GOT MY GENERAL!!!!

[TNFrank]

2 hours ago, WRYZ926 said:

You actually use quite a bit of math when figuring out the lengths of different antennas. And math is used when building baluns, unun, and common mode chokes. 

For antenna length I use an online wire length calculator and once I see how long it should be I use a tape measure to measure out the wire. No math on my part needed. As for the other stuff, I don't do any of that so I don't need to know the math for it.

[SteveShannon]

10 minutes ago, TNFrank said:

For antenna length I use an online wire length calculator and once I see how long it should be I use a tape measure to measure out the wire. No math on my part needed. As for the other stuff, I don't do any of that so I don't need to know the math for it.

Too bad, you’ll get no sympathy from me.

But I’m glad you’re getting more and more into it and I hope someday you’ll appreciate how much more Amateur Radio can be besides simply chatting to others.

[WRYZ926]

15 minutes ago, TNFrank said:

For antenna length I use an online wire length calculator and once I see how long it should be I use a tape measure to measure out the wire. No math on my part needed. As for the other stuff, I don't do any of that so I don't need to know the math for it.

You will use the math whether you realize it or not. I won't argue with you about it , you do you.

[RoadApple]

4 hours ago, TNFrank said:

Math is a part of the test so I'll need to know it if for no other reason padding the test. Just like some of the stuff on the Technician's test, once you use it on the test you never use/need it again.

As was already mentioned if you do well enough on other parts of the test, perhaps the math section won't matter that much.  The test is multiple choice with (I think) 4 possible answer choices, so even a pure guess on each math question still gives you a 25% chance at picking up another point on the test.  

[TNFrank]

Even with just a little study I'm getting 24/35. Stuff like ohms, amps, volts and the like I remember from my electronics tech classes so that's easy but when they start talking about log10 to figure db it'd just easier to memorize the answer than learn the math to figure it out. 

At 64(almost 65) years old my brain is getting full, if I learn something new I have to throw something out and I don't want to discard something I might need for something I'm only going to use once on a test. LOL.

[RoadApple]

27 minutes ago, TNFrank said:

Even with just a little study I'm getting 24/35. Stuff like ohms, amps, volts and the like I remember from my electronics tech classes so that's easy but when they start talking about log10 to figure db it'd just easier to memorize the answer than learn the math to figure it out. 

At 64(almost 65) years old my brain is getting full, if I learn something new I have to throw something out and I don't want to discard something I might need for something I'm only going to use once on a test. LOL.

Well, there is a finite pool of questions, so it is possible to just memorize the questions and answers even if you don't fully understand the math.   Good Luck!!!!

[SteveShannon]

5 hours ago, RoadApple said:

Well, there is a finite pool of questions, so it is possible to just memorize the questions and answers even if you don't fully understand the math.   Good Luck!!!!

One thing the regulations do require, that I agree with, is that the pool of questions is ten times as many questions as the test.  A person who memorizes the entire pool of questions is bound to learn something, and hopefully some of it will stick with them.

 

[Northcutt114]

3 hours ago, SteveShannon said:

A person who memorizes the entire pool of questions is bound to learn something, and hopefully some of it will stick with them.

100% my approach. 

[WRYZ926]

I kept taking the practice tests until I got a consistent 93% or higher every time.

I should get back to studying for the Extra.

[RoadApple]

5 hours ago, SteveShannon said:

One thing the regulations do require, that I agree with, is that the pool of questions is ten times as many questions as the test.  A person who memorizes the entire pool of questions is bound to learn something, and hopefully some of it will stick with them.

 

100% Agree.   And that is great when it comes to understanding rules of use and operation and perhaps some basic principles of radio. 

I can sort of relate to @TNFrank just wanting to talk to people and be a radio user.   I suspect I'm in a similar category.  Some people build and repair cars and some people simply drive them.  Knowing the rules of the road is important but knowing how to build or repair, is not, nor should it be, a barrier to being able to drive.... Many may disagree, but that is how I see it.  These tests are just a barrier to entry for a hobby.

I spent much of my working career as a business owner and software engineer solving business problems by designing, creating, testing & debugging code.  Today, I enjoy just being a computer user without any desire or interest in getting under the binary hood. 

 

[SteveShannon]

4 minutes ago, RoadApple said:

100% Agree.   And that is great when it comes to understanding rules of use and operation and perhaps some basic principles of radio. 

I can sort of relate to @TNFrank just wanting to talk to people and be a radio user.   I suspect I'm in a similar category.  Some people build and repair cars and some people simply drive them.  Knowing the rules of the road is important but knowing how to build or repair, is not, nor should it be, a barrier to being able to drive.... Many may disagree, but that is how I see it.  These tests are just a barrier to entry for a hobby.

I spent much of my working career as a business owner and software engineer solving business problems by designing, creating, testing & debugging code.  Today, I enjoy just being a computer user without any desire or interest in getting under the binary hood. 

 

I understand. But I also understand that the purpose for ham radio is not and never has been simply to provide bandwidth for people to talk to each other. If it were, we wouldn’t be able to hang onto the bands we’ve been allocated. Commercial users would argue that the original purpose of amateur radio was no longer important.

Here’s what the FCC regulations say are our basis and purpose:

§ 97.1 Basis and purpose.

The rules and regulations in this part 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

[TNFrank]

You hit the nail on the head RoadApple. I have no interest in building radios. I simply want to talk to folks and especially DX just to enjoy see what's going on in other parts of the world. 

I've built my own AR's, worked on cars and trucks, and worked as an Electronic's Technician and Assembler and have no interest at 64 of doing that stuff again. I just want to hook up an antenna, turn on my radio and see how far it'll reach. To do that I need more than the small chunk of 10M that my Technician's license grants me.

If I have to memorize some math stuff that I'll never use in the real world so be it but I really wish the General test focused on practical, real world stuff instead of theoretical math equations. 

It is what it is and I'll do what I have to to pass the General test knowing that once I pass I'll not have to think about 80% of the test questions ever again.

[AdmiralCochrane]

You do not have to memorize any math, only the correct answer. 

[TNFrank]

12 minutes ago, AdmiralCochrane said:

You do not have to memorize any math, only the correct answer. 

That's what I meant. Memorize the answers to the math questions. 

[RoadApple]

2 hours ago, SteveShannon said:

I understand. But I also understand that the purpose for ham radio is not and never has been simply to provide bandwidth for people to talk to each other. If it were, we wouldn’t be able to hang onto the bands we’ve been allocated. Commercial users would argue that the original purpose of amateur radio was no longer important.

Here’s what the FCC regulations say are our basis and purpose:

§ 97.1 Basis and purpose.

The rules and regulations in this part 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

Clearly much of what is outlined in §97.1 needed to be stated for political justification for the protection and continuation of amateur radio bandwidth against competing interests.  That's ok, I get it!   Likewise, I understand those within a club (any club) wanting first and foremost to preserve and protect their own self-interests will often promote exclusivity with various forms of testing, credentials, certification or license so as to establish credibility and an organizational hierarchy.    This dynamic applies to a great many things beyond armature radio.   

But not every amateur needs to satisfy each and every sub-heading (a) thru (e) of section §97.1.  Merely satisfying subsection (d) alone as a trained operator is arguably of value on all bands. 

I find it funny as the basic rules and procedural aspects of using the radio are the same no matter the frequency.  Thus, it seems a bit arbitrary for a tiered license system with different test difficulty for each tier just so an operator can engage in the same activity on 80m as they would on 10m.  Some might call it fabricated exclusivity, but what do I know.....

BTW: I got my amateur tech license strictly for my own §97.1(a) emergency communications.  I live deep in a canyon that pretty much requires I use satellite for all normal modern-day communications. If my satellite goes out, I'm cut-off.  There are no GMRS repeaters near me and GMRS simplex radio typically can't reach back here into the canyon.  There are however 70cm and 2m repeaters on nearby mountain tops that I can hit from my home, so I got licensed.  My technician license seems to meet my emergency comm needs so I've little interest in general or extra class licensing. 

Anyway, I'm getting off topic.   

!!!  GOOD LUCK guys with your testing no matter what methods you use to pass.  

[TNFrank]

My main reason for getting my GMRS and then HAM Technician's license was for emergency comms as well. Now that I've played on the 10M HF Band for a while I'd like more HF to see what/who else is out there. It's 100% voice HF, don't care about CW, FT8 or anything else.  Everything I'm doing now is what I want to keep doing, just on more 10M and on 12M and 15M with the QT80 and later doing QRP with the little mulit-band radio I'm getting. 

I already know what I need to know to make QSO's but the FCC says I need my General to do it on other bands so that's what I need to do now.

[SteveShannon]

All amateur radio operators are authorized to build their own transmitters and use them without government certification, unlike just about any other radio service. They have an extremely wide selection of radio communications types in which they can engage, including space communications.

Technicians are limited to certain frequencies and relatively low RF output power but General and Amateur Extra licensees are authorized for up to 1500 watts. 
I understand that not everyone is interested in building their own transmitters and maybe they would never want 1500 watts, but with only three license classes it’s just not possible to test each person on the privileges he or she intends to use and issue a license for those privileges. 

[TNFrank]

I'd hate to even think about what a 1500w station would cost.

[SteveShannon]

4 minutes ago, TNFrank said:

I'd hate to even think about what a 1500w station would cost.

Nearly $9,000 to buy but I know people who have built their own transmitters.

https://www.dxengineering.com/parts/aom-2000a-240

[WRYZ926]

An added cost to using a tuner is making sure your antennas can handle that much power. Forget about using any cheaper baluns and unun as most are only rated for 100 or 200 watts max and that's only for voice modes. Most baluns, ununs and antennas rated for 100 watts will only handle between 20 to 60 watts on CW and digital modes.

Trying to run 100 watts CW or digital through a 100 watt balun/unun will melt the wires.

[marcspaz]

15 hours ago, WRYZ926 said:

An added cost to using a tuner is making sure your antennas can handle that much power. Forget about using any cheaper baluns and unun as most are only rated for 100 or 200 watts max and that's only for voice modes. Most baluns, ununs and antennas rated for 100 watts will only handle between 20 to 60 watts on CW and digital modes.

Trying to run 100 watts CW or digital through a 100 watt balun/unun will melt the wires.

 

I found out the hard way about that.  I have a 1,000w tuner that I pushed about 700w of digital through, and smoked that very expensive tuner.  Same thing with my balun.  I thought a 1,500w balun would take 700w-800w of digital, and it did a few times, but after a few transmissions, I watched it explode like it was hit by lightning.  I ended up have to buy a 5KW unit before I stopped smoking them.

[WRYZ926]

You have to watch tuners too. I know with the LDG brand, they only recommend 75 watts on digital modes with their 200 watt tuner. You can run up to 300 watts digital with their 600 watt tuner and up to 500 watts with their 1000 watt tuner.

Most tuners will only handle 25% to 70% of the full rated power when running CW and digital modes. LDG averages between 40% to 60% of full power rating when running CW and digital modes.

I had a guy with an LDG100 that had to replace it several times when it would stop working. LDG finally decided to ask him what he was doing to blow the tuners, He was running 100 watts FT8 through the LDG 100 watt tuner.

Knock on wood, the only thing I smoked was a 50 watt dummy load pushing 100 watts through it. It didn't let any smoke out but it sure did melt the solder joint on the resister. Luckily that was an easy fix by re soldering the resistor.

[Northcutt114]

On 1/17/2026 at 1:18 PM, AdmiralCochrane said:

You do not have to memorize any math, only the correct answer. 

And by this approach, I now have my General.

20m POTA, here I come!

 

[TNFrank]

Last 2 practice test I've taken were 27/35 and 28/35 and I've not gone over everything yet. I should be ready by February 18th to take the test then I can join ya'll on 15M(best my radio can do)until I save up for an IC-7300, which seems to be the Standard most folks are using.

[Northcutt114]

45 minutes ago, TNFrank said:

Last 2 practice test I've taken were 27/35 and 28/35 and I've not gone over everything yet. I should be ready by February 18th to take the test then I can join ya'll on 15M(best my radio can do)until I save up for an IC-7300, which seems to be the Standard most folks are using.

That's a pricey radio. Does it work outside? 

I passed the last seven I took on hamstudy so I thought "strike while the iron is hot." The guy administering the test did say that no one before had ever "put dinner in the oven" during a test. He laughed about that for a long time. I mean, a family's gotta eat, right?