100+ Free ISED Basic Practice Questions
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Key Facts: ISED Basic Exam
100 questions
The Basic Qualification exam is 100 multiple-choice questions from ISED's question bank
Radio Amateurs of Canada - Examinations
70%
Pass mark for the Basic Qualification (70 of 100 questions)
ISED Basic Qualification examination answer sheet
80%
A mark of 80% or higher earns Basic with Honours and HF privileges below 30 MHz
Radio Amateurs of Canada - Examinations
250 watts
Basic operators may use up to 250 watts DC input (about 560 watts PEP)
ISED RBR-4 / Canadian Basic Qualification question bank
VA, VE, VO, VY
Canadian amateur call-sign prefixes assigned to Basic operators
Canadian Basic Qualification question bank
30 MHz
Basic grants bands above 30 MHz; Honours adds bands below 30 MHz (HF)
Radio Amateurs of Canada - Examinations
Accredited examiner
The exam is administered in person or remotely by an ISED-accredited examiner
ISED Amateur Radio Service Centre
100
Free original practice questions here across all eight ISED syllabus sections
OpenExamPrep
The Amateur Radio Basic Qualification is Canada's entry ham-radio licence exam, set by ISED and given by accredited examiners. It is a closed-book, 100-question single-best-answer multiple-choice test drawn from ISED's published question bank. Scoring 70% earns the Basic Qualification with VHF/UHF privileges (above 30 MHz) and a VA/VE/VO/VY call sign; 80% or more earns Basic with Honours, adding all HF bands below 30 MHz. Basic operators may use up to 250 watts DC input (about 560 watts PEP). This 100-question bank gives original practice across all eight ISED syllabus sections with full explanations.
Sample ISED Basic Practice Questions
Try these sample questions to test your ISED Basic exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.
1In Canada, which body sets and administers the Amateur Radio Operator Certificate and its examinations?
2What minimum mark must a candidate achieve to pass the Basic Qualification examination?
3A candidate who scores 80% or more on the Basic Qualification exam earns which additional privilege?
4Which of the following call-sign prefixes is assigned to Canadian amateur radio operators?
5What is the maximum DC input power to the final stage permitted for a station operated under the Basic Qualification?
6How often must an amateur station identify itself by transmitting its call sign during a contact?
7Which type of communication is normally prohibited on an amateur radio station?
8An amateur operator with only the Basic Qualification (without honours) is permitted to operate on which bands?
9What is the highest qualification exam an amateur must hold to legally build and operate home-made transmitting equipment in Canada?
10Under 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?
About the ISED Basic Exam
The Amateur Radio Basic Qualification is the entry certification that lets a person operate an amateur (ham) radio station in Canada. It is a 100-question multiple-choice exam set by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) and given by accredited examiners in person or remotely. The questions are drawn from ISED's published Basic Qualification question bank and cover Canadian radio regulations, operating procedures, station assembly and safety, circuit components, basic electronics and theory, feed lines and antennas, radio wave propagation, and interference. A mark of 70% earns the Basic Qualification, which grants VHF and UHF privileges (bands above 30 MHz) and a call sign with a VA, VE, VO or VY prefix; a mark of 80% or more earns Basic with Honours, which also grants the high-frequency (HF) bands below 30 MHz. The Advanced Qualification and the Morse code qualification are separate, optional exams.
Assessment
100 single-best-answer multiple-choice questions drawn from ISED's published Basic Qualification question bank, spanning regulations, operating procedures, station assembly and safety, circuit components, basic electronics and theory, feed lines and antennas, propagation, and interference.
Time Limit
ISED sets no fixed time limit; accredited examiners typically allow a generous sitting, often up to about two to three hours, to answer all 100 questions.
Passing Score
70% (70 of 100) earns the Basic Qualification; 80% or higher earns Basic with Honours, which adds access to all amateur bands below 30 MHz (HF).
Exam Fee
ISED charges no fee for the exam or the Amateur Radio Operator Certificate; an accredited examiner may charge a small administration fee at their discretion. (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), administered by accredited examiners)
ISED Basic Exam Content Outline
Regulations & Policies
Canadian Radiocommunication regulations and the RBR-4 standards: certificate and call-sign rules (VA, VE, VO, VY prefixes), authorised frequency bands and operator privileges, the 250-watt DC input / 560-watt PEP power limit, station identification, third-party traffic and prohibited communications.
Operating & Procedures
On-air operating practice: the phonetic alphabet, Q-codes, calling and answering, simplex and repeater operation, band plans, nets, logging, emergency and distress communications, and time and frequency conventions.
Station Assembly, Practice & Safety
Building and operating a safe station: grounding and bonding, lightning and surge protection, RF exposure limits, antenna and tower safety, electrical safety, fuses, batteries, and basic test instruments such as the multimeter and SWR meter.
Circuit Components
Identifying and using components and their schematic symbols: resistors and colour codes, capacitors, inductors, transformers, diodes, transistors, integrated circuits, switches, relays and fuses.
Basic Electronics & Theory
Core electrical theory: Ohm's law, the power law, series and parallel resistance, AC and DC fundamentals, frequency, wavelength and period, decibels, resonance, capacitance and inductance, and the metric prefixes used in radio.
Feed Lines & Antenna Systems
Feed lines and antennas: coaxial and open-wire line, characteristic impedance, loss, standing wave ratio (SWR), baluns and matching, the half-wave dipole, quarter-wave vertical, beam antennas, gain, and polarization.
Radio Wave Propagation
How signals travel: ground wave and sky wave, the ionosphere and its D, E and F layers, critical and maximum usable frequency, HF skip, VHF/UHF line-of-sight paths, and effects such as fading and absorption.
Interference & Suppression
Causes and cures of interference: harmonics and spurious emissions, key clicks and splatter, front-end overload, audio rectification, filters, shielding, ferrite chokes, and resolving television, telephone and audio interference.
How to Pass the ISED Basic Exam
What You Need to Know
- Passing score: 70% (70 of 100) earns the Basic Qualification; 80% or higher earns Basic with Honours, which adds access to all amateur bands below 30 MHz (HF).
- Assessment: 100 single-best-answer multiple-choice questions drawn from ISED's published Basic Qualification question bank, spanning regulations, operating procedures, station assembly and safety, circuit components, basic electronics and theory, feed lines and antennas, propagation, and interference.
- Time limit: ISED sets no fixed time limit; accredited examiners typically allow a generous sitting, often up to about two to three hours, to answer all 100 questions.
- Exam fee: ISED charges no fee for the exam or the Amateur Radio Operator Certificate; an accredited examiner may charge a small administration fee at their discretion.
Keys to Passing
- Complete 500+ practice questions
- Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
- Focus on highest-weighted sections
- Use our AI tutor for tough concepts
ISED Basic Study Tips from Top Performers
Frequently Asked Questions
How many questions are on the Canadian Amateur Radio Basic exam?
The Basic Qualification exam has 100 multiple-choice questions, each with four options and one correct answer, drawn from ISED's published Basic Qualification question bank.
What score do I need to pass the Basic Qualification?
You need 70% (70 of 100) to earn the Basic Qualification. A score of 80% or higher earns Basic with Honours, which adds access to all amateur bands below 30 MHz (HF).
What is the difference between Basic and Basic with Honours?
Basic (70%) grants VHF and UHF privileges on bands above 30 MHz. Basic with Honours (80% or more) adds the high-frequency bands below 30 MHz, so you can also operate the HF bands used for long-distance contacts.
Who administers the exam and is there a fee?
ISED-accredited examiners give the exam in person or remotely. ISED charges no fee for the exam or certificate, though an examiner may set a small administration fee at their discretion.
How much transmitter power can a Basic operator use?
A Basic Qualification operator may use up to 250 watts DC input power to the final stage, which corresponds to about 560 watts peak envelope power (PEP), using the minimum power necessary to communicate.
Are these official ISED practice questions?
No. These are original OpenExamPrep questions modelled on the ISED Basic syllabus. ISED publishes the official question bank and an exam generator separately on its Amateur Radio Service Centre website.