FCC Technician Class Exam Study Guide - 2014-2018/Subelement T8 Group B

Amateur satellite operation; Doppler shift, basic orbits, operating protocols; control operator, transmitter power considerations; satellite tracking; digital modes

Question 1

 * Who may be the control operator of a station communicating through an amateur satellite or space station?
 * A. Only an Amateur Extra Class operator
 * B. A General Class licensee or higher licensee who has a satellite operator certification
 * C. Only an Amateur Extra Class operator who is also an AMSAT member
 * D. Any amateur whose license privileges allow them to transmit on the satellite uplink frequency

Reference to 97.301 and 97.207(c). The correct answer is D.

Question 2

 * How much transmitter power should be used on the uplink frequency of an amateur satellite or space station?
 * A. The maximum power of your transmitter
 * B. The minimum amount of power needed to complete the contact
 * C. No more than half the rating of your linear amplifier
 * D. Never more than 1 watt

Reference to 97.313. The correct answer is B.

Question 3

 * Which of the following are provided by satellite tracking programs?
 * A. Maps showing the real-time position of the satellite track over the earth
 * B. The time, azimuth, and elevation of the start, maximum altitude, and end of a pass
 * C. The apparent frequency of the satellite transmission, including effects of Doppler shift
 * D. All of these answers are correct

The correct answer is D.

Question 4

 * Which amateur stations may make contact with an amateur station on the International Space Station using 2 meter and 70 cm band amateur radio frequencies?
 * A. Only members of amateur radio clubs at NASA facilities
 * B. Any amateur holding a Technician or higher class license
 * C. Only the astronaut's family members who are hams
 * D. You cannot talk to the ISS on amateur radio frequencies

Reference to 97.301 and 97.207(c). The correct answer is B.

Question 5

 * What is a satellite beacon?
 * A. The primary transmit antenna on the satellite
 * B. An indicator light that that shows where to point your antenna
 * C. A reflective surface on the satellite
 * D. A transmission from a space station that contains information about a satellite

The correct answer is D.

Question 6

 * Which of the following are inputs to a satellite tracking program?
 * A. The weight of the satellite
 * B. The Keplerian elements
 * C. The last observed time of zero Doppler shift
 * D. All of these answers are correct

The correct answer is B.

Question 7

 * With regard to satellite communications, what is Doppler shift?
 * A. A change in the satellite orbit
 * B. A mode where the satellite receives signals on one band and transmits on another
 * C. An observed change in signal frequency caused by relative motion between the satellite and the earth station
 * D. A special digital communications mode for some satellites

The correct answer is C.

Question 8

 * What is meant by the statement that a satellite is operating in mode U/V?
 * A. The satellite uplink is in the 15 meter band and the downlink is in the 10 meter band
 * B. The satellite uplink is in the 70 cm band and the downlink is in the 2 meter band
 * C. The satellite operates using ultraviolet frequencies
 * D. The satellite frequencies are usually variable

The correct answer is B.

Question 9

 * What causes spin fading when referring to satellite signals?
 * A. Circular polarized noise interference radiated from the sun
 * B. Rotation of the satellite and its antennas
 * C. Doppler shift of the received signal
 * D. Interfering signals within the satellite uplink band

The correct answer is B.

Question 10

 * What do the initials LEO tell you about an amateur satellite?
 * A. The satellite battery is in Low Energy Operation mode
 * B. The satellite is performing a Lunar Ejection Orbit maneuver
 * C. The satellite is in a Low Earth Orbit
 * D. The satellite uses Light Emitting Optics

The correct answer is C.

Question 11

 * What is a commonly used method of sending signals to and from a digital satellite?
 * A. USB AFSK
 * B. PSK31
 * C. FM Packet
 * D. WSJT

The correct answer is C.