Be Informed No. 5.2
REVIEW
OF THE ELEMENT 3 QUESTION POOL EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2011
As corrected March 1, 2011
Our
VECs’ 2011 Element 3 question pool starts its scheduled four-year run on July 1st. Element
3 is the middle rung on our three pool ladder. The purpose of a pool is to provide uniformity in the examinations
regardless of which of the tens-of-thousands VE teams administer the sets of questions taken from the pool. It
is comprised of questions that enable the VEs to determine if an examinee does - or does not - possess the operational and
technical qualifications required to perform properly the duties of an FCC-licensed General Class operator.
Section 97.523 says all VECs must cooperate in maintaining one question pool for each written
examination element. Each question pool must be published and made available to the public prior to its use for making a question
set. Each question on each VEC question pool must be prepared by an uncompensated volunteer examiner holding the required
FCC-issued operator license.
For those having passed Element 2, answering correctly at least 26 questions in a set of
35 questions from the Element 3 pool is a requirement for a General Class operator license grant. It is
also a requirement for an Amateur Extra Class operator license grant, along with passing Elements 2 and 4.
Each
question pool must contain at least 10 times the number of questions required for a single examination. Element 3, therefore,
must contain at least 350 questions. The VECs’ 2011 pool, however, contains 459 questions,
Some 60 of the questions require knowledge of the FCC rules for our amateur service; 189 questions require knowledge
of our practices; and 207 questions require knowledge of technical matters presumably necessary to making those rules and
practices meaningful. Some 67.3% are questions, however, about operational and technical qualifications
required to perform properly the duties that seem to be more applicable to the Technician Class operator.
Section 97.507 says that (a) each Element 3 written question set administered to an examinee
must be prepared by a VE holding an Amateur Extra or Advanced Class operator license; (b) each question
set administered to an examinee must utilize questions taken from the applicable question pool; and (c) each written question
set administered to an examinee for an amateur operator license must be prepared, or obtained from a supplier, by the administering
VEs according to instructions from the coordinating VEC.
Examinees:
Prior to taking an Element 3 question set examination, you should have passed – or received credit for
- Element 2. If you have a Technician Class operator license grant or a Certificate of Successful Completion
of Examination for Element 2, you have already done that. If you have not, then you do not qualify for
a General Class operator license grant even though you pass Element 3.
Your Element 3
question set must be prepared and administered by an uncompensated volunteer examiner VE team. Although
you can miss up to 9 answers and still pass, you will actually need to know more in order to function fully as an amateur
operator. Prepare yourself carefully for your examination session. Join a training class
and study a training manual. The pool is not intended to be the all-inclusive learning tool.
Use it only to check on your progress. To simply memorize enough correct answers to squeak by the
examination is to shortchange yourself of the opportunity to gain important knowledge that will enhance your ability to become
a more valuable asset to our country and to our amateur service community.
Become familiar with the FCC rules for our amateur radio service. Ask your administering VEs
for help with any questions that you don’t understand prior to, and after, your examination – but not during!
Thank them for volunteering their talent and time for you.
Your administering VEs may require you to sign a statement
certifying that I have read and WILL COMPLY with Section 97.13(c) of the Commission’s Rules regarding RADIOFREQUENCY
(RF) RADIATION SAFETY and the amateur service section of OST/OET Bulletin Number 65. Read and understand
pages 15-18 of OST/OET Bulletin 65 and Section 97.13(c). To make your obligations meaningful, you will need to know
the definition and import of the terms ERP, PEP, W, watts, occupational/controlled MPE limits, general public/population/uncontrolled
limits, and certain generic equations described in the bulletin.
Note that in question G1C04, reference is made to the
14 MHz band. The frequency 14 MHz is not authorized to General Class operators. Read
Section 97.301. It is, however, within the 20 meter band for which
General Class operators have available segments 14.025-14.150 MHz and 14.225-14.350 MHz. In question G1C05,
the VECs similarly interchange the term 28 MHz band with the FCC term 10 meter band.
Good
luck with your examination!
Volunteer Examiners: By Public Law 97-259,
our United States Congress authorized the FCC to accept your voluntary and uncompensated services for the purpose of preparing
and administering examinations for amateur operator licenses. FCC rule Section 97.503 requires you to administer each Element 3 question set such as to
determine whether your examinee possesses the operational and technical qualifications required to perform properly the duties
of a General Class operator.
Encourage your examinees to undergo training
prior to being examined. Simply determining who is lucky at guessing 26 correct answers from given multiple-choices
is not the objective of the examination. One argument for turning the license examination system over to
you was that you have previously passed the examination that you administer as well as the next higher one; thus qualifying
you to clear up right on the spot any misunderstanding the examinee may have. Personally discuss with each
examinee the correct answer to each question missed. Evaluate frequently the clarity, accuracy and relevancy
of the questions and advise your VEC of any suggested improvements.
VEs are responsible for preparing
and for administering the examinations, including writing the questions and determining the correctness of an examinee’s
answers. Section 97.509(h) says that the administering VEs are responsible for determining the correctness
of the examinee's answers. The VECs are responsible for coordinating the VEs efforts and for maintaining
the questions pools. There are numerous pool questions that do not support the choice of any format other
than multiple-choice. These questions may not be suitable should you administer the examination in some
other format.
1. Do not administer G1A13 (D) [97.303]:
Which, if any, amateur
band is shared with the Citizens Radio Service?
A. 10 meters
B. 12
meters
C. 15 meters
D. None
~~
This creampuff question does not merit being included among the 15 questions in
topic G1A. Its administration displaces a question from topic G1A more essential to proving
that your examinee has General Class knowledge of control operator frequency privileges and primary and secondary allocations.
G1A13 would be more appropriate to Technician Class operator, if at all.
2. Do not accept the VECs’ suggested answer “A” for G1B12 (A) [97.101(a)]:
Who
or what determines “good engineering and good amateur practice” as applied to the operation of an amateur station
in all respects not covered by the Part 97 rules?
A. The FCC
B. The Control Operator
C. The IEEE
D.
The ITU
~~
The VECs’ answer “The FCC” is incorrect and misleading. It is not supported by
the rule citation: “In all respects not specifically covered by FCC Rules each amateur station must be operated
in accordance with good engineering and good amateur practice.” The implication of the suggested
answer is that the FCC sets all design standards and operating practices beyond the rules adopted through notice and comment
rulemaking, which is incorrect.
Our good engineering and good amateur practices are established
by our amateur service community, as confirmed by questions G1B08 and G2B07. These two questions are both
identified as being good amateur practices, yet there is no citation to any FCC determination. They are
good amateur practices only because they are acknowledged generally as such by our amateur service community.
There are 189 questions in this pool on our amateur service practices, presumably they are there because they are “good.”
All of them came from our amateur service community.
Accept
only the correct answer, Our amateur service community, or administer a question more pertinent to proving that your examinee
has General Class operator knowledge of antenna structure limitations, good engineering and good amateur practice, restricted
operation and retransmitting radio signals.
3.
Do not administer G1E02 (D) [97.205(a)]:
When may a 10 meter repeater retransmit the 2 meter signal from
a station having a Technician Class control operator?”
A. Under no circumstances
B.
Only if the station on 10 meters is operating under a Special Temporary Authorization allowing such
retransmission
C. Only during an FCC-declared general state of communications emergency
D. Only if the 10 meter control
operator holds at least a General class license
~
This is a trick question. A fundamental requirement is adorned with superfluous distractions.
“D” is the answer because a 10 meter repeater must always have a control operator of at least General Class.
Read Sections 97.205(b) and 97.301(d). This is so, regardless of whether or not it is retransmitting
signals from some other band. The question implies – incorrectly - that it is the duty of the
repeater control operator to pre-determine the amateur operator class of the control operator of every using station.
The citation, furthermore, is not supportive.
It simply says that any amateur station licensed to a holder of a Technician, General, Advanced or Amateur Extra
Class operator license may be a repeater. A holder of a Technician, General, Advanced or Amateur Extra Class operator license
may be the control operator of a repeater, subject to the privileges of the class of operator license held. Its administration
displaces a question from topic G1E more essential to proving that your examinee has General Class operator knowledge
of control categories, repeater regulations, harmful interference, third party rules, and ITU regions.
4.
Do not administer question G1E08 (B) [97.115(a)(b)]:
Which of the following is a
requirement for a non-licensed person to communicate with a foreign amateur radio station from a station with
an FCC-granted license at which a licensed control operator is present?”
A. Information must be exchanged in English
B. The
foreign amateur station must be in a country with which the United States has a third party agreement
C. The control
operator must have at least a General class license
D. All of these answers are correct
~
The
VECs’ answer B discloses that it is really addressing third party communications. The citation Sections 97.115(a) and (b), however, is a stretch. The question ignores the prerogative and the duty of the control operator. It
reads as though a “non-licensed person” has certain rights to communicate by amateur radio; an inverted spin on
Section 97.115. This operative rule says (a) an amateur station may transmit messages for a third party
to certain other stations and (b) the third party may participate in stating the message where the control operator is present
at the control point and is continuously monitoring and supervising the third party’s participation, provided the third
party does not carry a prohibiting enforcement history as codified therein.
Its
administration displaces a question from topic G1E more essential to proving that your examinee has General Class
knowledge of operator control categories; repeater regulations; harmful interference; third party rules; and ITU regions.
5. Do not administer G2B10
(D) [97.407(b)]:
When may the FCC restrict normal frequency operations of amateur
stations participating in RACES?
A. When they (sic) declare a temporary state of communication emergency
B.
When they (sic) seize your equipment for use in disaster communications
C. Only when all amateur stations are instructed to
stop transmitting
D. When the President’s War Emergency Powers have been invoked
~~
In the event of an emergency which necessitates invoking the
President's War Emergency Powers under the provisions of section 706 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended, 47 U.S.C. 606, RACES stations and amateur stations participating in RACES
may only transmit on the frequency segments authorized pursuant to Part 214. It says that:
(a) Whenever
it is determined necessary to exercise, in whole or in part, the President's emergency authority over telecommunications,
the Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy, will exercise that authority as specified in Executive Order 12472
(49 FR 13471; 3 CFR, 1984 Comp., p. 193).
(b) In
this connection, and concurrently with the war or national emergency proclamation by the President, the Director will:
(1) Authorize the continuance of all frequency authorizations issued by the National Telecommunications and Information
Administration (NTIA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), except as they may otherwise be modified or revoked
by the Director, OSTP, in the national interest;
(2)
Re-delegate to the Secretary of Defense the authority necessary to control the use of the radio spectrum in areas of active
combat, where such control is necessary to the support of U.S. military operations;
(3) Close all non-government radio stations in the international broadcasting service as defined in the FCC rules and
regulations, except those carrying or scheduled to carry U.S. Government-controlled radio broadcasts.
Its administration displaces a question from topic G2B more essential to proving that your examinee has
General Class operator knowledge of operating courtesy, band plans, emergencies, including drills and emergency communications.
6. Administer G9A03 (D) sparingly:
What
is the characteristic impedance of flat ribbon TV type twin lead?
A. 50 ohms
B. 75 ohms
C. 100 ohms
D. 300 ohms
~
This is a dated question whose time has passed. With the end of VHF telecasting,
the widespread availability and TV reception usage of this once-popular type of feed line has probably come to an end.
Its administration displaces a question from topic G9A more essential to proving that your examinee has
General Class operator knowledge of antenna feed lines, characteristic impedance and attenuation, SWR calculation, measurement
and effects, and matching networks.
7. Do
not administer G0A06 (C) [no citation]:
Which transmitter(s) at a multiple user site is/are responsible
for RF safety compliance?”
A. Only the most powerful transmitter on site
B. All transmitters on
site, regardless of their power level or duty cycle
C. Any transmitter that contributes 5% or more of the MPE
D.
Only those that operate at more than 50% duty cycle
~
It can be administered where
answer “B” is graded as correct. Section 97.13(c) is the operative rule. It says, “Before causing
or allowing an amateur station to transmit from any place where the operation of the station could cause human exposure to
RF electromagnetic field levels in excess of those allowed under Sec. 1.1310 of this chapter, the licensee is required to take certain actions.” The VECs’ answer (C) implies,
incorrectly, that certain transmitters are exempt from this requirement. Its administration displaces
a question from topic G9A more essential to proving that your examinee has General Class operator knowledge of antenna feed
lines, characteristic impedance and attenuation, SWR calculation, measurement and effects, and matching networks.
Instructors and
training aid providers: Explain the meanings of those essential terms absent from
the pool necessary to understanding the rules, practices and pages 15-18 of OST/OET Bulletin 65: antenna gain, ERP, isotropic, keyclick, km, modulation index, multiplex, nautical
mile, PEP, sideband, splatter, spurious emission, spread spectrum, W, watts, occupational/controlled MPE limits, and general
public/population/uncontrolled limits. These terms were also bypassed in the Element 2 pool. They are essential
to understanding the rules and practices necessary to performing properly the duties of any FCC-licensed amateur service licensee.
Explain
that the FCC rules use terms such as 20 meter band, rather than the VECs’ term 14 MHz band and 10 meter band rather
than the VECs’ term 28MHz band.
Clear up the confusion between the purpose of our amateur radio
service and the basis and purpose of the rules in FCC Part 97. The purpose of our amateur service is codified in SEC. 3. [47
USC 153](2) of the Communications Act of 1934; in No. 1.56 of the international Radio Regulations (RR); in 47 CFR § 2.1(c); and in Section 97.3(a)(4). They all say it is a radiocommunication service for the purpose
of self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations carried out by amateurs, that is, duly authorized persons
interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest. This applies internationally
and domestically.
In places where our amateur service is regulated by the FCC, moreover, Section 97.1 Basis and purpose, says that the rules and regulations in FCC Part 97 are designed to provide an amateur radio service having a fundamental purpose
as expressed in the following principles:
(a) Recognition and enhancement of the value of the amateur service to the public as a voluntary noncommercial
communication service, particularly with respect to providing emergency communications.
(b) Continuation and extension of the amateur's proven
ability to contribute to the advancement of the radio art.
(c) Encouragement and improvement of the amateur service through rules which provide
for advancing skills in both the communication and technical phases of the art.
(d) Expansion of the existing reservoir within the amateur radio service of trained
operators, technicians, and electronics experts.
(e) Continuation and extension of the amateur's unique ability to enhance international goodwill.
FAQs
Q.
Which algorithm should be used when our VE team is making up a question set?
A.
The operative rule is Section 97.507(c). Either prepare the question set, or obtain it from a supplier,
according to instructions from your coordinating VEC. Some VECs are also suppliers of question sets.
In
general, the VECs’ pools consist of 35 or 50 groups of 10-20 questions. Each group addresses one
or more topics. The VECs’ intent is that only one question be taken from each group for assembling
a question set.
Q. A
lot of the questions in the VECs’ pools are written so that they can only be administered in a multiple-choice format.
Is that an FCC requirement?
A. No. The rules do not specify
any format. Multiple-choice is the VECs’ decision. Prior to the VE system, the
FCC relied upon that no-knowledge-to-grade format because qualifying for an amateur operator license was not in the job description
for its staff examiners. The VEC system cannot make that claim.
Even though it is probably
the most widely administered format, arguments that the statement of this question or that answer has to be compromised because
of the limitations of the multiple-choice format are without merit. No question or answer should be compromised
in order to satisfy the limitations of the multiple-choice examination format.
Q. For some questions, our VE team does not concur with the VECs’ suggested answer.
Can we correct it?
A. You cannot revise a question from the VECs’
pool without instructions from your coordinating VEC. The rules say nothing about answers in connection
with the VECs, only the VEs. According to Section 97.509(h), it is our administering VEs who are responsible for determining the correctness
of the examinee's answers. As the administering VEs, therefore, your VE team can correct the VECs’
suggested answers as necessary in a multiple-choice question set format.
Let your coordinating VEC know about it so the pool
can be amended accordingly.
Q.
There are seven questions in topic G1D about VEs and VECs. Our team accepts only the voluntary services
of VEs who are Amateur Extra Class operators. Shouldn’t those questions, therefore, be moved to Element
4?
A. No. They are in the proper element. Section 97.507(a)(2) authorizes a VE holding a General Class operator license to prepare an
Element 2 question set. Section 97.509(b)(i) authorizes a VE holding a General Class operator license to administer
a Technician Class operator license examination.
Issued March 13, 2011
Supersedes all prior versions