If you are studying for one of the FCC GROL General Radio Operator License elements or preparing for the Amateur Radio (Ham) Ticket this site is for you!
All of the questions asked on the FCC tests are taken from a pool of published questions.
That means no surprises!
Our quizzes have the official questions and answers provided by the FCC and are organized to mimic the FCC tests as closely as possible.
We are in the process of updating our site and will be adding all the elements for the GROL and Ham Radio Tests.
We welcome your comments and suggestions

The term phase angle is used to describe the time relationship between a-c voltages and currents,
as well as to specify a position or point in time of one a-c voltage or current.

For example, if two a-c voltages are of opposite polarity at every instant of time, they are 180 degrees out of phase, or the phase angle between them is 180 degrees.

Similarly, if a current reaches it’s maximum amplitude after one-quarter of its cycle, or 90 degrees,
maximum amplitude is said to occur at a phase angle of 90 degrees.

There are very definite phase relationships between the applied voltage and the circuit current in purely
resistive, purely inductive, and purely capacitive circuits.

These relationships can be summarized as follows:

1. In a purely resistive circuit, the voltage and current are in phase.
2. In a purely inductive circuit, the applied voltage leads the current 90 degrees.
3. In a purely capacitive circuit, the current leads the applied voltage by 90 degrees.

Often these expressions are expressed by using vectors.

Quantities that have only magnitude are called scalars.

Those that have magnitude and direction are called vectors.

For example, if someone needed to go from Sacramento to San Francisco and you told them to  drive  90 miles, your directions would need more information.

But if you said to drive 90 miles west, your directions would be complete.
The instruction of  “90 miles west” has a magnitude of 90 and a direction of north.

It becomes a vector because it contains a magnitude and a direction.

We can graphically represent a vector by a straight line with an arrowhead at one end.

The length of the line is proportional to the magnitude of the vector quantity, and the arrowhead shows the direction.

Vector Quantities Can Be Added and Subtracted.

The fact that vectors have direction and magnitude, makes it necessary to add and subtract them using a combination of geometry and addition and subtraction.

Adding vectors that have the same direction

Adding vectors that have opposite directions

Adding vectors that are 90 degrees apart

Make Your Own Printed Circuit Boards on a Laser Printer.

Introduction to Oscilloscopes

Basic Stamp

LCD and GPS

Playing with RF Modules

Intro to Breadboard Electronics

This week, Surfin’ visits a Web site to learn about the pioneers responsible for breakthroughs in radio and electronics.

We had seven days of no sunspots this week, but a sunspot was emerging on Thursday, June 5. Helioseismic holography revealed a high latitude sunspot on the opposite side of the Sun. Until recently, we had no idea what was happening on the far side of the Sun, the side directed away from Earth. For more information on helioseismology, check out this link.

ARRL Audio News–OPEN–In this edition . . .; National Hurricane Center Director Joins WX4NHC Annual Test; ARRL Foundation Announces 2008 Scholarship Recipients; ARRL Audio News ID–Satellite Update–BREAK; Hams Head into Space to Rendezvous with International Space Station; Field Day Locator Service Up and Running; Army MARS Offers Free Father’s Day Messages for Soldiers Overseas; ARRL Audio News–News Briefs–CLOSE

If Jeff Hammer, N9NIC, gets his way, he’ll be an awfully busy soldier in the run-up to Father’s Day on June 15. Captain Hammer, who represents the Army Military Affiliate Radio System (Army MARS) in Iraq, has appealed to the families of troops deployed overseas to "shower down with Father’s Day messages" for their loved ones.