get the book ?

Interesting antenna, looks stealthy.

Due to excellent reviews I got the myantennas.com EFHW-8010-HP end fed antenna, it's 40 meters long , got loads of space to put it up but getting it in the trees will be a challenge. My thoughts are to install it as inverted L which should provide good DX, it's multiband and no tuner needed except for maybe 160 meters, I probably should have got the 160 meter version.

It does not need a counterpoise , only good earth.

The F loops look interesting, pity they don't have one to cover 80 meters but I expect it would have to be much larger.

The 7300 looks a great rig alright :-)

A+-Guru

A+-Guru wrote: »

Sorry yes I mean the online coarse guide, which can also be downloaded via irts.ie/downloads

You are lucky space is not an issue I have not heard about that antenna will look it up.

The Chameleon F Loop 2.0 PLUS covers 80m also out of the box it can handle 25w but with the compensator that extends it to 60w, it's plenty enough power though, guys are making 2k kms contacts with QRP power only..

Yeah if conditions are right you can go far on a few watts. But it's perfect for QRP operation.

I would like a mobile setup to be able to drive to some quite location in the finer weather, head up to Mount Leinster, that should be an excellent location. Or Rossmore Co.Laois.

Even take a dipole for 20 Meters and head off on the bicycle lol.

Check out the mobile transceivers from XIEGU, they get decent radios, good for QRP.

Lots I can do when I get the license.

Is this the band plan to learn for the exam ?

https://www.hamradio.ie/course-guide/modules/A1B_National_Regulations/a1b_4.html

Or this one ?

https://www.hamradio.ie/course-guide/modules/A2_Operating_Rules_and_Procedures/a2_7.html