Stanley76 wrote: ↑Sat Dec 26, 2020 7:48 pm
Struggling with all these formulas, ohms, amps, watts, voltage, the symbols for components, etc. Working on it though. I contacted the person doing the registration for the exam in a town about 30 miles from me but I haven't heard back from him yet. The exam is on Jan. 9. I did get my FRN number and registered with the FCC. I'm still doing the Hamstudy study sessions and took one practice test (passed it barely but only because I was lucky in a lot of guesses). Lots and lots to learn just to have a chance at passing the exam and I'm thinking that's just the tip of the iceberg too. What's really got me nervous are all the algebra or calculus formulas.
I peeked at some stuff about antennas and ran away quickly. I think I'm going to keep going over the Hamstudy study sessions and then read the ARRL manual front to back and see if I can get some foundational knowledge that will make this stuff easier to understand and then go back to the Hamstudy and take more practice tests as I go. Good idea or bad?
Everyone learn in their own way.
Do whatever works best for you.
Many years ago, there was no set of questions with answers and everyone had to learn the theory and use it to pass the tests. Now you can learn some theory in order for the test questions to make more sense, or you can familiarize yourself with the questions and the associated correct answers in the published test pool.
I believe a combination of the two (what you just suggested) is best.
As for the math, don’t let it frighten you. There is a little very basic algebra, but no math that isn’t well explained in the study guides. And unless the tests have changed dramatically while I wasn’t looking - no calculus. You won’t see anything beyond complex numbers for impedance calculations and they don’t appear until the extra class exam way down the road.
Examiners are almost always very supportive and friendly.
Old timers can tell you horror stories about the FCC examiners who used to give the exams at FCC offices in major cities you had to travel to. They gave me the distinct impression that they weren’t very fond of having to administer tests, and they were pretty intimidating.
Things are much more friendly now. If you should fail (which you probably won’t) you can take the test again at the same session having learned from your mistakes.
And when you do pass and get your license, you’ll know that you earned it.
