Amateur Radio Basic Qualification (ISED Canada)

In Canada, which body sets and administers the Amateur Radio Operator Certificate and its examinations?

• ARadio Amateurs of Canada (RAC)
• BInnovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)
• CThe Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)
• DThe International Telecommunication Union (ITU)

What minimum mark must a candidate achieve to pass the Basic Qualification examination?

• A50%
• B60%
• C70%
• D80%

A candidate who scores 80% or more on the Basic Qualification exam earns which additional privilege?

• AAccess to all amateur bands below 30 MHz (HF)
• BPermission to use unlimited transmitter power
• CAuthority to operate commercial radio stations
• DThe right to administer exams to other candidates

Which of the following call-sign prefixes is assigned to Canadian amateur radio operators?

• AW or K
• BG or M
• CVE
• DJA

What is the maximum DC input power to the final stage permitted for a station operated under the Basic Qualification?

• A100 watts
• B250 watts
• C1000 watts
• D2000 watts

How often must an amateur station identify itself by transmitting its call sign during a contact?

• AOnly at the start of the contact
• BAt least every 30 minutes and at the end of the contact
• COnly when another station requests it
• DOnce per hour is sufficient

Which type of communication is normally prohibited on an amateur radio station?

• AEmergency traffic for a person in distress
• BCommunications for which the operator is paid or that are commercial in nature
• CTechnical experiments with antennas
• DCasual conversation between licensed amateurs

An amateur operator with only the Basic Qualification (without honours) is permitted to operate on which bands?

• AAll amateur bands below 30 MHz only
• BAll amateur bands above 30 MHz
• COnly the 2-metre band
• DAll amateur bands at any frequency

What is the highest qualification exam an amateur must hold to legally build and operate home-made transmitting equipment in Canada?

• ANo special qualification beyond Basic is required
• BA separate equipment-construction licence
• CThe Morse code qualification
• DA commercial radio operator certificate

Under Canadian regulations, what callsign and identification must be used when an amateur allows a non-licensed guest to speak on the air under their supervision?

• AThe guest must obtain their own call sign first
• BThe supervising amateur's station call sign is used and they remain responsible
• CNo identification is needed for guests
• DThe guest may invent a temporary call sign

The document that sets out the frequency bands and operating standards for amateur stations in Canada is known as:

• ARBR-4
• BFCC Part 97
• CITU Radio Regulations only
• DThe Telecommunications Act

What principle governs the amount of transmitter power an amateur should use?

• AAlways use the maximum permitted power
• BUse the minimum power necessary to carry out the communication
• CUse whatever power gives the strongest signal report
• DPower level is unregulated for amateurs

Who is responsible for the proper operation of an amateur station?

• AThe equipment manufacturer
• BThe certificate holder operating or in control of the station
• CISED inspectors
• DThe local amateur radio club

An amateur station may transmit on a frequency only if:

• AThe frequency is within an amateur band allocated for the operator's qualifications
• BIt is a weekday
• CThe operator first asks permission from ISED by phone
• DNo other station can be heard on any frequency

Encrypting the content of amateur transmissions to make them secret is:

• AEncouraged to protect privacy
• BGenerally prohibited, because amateur communications must not be obscured
• CRequired on all digital modes
• DPermitted only on VHF

During a genuine emergency where life or property is at immediate risk, an amateur operator may:

• AOnly transmit on amateur bands as usual
• BUse any means of radio communication necessary to provide assistance, even beyond normal…
• CDo nothing until ISED grants permission
• DSwitch to a commercial broadcast frequency at will for any reason

Which qualification, in addition to Basic, must a Canadian amateur hold to use the maximum power and all the HF privileges associated with the Advanced certificate?

• AMorse code qualification
• BAdvanced Qualification
• CBasic with Honours alone
• DCommercial Qualification

What does the phonetic alphabet word for the letter 'Q' say when spelling a call sign on voice?

• AQuebec
• BQueen
• CQuick
• DQuartz

The Q-code 'QRM' is used to indicate:

• AInterference from other stations
• BYour signal is fading
• CPlease increase power
• DDecrease the keying speed

On a voice contact, the proper way to invite any station to reply when you are not calling a specific station is to call:

• AMayday
• BCQ
• CSOS
• DRoger

A repeater that receives on 146.940 MHz and retransmits on 146.340 MHz is operating with:

• AZero offset
• BA 600 kHz offset
• CA 5 MHz offset
• DCross-band operation only

Before transmitting on a frequency, a courteous and required practice is to:

• ATransmit immediately to claim the frequency
• BListen first to ensure the frequency is not already in use
• CAlways call CQ at maximum power
• DAsk the repeater owner by email

In an RST signal report, what does the 'R' stand for?

• ARange
• BReadability
• CReflection
• DResonance

What is the purpose of keeping a station log of contacts in amateur radio today?

• AIt is legally mandatory for every contact in Canada
• BIt is good practice and useful for awards and troubleshooting, though no longer generally…
• CIt must be submitted to ISED weekly
• DIt replaces the need to identify on air

The internationally recognised spoken distress call indicating grave and imminent danger is:

• APan-Pan
• BSecurite
• CMayday
• DBreak-break

When operating through a simplex frequency, the transmit and receive frequencies are:

• ASeparated by 600 kHz
• BThe same frequency
• CAlways cross-band
• DDetermined by a CTCSS tone

A 'band plan' in amateur radio is best described as:

• AA legal list of who owns each frequency
• BA voluntary agreement on how segments of a band should be used for different modes
• CA government schedule of exam dates
• DA list of repeater owners

What is the main advantage of using standard phonetics (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie...) when spelling on voice?

• AIt sounds more professional only
• BIt reduces errors when letters are hard to distinguish under noise or fading
• CIt transmits faster than plain letters
• DIt is required for digital modes

The best way to connect an amateur station's equipment to earth ground for safety and RF reasons is to use:

• AA long, thin wire wound into a coil
• BA short, heavy, low-impedance connection to a good ground point
• CNo ground connection at all
• DOnly the power-cord ground pin

Why should an outdoor antenna and its feed line be disconnected or grounded during a lightning storm?

• ATo save electricity
• BTo reduce the risk of lightning damage and fire by diverting or removing the path into th…
• CTo improve the SWR
• DBecause transmitting is illegal during storms

When erecting an antenna or tower, the most important safety consideration is to:

• APaint it a bright colour
• BKeep it well clear of overhead power lines
• CUse the thinnest possible mast
• DMount it as close to the house wiring as possible

Exposure to radio frequency energy from a transmitting antenna is mainly a concern because RF energy can:

• ACause heating of body tissue
• BMake the operator magnetic
• CCharge the body with static electricity permanently
• DChange the colour of the skin instantly

A fuse in a power supply line is included primarily to:

• AIncrease the supply voltage
• BOpen the circuit if the current exceeds a safe value
• CSmooth the DC output
• DMatch the antenna impedance

What is the danger of replacing a 5-ampere fuse with a 20-ampere fuse in the same circuit?

• AThe equipment will run faster
• BExcessive current could flow, overheating wiring and causing a fire
• CThe radio will transmit with more power legally
• DNothing, fuses are interchangeable

An instrument used to measure DC voltage, DC current and resistance in a station is a:

• ADummy load
• BMultimeter
• CDip meter
• DBalun

To measure the current flowing through a circuit, an ammeter should be connected:

• AIn parallel with the load
• BIn series with the circuit
• CBetween the antenna and ground
• DAcross the power-supply output only

A dummy load is used when testing a transmitter because it:

• ARadiates a strong signal for distant testing
• BAbsorbs the transmitter's power without radiating, allowing testing without interference
• CIncreases the transmitter output power
• DTunes the antenna automatically

When working on equipment connected to the AC mains, the safest first step is to:

• AWear rubber boots and keep working
• BDisconnect or switch off and unplug the equipment before touching internal parts
• CIncrease the room lighting only
• DDischarge capacitors by touching them with bare fingers

A large electrolytic capacitor in a power supply can remain dangerous after the supply is switched off because it:

• AContinues to generate voltage
• BCan hold a stored charge at high voltage
• CBecomes radioactive
• DReverses the mains polarity

A lead-acid battery used to power a station should be:

• ACharged in a sealed, unventilated box
• BUsed in a well-ventilated area because charging can release hydrogen gas
• CKept upside down for best performance
• DConnected with reversed polarity to extend its life

The schematic symbol that shows two parallel lines, one of them curved, represents a:

• AResistor
• BCapacitor
• CInductor
• DDiode

Which component opposes changes in current and stores energy in a magnetic field?

• AResistor
• BCapacitor
• CInductor
• DDiode

A device that allows current to flow easily in one direction but blocks it in the other direction is a:

• AResistor
• BDiode
• CCapacitor
• DTransformer

A bipolar transistor has three terminals named:

• AAnode, cathode and gate
• BBase, collector and emitter
• CSource, drain and gate
• DPlate, grid and filament

A resistor with colour bands brown, black, red (and a tolerance band) has a value of:

• A100 ohms
• B1000 ohms (1 k-ohm)
• C10 ohms
• D10000 ohms

A transformer is used in a power supply mainly to:

• AStore DC charge
• BChange an AC voltage from one level to another
• CBlock all current
• DGenerate radio frequency energy