Amateur Radio

Technician Exam
Preparation Course
1
Amateur Radio Technician
Exam Prep Course
Module 3
Electricity, Components, and Circuits

3.1 Electricity
3.2 Components and Units
3.3 Radio Circuits

2
Fundamentals of Electricity
• Radios are powered by electricity and radio signals are a form of electrical
energy
• A basic understanding of how we control electricity allows you to better
install and operate your radio
• Electrical charge can be positive or negative
• Opposite charges attract each other (like charges repel)
• Electrical current is the flow of electrons
• Electrons are negatively-charged atomic particles, usually surrounding an atom’s
positively-charged nucleus of protons (positive) and neutrons (neutral – no charge)
• Electrons move in response to an electromotive force and can move
independently of atoms

3
Basic Electrical Concepts
• Current: the movement of electrons, measured in amperes (A) by an ammeter,
and represented by I (capital letter “i”) in formulas
• Voltage: the amount of electromotive force (emf), also called electrical
potential, measured in volts (V) by a voltmeter, represented by E or V in
formulas
• Resistance: the opposition to the movement of electrons, measured in ohms (Ω)
by an ohmmeter and represented by R (sometimes Ω in scientific publications)
in formulas
• Resistance is like friction and turns electrical energy into heat when current
flows
• Conductors permit current flow (low resistance) and insulators block current
flow (high resistance)
4
Basic Electrical Concepts (cont.)
• The flow of water through a pipe is a good analogy to understand the
three characteristics of electricity and how they are related

5
Basic Electrical Concepts (cont.)
• Polarity refers to the convention that determines which voltages are
positive and negative
• Voltage from a source of electrical energy causes current to flow
• Resistance is a material’s opposition to the flow of current
• Voltage, current, and resistance affect each other
• For example, higher voltage (bigger push) causes more current (more flow)

6
PRACTICE QUESTIONS

7
Electrical current is measured in which of the following
units?

A. Volts
B. Watts
C. Ohms
D. Amperes

T5A01 D 3-1 8
What is the name for the flow of electrons in an electric
circuit?

A. Voltage
B. Resistance
C. Capacitance
D. Current

T5A03 D 3-1 9
What is the electrical term for the force that causes electron
flow?

A. Voltage
B. Ampere-hours
C. Capacitance
D. Inductance

T5A05 A 3-1 10
Which of the following describes alternating current?

A. Current that alternates between a positive direction and zero

B. Current that alternates between a negative direction and zero
C. Current that alternates between positive and negative directions
D. All these answers are correct

T5A09 C 3-1 11
Which instrument would you use to measure electric
potential?

A. An ammeter
B. A voltmeter
C. A wavemeter
D. An ohmmeter

T7D01 B 3-1 12
Which instrument is used to measure electric current?

A. An ohmmeter
B. An electrometer
C. A voltmeter
D. An ammeter

T7D04 D 3-1 13
The Two Kinds of Current
• Current that flows in only one
direction, is called direct current (DC)
• Batteries are a common source of DC
• Current that flows in one direction
then in the opposite direction is
called alternating current (AC)
• Household current is AC
• AC current reverses direction on a
regular basis
• Each process of reversing is a cycle
• The number of cycles per second is
frequency, measured in hertz (Hz)
• 1 Hz = 1 cycle per second
14
Current Flow
• A circuit is any path through which current can flow
• Electrical circuits are made from components and the connections
between them
• If two or more components are connected in a circuit so that the
same current must flow through all of them, that is a series circuit
• A short circuit is a direct connection between two points in a circuit
• An open circuit is made by breaking a current path in a circuit

15
Series Circuit

Same CURRENT at all points in the circuit. Series circuits provide

one and only one path for current flow.
16
Parallel Circuit

Same VOLTAGE at all parts of the circuit. Parallel circuits provide multiple
paths for current flow.

17
PRACTICE QUESTIONS

18
In which type of circuit is DC current the same through all
components?

A. Series
B. Parallel
C. Resonant
D. Branch

T5D13 A 3-2 19
In which type of circuit is voltage the same across all
components?

A. Series
B. Parallel
C. Resonant
D. Branch

T5D14 B 3-2 20
How is a voltmeter connected to a component to measure
applied voltage?

A. In series
B. In parallel
C. In quadrature
D. In phase

T7D02 B 3-2 21
When configured to measure current, how is a multimeter
connected to a component?

A. In series
B. In parallel
C. In quadrature
D. In phase

T7D03 A 3-2 22
Multimeters
• The basic electrical test instruments are simple meters: voltmeters,
ammeters, and ohmmeters
• So that a separate meter isn’t needed for each parameter, the
multimeter was invented
• Short for “multifunction meter”
• Measures all three electrical values of voltage, current, and resistance
• Other names: VOM (volt-ohm meter) or DVM (digital volt meter)
• Ways meters are damaged …
• Measuring voltage of an energized circuit when the meter is set to measure
resistance
• Exceeding meter’s voltage rating … voltmeter and leads not rated for use at
the voltages to be measured
23
PRACTICE QUESTIONS

24
Which of the following can damage a multimeter?

A. Attempting to measure resistance using the voltage setting

B. Failing to connect one of the probes to ground
C. Attempting to measure voltage when using the resistance setting
D. Not allowing it to warm up properly

T7D06 C 3-4 25
Which of the following measurements are made using a
multimeter?

A. Signal strength and noise

B. Impedance and reactance
C. Voltage and resistance
D. All these choices are correct

T7D07 C 3-4 26
What reading indicates that an ohmmeter is connected
across a large, discharged capacitor?

A. Increasing resistance with time

B. Decreasing resistance with time
C. Steady full-scale reading
D. Alternating between open and short circuit

T7D10 A 3-4 27
Which of the following precautions should be taken when
measuring in-circuit resistance with an ohmmeter?

A. Ensure that the applied voltages are correct

B. Ensure that the circuit is not powered
C. Ensure that the circuit is grounded
D. Ensure that the circuit is operating at the correct frequency

T7D11 B 3-4 28
Which of the following precautions should be taken when
measuring high voltages with a voltmeter?

A. Ensure that the voltmeter has very low impedance

B. Ensure that the voltmeter and leads are rated for use at the voltages to
be measured
C. Ensure that the circuit is grounded through the voltmeter
D. Ensure that the voltmeter is set to the correct frequency

T0A12 B 3-4 29
Ohm’s Law
• E represents voltage
• Units – volts (V)
• I represents current
• Units – amperes (A)
Figure 3.5A — Simple diagram to help
• R represents resistance remember the Ohm’s Law. If you know
• Units – ohms (Ω) any two of the quantities, the equation
to find the third — just cover up the
unknown quantity. The positions of the
R=E/I remaining two symbols show if you
I=E/R have to multiply (side-by-side) or divide
E=IxR (one above the other).
30
Examples of how to use Ohm’s Law

31
 More Ohm’s Law Examples
What is the resistance of a circuit in which a current of 3 amperes flows when
connected to 90 volts?
R = E / I = 90 V / 3 A = 30 Ω

What is the current in a circuit with an applied voltage of 120 volts and a
resistance of 80 ohms?
I = E / R = 120 V / 80 Ω = 1.5 A

What is the voltage across a 2-ohm resistor if a current of 0.5 amperes flows
through it?
E = I × R = 0.5 A × 2 Ω = 1 V 32
PRACTICE QUESTIONS

33
What are the units of electrical resistance?

A. Siemens
B. Mhos
C. Ohms
D. Coulombs

T5A04 C 3-5 34
Why are metals generally good conductors of electricity?

A. They have relatively high density

B. They have many free electrons
C. They have many free protons
D. All these choices are correct

T5A07 B 3-5 35
Which of the following is a good electrical insulator?

A. Copper
B. Glass
C. Aluminum
D. Mercury

T5A08 B 3-5 36
What formula is used to calculate current in a circuit?

A. I=E×R
B. I=E/R
C. I=E+R
D. I=E–R

T5D01 B 3-5 37
What formula is used to calculate voltage in a circuit?

A. E=IxR
B. E=I/R
C. E=I+R
D. E=I–R

T5D02 A 3-5 38
What formula is used to calculate resistance in a circuit?

A. R=ExI
B. R=E/I
C. R=E+I
D. R=E–I

T5D03 B 3-5 39
What is the resistance of a circuit in which a current of 3
amperes flows when connected to 90 volts?

A. 3 ohms
B. 30 ohms
C. 93 ohms
D. 270 ohms

T5D04 B 3-6 40
What is the resistance of a circuit for which the applied
voltage is 12 volts and the current flow is 1.5 amperes?

A. 18 ohms
B. 0.125 ohms
C. 8 ohms
D. 13.5 ohms

T5D05 C 3-6 41
What is the resistance of a circuit that draws 4 amperes
from a 12-volt source?

A. 3 ohms
B. 16 ohms
C. 48 ohms
D. 8 ohms

T5D06 A 3-6 42
What is the current in a circuit with an applied voltage of
120 volts and a resistance of 80 ohms?

A. 9600 amperes
B. 200 amperes
C. 0.667 amperes
D. 1.5 amperes

T5D07 D 3-6 43
What is the current through a 100-ohm resistor connected
across 200 volts?

A. 20,000 amperes
B. 0.5 amperes
C. 2 amperes
D. 100 amperes

T5D08 C 3-6 44
What is the current through a 24-ohm resistor connected
across 240 volts?

A. 24,000 amperes
B. 0.1 amperes
C. 10 amperes
D. 216 amperes

T5D09 C 3-6 45
What is the voltage across a 2-ohm resistor if a current of
0.5 amperes flows through it?

A. 1 volt
B. 0.25 volts
C. 2.5 volts
D. 1.5 volts

T5D10 A 3-6 46
What is the voltage across a 10-ohm resistor if a current of 1
ampere flows through it?

A. 1 volt
B. 10 volts
C. 11 volts
D. 9 volts

T5D11 B 3-7 47
What is the voltage across a 10-ohm resistor if a current of 2
amperes flows through it?

A. 8 volts
B. 0.2 volts
C. 12 volts
D. 20 volts

T5D12 D 3-7 48
 Power
• Power, represented by the
symbol P, is the rate at which
electrical energy is used
• Measured in watts (W)
• A device that consumes or
dissipates power is referred to Figure 3.5B — Simple diagram to help
as a load remember the Ohm’s Law. If you know

P=I×E
any two of the quantities, the equation

E=P/I
to find the third — just cover up the

I=P/E
unknown quantity. The positions of the
remaining two symbols show if you
have to multiply (side-by-side) or divide
(one above the other).
49
 Example Power Calculations
How much power is delivered by a voltage of 13.8 volts DC and a current of 10
amperes?
P = E × I = 13.8 V × 10 A = 138 W

How much current is required to deliver 120 watts at a voltage of 12 volts DC?
I = P / E = 120 W / 12 V = 10 A

50
PRACTICE QUESTIONS

51
Electrical power is measured in which of the following
units?

A. Volts
B. Watts
C. Watt-hours
D. Amperes

T5A02 B 3-7 52
Which term describes the rate at which electrical energy is
used?

A. Resistance
B. Current
C. Power
D. Voltage

T5A10 C 3-7 53
What is the formula used to calculate electrical power (P) in
a DC circuit?

A. P=I×E
B. P=E/I
C. P=E–I
D. P=I+E

T5C08 A 3-7 54
How much power is delivered by a voltage of 13.8 volts DC
and a current of 10 amperes?

A. 138 watts
B. 0.7 watts
C. 23.8 watts
D. 3.8 watts

T5C09 A 3-7 55
How much power is delivered by a voltage of 12 volts DC
and a current of 2.5 amperes?

A. 4.8 watts
B. 30 watts
C. 14.5 watts
D. 0.208 watts

T5C10 B 3-7 56
How much current is required to deliver 120 watts at a
voltage of 12 volts DC?

A. 0.1 amperes
B. 10 amperes
C. 12 amperes
D. 132 amperes

T5C11 B 3-7 57
 Components and Units
• Components in electrical circuits
performs functions such as storing or
using energy, routing current, or
amplifying signals
• The three most basic types of
electronic components are resistors,
capacitors and inductors
• We could use actual drawings to show
how components are arranged in
circuits, but this would be too More on schematics later …
cumbersome for most circuitry.
Instead, we use schematic diagrams …
58
 Resistors
• Function: To restrict the flow of current, just
as a valve in a water pipe restricts the flow
through the pipe Potentiometer
• Resistance measured in ohms (Ω) or “Pot”
• Remember Ohm’s Law Arrow indicates
• Schematic adjustable value,
such as for a volume
• Picture control.

Resistor Schematic

59
Large Variety of Resistors!

60
 Capacitors
• The function of a capacitor is to store Electrodes
electrical energy – called capacitance
• Schematic symbol
• Acts like a battery
• Picture
Schematic
Stores energy in an electric
field created by voltage
between the electrodes with
insulating dielectric material
between them
61
Capacitors (cont.)
• Store electrical energy in the electric field created by a voltage
between two conducting surfaces or electrodes
• Electrodes are separated by an insulator or dielectric
• Storing energy this way is called capacitance, and it is measured in
farads (F)

62
Large Variety of Capacitors!

63
 Inductors
• Function: To store energy in the magnetic field
created by current flowing in a wire
• Called inductance, measured in henrys (H)
• Made from wire wound in a coil, sometimes
around a core of magnetic material that Schematic
concentrates the magnetic energy
• Schematic
• Picture

64
 Variable Components
• All three types of basic components
are also available as adjustable or
variable models
• A variable resistor is also called a
potentiometer, frequently used to
adjust voltage or potential, such as for
a volume control

65
 Transformers
• Made from two or more inductors that
share their stored energy
• Allows energy to be transferred from one
inductor to another while changing the
combination of voltage and current
• Example: A transformer is used to
transfer energy from household 120 V AC
voltage to a lower voltage for other uses
such as in electronic equipment

66
PRACTICE QUESTIONS

67
What describes the ability to store energy in an electric
field?

A. Inductance
B. Resistance
C. Tolerance
D. Capacitance

T5C01 D 3-8 68
What is the unit of capacitance?

A. The farad
B. The ohm
C. The volt
D. The henry

T5C02 A 3-8 69
What describes the ability to store energy in a magnetic
field?

A. Admittance
B. Capacitance
C. Resistance
D. Inductance

T5C03 D 3-8 70
What is the unit of inductance?

A. The coulomb
B. The farad
C. The henry
D. The ohm

T5C04 C 3-8 71
What electrical component opposes the flow of current in a
DC circuit?

A. Inductor
B. Resistor
C. Inverter
D. Transformer

T6A01 B 3-8 72
What type of component is often used as an adjustable
volume control?

A. Fixed resistor
B. Power resistor
C. Potentiometer
D. Transformer

T6A02 C 3-8 73
What electrical parameter is controlled by a potentiometer?

A. Inductance
B. Resistance
C. Capacitance
D. Field strength

T6A03 B 3-8 74
What electrical component stores energy in an electric
field?

A. Varistor
B. Capacitor
C. Inductor
D. Diode

T6A04 B 3-8 75
What type of electrical component consists of conductive
surfaces separated by an insulator?

A. Resistor
B. Potentiometer
C. Oscillator
D. Capacitor

T6A05 D 3-8 76
What type of electrical component stores energy in a
magnetic field?

A. Varistor
B. Capacitor
C. Inductor
D. Diode

T6A06 C 3-8 77
What electrical component is typically constructed as a coil
of wire?

A. Switch
B. Capacitor
C. Diode
D. Inductor

T6A07 D 3-8 78
What component changes 120 V AC power to a lower AC
voltage for other uses?

A. Variable capacitor
B. Transformer
C. Transistor
D. Diode

T6D06 B 3-8 79
Reactance and Impedance
• In a resistor, AC voltages and currents are exactly in step, or in phase
• In capacitors and inductors, voltage and current have a phase
difference
• Capacitors and inductors store energy, rather than dissipating it like
resistors
• Energy storage creates an effect called reactance (symbol X) that acts
like a resistance in opposing the flow of AC current
• Capacitors create capacitive reactance (XC)
• Inductors create inductive reactance (XL)
• The effects of each are complementary
80
Reactance and Impedance (cont.)
• The combination of resistance (R) and reactance (X) is called
impedance, represented by the symbol Z
• Impedance represents a circuit’s opposition to both AC and DC
currents
• Radio circuits almost always have both resistance and reactance, so
impedance is often used as a general term to mean the circuit’s
opposition to AC current flow

81
PRACTICE QUESTIONS

82
What is the unit of impedance?

A. The volt
B. The ampere
C. The coulomb
D. The ohm

T5C05 D 3-10 83
What is impedance?

A. The opposition to AC current flow

B. The inverse of resistance
C. The Q or Quality Factor of a component
D. The power handling capability of a component

T5C12 A 3-10 84
Resonance
• Circuits that contain both a capacitor and an inductor are called resonant
circuits or tuned circuits
• A component’s reactance depends on frequency
• XL increases with frequency while XC decreases
• At the frequency for which a circuit’s XL and XC are equal, their effects cancel
• This is the circuit’s resonant frequency
• At resonance, a circuit has only resistance, which affects AC and DC current
equally
• A tuned circuit acts as a filter, passing or rejecting signals at its resonant
frequency

85
 Resonant or Tuned Circuit
• Capacitors and inductors connected
together create a tuned circuit
• When XL and XC are equal, the
circuit is resonant
• If C or L are adjustable, the
resonant frequency can be varied
or tuned

86
PRACTICE QUESTIONS

87
Which of the following is combined with an inductor to
make a resonant circuit?

A. Resistor
B. Zener diode
C. Potentiometer
D. Capacitor

T6D08 D 3-10 88
Which of the following is a resonant or tuned circuit?

A. An inductor and a capacitor in series or parallel

B. A linear voltage regulator
C. A resistor circuit used for reducing standing wave ratio
D. A circuit designed to provide high-fidelity audio

T6D11 A 3-10 89
 Diodes, Transistors and Integrated Circuits
(Semiconductors)
• Made of material like silicon that are “OK” conductors but not as good
as metals
• Impurities added to semiconductors create material with more than
usual electrons (N-type) and fewer than usual electrons (P-type)
• Structures of N and P material can control current flow through the
semiconductor
• When N- and P-type material are placed in contact with each other,
the result is a PN junction that conducts better in one direction than
the other

90
 Diodes
• Allows current to flow in only one
direction
• Two electrodes (Anode, Cathode) Anode Cathode
• AC current is changed to varying pulses of
DC (called rectification)
Arrows
• Diodes used to change AC power to DC
power are called rectifiers (heavy-duty indicate
diodes) light
• Schematic (LED)
• Designator (D or CR)
• If AC voltage is applied to a diode, the
result is a pulsing DC current because
current is blocked when the voltage tries Stripe on diode indicates CATHODE
to push electrons in the wrong direction 91
Diodes (cont.)
• When current flows through a diode, a small positive voltage
develops from the anode to the cathode
• Called forward voltage drop, usually less than 1 V
• Voltage depends on the type of diode and the materials it’s made from
• Light-emitting diode or LED gives off light when current flows through
it in the forward direction from anode to cathode
• Used as visual indicators (use less power than incandescent bulbs/lamps)
• Material from which the LED is made determines the color of light emitted

92
 Transistors
• The function of a transistor is to
control large signals with small ones
• An “electronically controlled current Bipolar
valve”
• When used as an amplifier, a transistor Junction
produces gain Transistor
• Transistors can also be used as a switch
(BJT)
• Schematic Field-Effect
• Designator (Q) Transistor
(FET)
93
 Transistors (cont.)
• Two common types of transistors: bipolar
junction transistors (BJT) and field effect
transistors (FET)
• The Bipolar Junction Transistor (BJT) has three
layers of N or P material connected to
electrodes
• Depending on the arrangement of layers, a
BJT is either an NPN or PNP transistor
• The three electrodes of an FET are the gate, Bipolar Junction Transistor Schematic
drain, and source (showing the 3 electrodes)
• RF power transistors are used as the primary
gain-producing component in RF power
amplifiers
94
Transistors (cont.)
• The Field-Effect Transistor (FET) has
a conducting path or channel of N
and P material connected to the
drain and source electrodes
• Voltage applied to the gate Drain
electrode controls current through
the channel
Gate

Source

95
Integrated Circuits
• An integrated circuit (IC or chip) D Q

is made of many components CLK

connected together as a useful
circuit and packaged as a single Q

component
_
• Schematic symbol
• Designator (IC or U) +

96
PRACTICE QUESTIONS

97
Which is true about forward voltage drop in a diode?

A. It is lower in some diode types than in others

B. It is proportional to peak inverse voltage
C. It indicates that the diode is defective
D. It has no impact on the voltage delivered to the load

T6B01 A 3-10 98
What electronic component allows current to flow in only
one direction?

A. Resistor
B. Fuse
C. Diode
D. Driven element

T6B02 C 3-10 99
Which of these components can be used as an electronic
switch?

A. Varistor
B. Potentiometer
C. Transistor
D. Thermistor

T6B03 C 3-10 100

Which of the following components can consist of three
regions of semiconductor material?

A. Alternator
B. Transistor
C. Triode
D. Pentagrid converter

T6B04 B 3-10 101

What type of transistor has a gate, drain, and source?

A. Varistor
B. Field-effect
C. Tesla-effect
D. Bipolar junction

T6B05 B 3-10 102

How is the cathode lead of a semiconductor diode often
marked on the package?

A. With the word “cathode”

B. With a stripe
C. With the letter C
D. With the letter K

T6B06 B 3-10 103

What causes a light-emitting diode (LED) to emit light?

A. Forward current
B. Reverse current
C. Capacitively-coupled RF signal
D. Inductively-coupled RF signal

T6B07 A 3-10 104

What does the abbreviation FET stand for?

A. Frequency Emission Transmitter

B. Fast Electron Transistor
C. Free Electron Transmitter
D. Field Effect Transistor

T6B08 D 3-10 105

What are the names for the electrodes of a diode?

A. Plus and minus

B. Source and drain
C. Anode and cathode
D. Gate and base

T6B09 C 3-10 106

Which of the following can provide power gain?

A. Transformer
B. Transistor
C. Reactor
D. Resistor

T6B10 B 3-11 107

What is the term that describes a device’s ability to amplify
a signal?

A. Gain
B. Forward resistance
C. Forward voltage drop
D. On resistance

T6B11 A 3-11 108

What are the names of the electrodes of a bipolar junction
transistor?

A. Signal, bias, power

B. Emitter, base, collector
C. Input, output, supply
D. Pole one, pole two, output

T6B12 B 3-11 109

Which of the following devices or circuits changes an
alternating current into a varying direct current signal?

A. Transformer
B. Rectifier
C. Amplifier
D. Reflector

T6D01 B 3-11 110

Which of the following is commonly used as a visual
indicator?

A. LED
B. FET
C. Zener diode
D. Bipolar transistor

T6D07 A 3-11 111

What is the name of a device that combines several
semiconductors and other components into one package?

A. Transducer
B. Multi-pole relay
C. Integrated circuit
D. Transformer

T6D09 C 3-11 112

What is the function of component 2 in figure T-1?

A. Give off light when current flows

through it
B. Supply electrical energy
C. Control the flow of current
D. Convert electrical energy into radio
waves

T6D10 C 3-11 113

Protective Components
• Protective components (such as fuses and circuit breakers) are used to
prevent equipment damage or safety hazards such as fire or electrical shock
• Designed to remove power in case of a circuit overload
• Fuses blow – one time protection
• Circuit breakers trip – can be reset and reused
• Fuses interrupt current overloads by melting a short length of metal – when
the metal melts, the current path is broken and power is removed from
circuits
• Replacing a fuse or circuit breaker with one with a higher current rating
could allow the fault to permanently damage the equipment or start a fire

114
Schematics Circuit Breaker

Ground Fault
Circuit Interrupter
(GFCI) circuit
breaker

Fuses 115
PRACTICE QUESTIONS

116
What electrical component is used to protect other circuit
components from current overloads?

A. Fuse
B. Thyratron
C. Varactor
D. All these choices are correct

T6A09 A 3-12 117

What is the purpose of a fuse in an electrical circuit?

A. To prevent power supply ripple from damaging a component

B. To remove power in case of overload
C. To limit current to prevent shocks
D. All these choices are correct

T0A04 B 3-12 118

Why should a 5-ampere fuse never be replaced with a 20-
ampere fuse?

A. The larger fuse would be likely to blow because it is rated for higher
current
B. The power supply ripple would greatly increase
C. Excessive current could cause a fire
D. All these choices are correct

T0A05 C 3-12 119

Circuit Gatekeepers … Switches & Relays
• Switches and relays control current through a circuit by connecting
and disconnecting paths for current to follow
• Switches and relays are described by their number of poles and the
number of throws
• The combination of poles and throws describes the switch
• Each circuit controlled by the switch is a pole
• Each position is called a throw
• A switch is operated manually while a relay is a switch controlled by
an electromagnet

120
Switch Configurations
SPS Switches
T
SPDT

DPDT

Pushbutt
on Relay

121
Indicator, Meters and Displays
• Indicators and displays are important components for radio
equipment
• An indicator is either ON or OFF
• A meter provides information as a value in the form of numbers or on
a numeric scale
• A display combines indicators, numbers, and labels
• A liquid crystal display or LCD is used on the front panel of many radios and
test instruments

122
PRACTICE QUESTIONS

123
What is the function of an SPDT switch?

A. A single circuit is opened or closed

B. Two circuits are opened or closed
C. A single circuit is switched between one of two other circuits
D. Two circuits are each switched between one of two other circuits

T6A08 C 3-13 124

What type of switch is represented by component 3 in
figure T-2?

A. Single-pole single-throw
B. Single-pole double-
throw
C. Double-pole single-
throw
D. Double-pole double-
throw

T6A12 A 3-13 125

What is a relay?

A. An electrically-controlled switch
B. A current controlled amplifier
C. An inverting amplifier
D. A pass transistor

T6D02 A 3-13 126

Which of the following displays an electrical quantity as a
numeric value?

A. Potentiometer
B. Transistor
C. Meter
D. Relay

T6D04 C 3-14 127

Fig 3.15 – Schematic Symbols (see text)

128
Fig 3.15 – Schematic Symbols (cont., see text)

129
Schematic Diagrams and Symbols
• Symbols are used when drawing a circuit because there are so many
types of components
• Schematic diagrams are a visual description of a circuit and its
components that uses standardized drawings called circuit symbols
• Shows how the components are connected electrically

130
PRACTICE QUESTIONS

131
What is the name of an electrical wiring diagram that uses
standard component symbols?

A. Bill of materials
B. Connector pinout
C. Schematic
D. Flow chart

T6C01 C 3-14 132

What is component 1 in figure T-1?

A. Resistor
B. Transistor
C. Battery
D. Connector

T6C02 A 3-14 133

What is component 2 in figure T-1?

A. Resistor
B. Transistor
C. Indicator lamp
D. Connector

T6C03 B 3-14 134

What is component 3 in figure T-1?

A. Resistor
B. Transistor
C. Lamp
D. Ground symbol

T6C04 C 3-14 135

What is component 4 in figure T-1?

A. Resistor
B. Transistor
C. Ground symbol
D. Battery

T6C05 D 3-14 136

What is component 6 in figure T-2?

A. Resistor
B. Capacitor
C. Regulator IC
D. Transistor

T6C06 B 3-14 137

What is component 8 in figure T-2?

A. Resistor
B. Inductor
C. Regulator IC
D. Light emitting diode

T6C07 D 3-14 138

What is component 9 in figure T-2?

A. Variable capacitor
B. Variable inductor
C. Variable resistor
D. Variable transformer

T6C08 C 3-14 139

What is component 4 in figure T-2?

A. Variable inductor
B. Double-pole switch
C. Potentiometer
D. Transformer

T6C09 D 3-14 140

What is component 3 in figure T-3?

A. Connector
B. Meter
C. Variable capacitor
D. Variable inductor

T6C10 D 3-14 141

What is component 4 in figure T-3?

A. Antenna
B. Transmitter
C. Dummy load
D. Ground

T6C11 A 3-14 142

Which of the following is accurately represented in
electrical schematics?

A. Wire lengths
B. Physical appearance of components
C. Component connections
D. All these choices are correct

T6C12 C 3-14 143

Radio Circuits
• An oscillator produces a steady signal at one frequency
• Used in both receivers and transmitters to determine the operating frequency
• The process of combining data or voice signals with an RF signal is
modulation
• Modulators add the data or voice signal to an RF signal or carrier
• A demodulator circuit extracts the information from a modulated signal
• Mixers combine two RF signals and shift one of them to a third
frequency (closely related to a modulator)

144
PRACTICE QUESTIONS

145
What is the name of a circuit that generates a signal at a
specific frequency?

A. Reactance modulator
B. Phase modulator
C. Low-pass filter
D. Oscillator

T7A05 D 3-17 146

Which of the following describes combining speech with an
RF carrier signal?

A. Impedance matching
B. Oscillation
C. Modulation
D. Low-pass filtering

T7A08 C 3-17 147

Which of the following is used to convert a signal from one
frequency to another?

A. Phase splitter
B. Mixer
C. Inverter
D. Amplifier

T7A03 B 3-18 148

END OF MODULE 3

149