WA Radio Scanner Users' Group

Pressure is on now that I've created this!
Pretty much same intentions behind the Foundation one tips and tricks for courses and the exams.

1st question: In the foundation test they spoon feed you with formulas and the LCD and everything else on the question sheet. Does this happen on the Standard exam paper?

Yes I'm busy looking at the syllabus now ...

Tyranus wrote:
1st question: In the foundation test they spoon feed you with formulas and the LCD and everything else on the question sheet. Does this happen on the Standard exam paper?

Nope

hehe it was looking all easy for a bit too...till it started getting into some of the technical parts past identify components and what they do. Pity I have to self study it though.

Plenty of people here to ask for help though.

What did the electricians wife say when he got home from the pub at 2am?

Wire you insulate?

Tyranus wrote:1st question: In the foundation test they spoon feed you with formulas and the LCD and everything else on the question sheet. Does this happen on the Standard exam paper?

Yes, you do get a formula sheet. Whether you need it or not depends on the questions you happen to get. Also, the formula sheet might give you one version of a formula but not in the way you need it...

e.g. V = I x R might be what's on the formula sheet, but you'll need to know how to transpose to get R = V / I

Ummm what else can I think of... A lot of the maths-type questions you can do in your head. That's one of the big differences between Standard and Advanced theory - you may get a question with three resistors in parallel and be asked to work out the total resistance. In Standard, you may get 3 x 30 Ohm resistors. In Advanced you may get a 10 Ohm, 20 Ohm and 1 Ohm resistor for example, just to make the maths more exciting

The syllabus for Standard and Advanced is on the WIA Website - it sounds like you've found that already. But unlike for Foundation level, there's no national glossy-covered book. However Ham College does have a combined Standard and Advanced theory manual which is included as part of the Standard/Advanced course, or can be purchased separately if you're doing private study.

And last of all, you do know you need to two TWO exams to go from Foundation to Standard? A 30 question Regs exam and a 50 question Standard Theory exam. Once you've passed the Regs, that's good for Standard or Advanced level, so once you've finished with Standard, there's only the Advanced Theory to do for the next upgrade

Zebedee wrote:In Advanced you may get a 10 Ohm, 20 Ohm and 1 Ohm resistor for example, just to make the maths more exciting

Fortunately the formula for that is easy to remember

Zebedee wrote:However Ham College does have a combined Standard and Advanced theory manual which is included as part of the Standard/Advanced course, or can be purchased separately if you're doing private study.

Oooo... is that a printed copy of the WIA stuff or Ham College's own... and who do I see about getting a copy?

Robbage that's worse that some of my Friday Jokes that I've received!

Switching around formula's etc isn't a problem for me...my killer is the ordering of units from biggest to smallest, primarily in the bigger side of things.

Doug I'm interested in these manuals too! Yes I found the bit about the 2 exams . So much for no more exams once I finish school. I pick an occupation with exams for everything, and then a really expensive hobby with exams too!

Bonus for standard: Hopefully I won't have to worry about interference when transmitting from my car at home the extra power will help

The standard test is fairly easy, advanced takes it up a few notches.
Try these practice exams:

http://www.amateurradio.com.au/node/81

http://www.amateurradio.com.au/node/144

robbage wrote:Oooo... is that a printed copy of the WIA stuff or Ham College's own... and who do I see about getting a copy?

It's Ham College's own material... I'll find out the details etc

Thanks Martin and Doug. Easy is a relative thing. My wife tells me cooking an edible meal is easy.

Guys don't be freaked out by the standard exam: I got my Novice ticket (as it was then known) when I was 15. I just had a look at those sample exam papers and I got 18 out the first 26 correct. Read up on electronics theory, radio propagation, basic antenna formulae, learn the key component symbols and you should be fine. Sure, there will be gaps in your knowledge on exam day, but a mark of 100% is not required. Answer the questions you can first, then go back and carefully analyse the ones you can't (remember, it's a multi-choice exam, so the correct answer is there somewhere).

I just passed the Standard and Advanced practice exams Martin posted without swatting up first, so I'm pretty chuffed with myself at the moment.

I have an idea, let's keep a list of who is attending the next courses at Ham College (see if we can add to it)

Foundation: Anyone? C'mon Nafenn
Standard: Meg. slipknot?? FZUK??
Advanced: Zignig, Me. slipknot?? FZUK?? Gav??

(Updated)

Sorry, I'm going to be forced to do self study, as much as I'd love to attend the course, I have other commitments on for the first half of the week, and on Thursday I occasionally finish late, so would probably be late.

robbage wrote: Standard: Meg, Zignig and Tyranus I presume? slipknot?? FZUK??
Advanced: Meg, Zignig, Tyranus and Me I presume? slipknot?? FZUK?? Gav??

Zignig reckons he's going to go straight for the Advanced course. For myself, I reckon I'm going to stop at Standard for a while...

If you are not into electronics as a hobby or profession I would do the standard course first.
As I said earlier advanced is more complex.