Foundation Licence Exam Practice
Your first step into amateur radio. Master the basics and get on the air with confidence.
Start practising · Topic Study · Sample questions
What's on the Paper
- Licensing conditions and station identification (6 questions): What the licence allows, call signs and locators, identifying your station, supervision, messages, EMF assessments, and the power and bands in Schedule 1.
- Technical aspects (3 questions): Conductors and insulators, current, voltage, resistance and power with simple Ohm's law sums, frequency and wavelength, digital signals and batteries.
- Transmitters and receivers (3 questions): AM, FM and SSB, transmitter and receiver block diagrams, over-modulation, demodulation and software-defined radio.
- Feeders and antennas (3 questions): Coax and twin feeder, baluns, dipoles and Yagis, polarisation, gain and ERP calculations, SWR, antenna matching units and connectors.
- Propagation (2 questions): How the ionosphere returns HF signals, line-of-sight range at VHF and UHF, sporadic E, ducting, and why antenna height matters.
- Electromagnetic compatibility (3 questions): How transmissions cause interference and how it gets in, ferrite chokes and filters, dummy loads, antenna siting, RF earths and handling complaints.
- Good operating practices and procedures (3 questions): Calling CQ, the phonetic alphabet, /P, /M and /A suffixes, logging in UTC, band plans, repeaters, RST reports, digital modes and satellites.
- Safety (3 questions): Mains plugs, fuses and RCBOs, batteries, tools and soldering, ladders, RF exposure, lightning, overhead power lines and portable operation.
How the Exam Works
- Format
- 26 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes. You pass with 19 correct (73%).
- Where
- On a computer, at home with a remote invigilator or at a club with an invigilator in the room.
- Results
- A provisional result as soon as you finish, confirmed after about six working days. You then apply to Ofcom for your licence online.
- Formulae
- None are given at Foundation, so you need to know Ohm's law and the power formula.
- Reference booklet
- The RSGB reference booklet (EX307) is provided, with Schedule 1 of the licence and the band plan. Our quizzes show the same booklet.
- Before you sit it
- Nothing: there is no earlier exam and no age limit.
How Many People Pass
- 89.1% passed in 2025 (1,772 of 1,989)
- 87.6% passed in 2024 (1,898 of 2,166)
Source: RSGB. Pass rates for every level since 2022
Where People Lose Marks
On this site, people score lowest in propagation (66% of answers right) and electromagnetic compatibility (68%). Band plans and the licence schedule are printed in the reference booklet you get in the exam, so practise finding answers in it rather than memorising it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Foundation Amateur Radio Licence?
The Foundation Licence is the entry-level amateur radio licence in the UK. It allows you to transmit on amateur radio bands with up to 25 watts on most bands. It's designed for beginners and covers basic radio theory and operating practices.
How many questions are on the Foundation exam?
The Foundation exam consists of 26 multiple-choice questions. You have 60 minutes to complete it and need 73% (19 correct answers) to pass.
What is the pass rate for the Foundation exam?
According to the RSGB, 89.1% of Foundation candidates passed in 2025 (1,772 of 1,989), and 87.6% in 2024.
Is there a formula sheet in the Foundation exam?
No. No formulae are given at Foundation, so learn Ohm's law and the power formula. You do get the RSGB reference booklet, with Schedule 1 of the licence and the band plan.
How do I prepare for the Foundation exam?
Start with the RSGB Foundation Licence Now! book, then use practice quizzes to test your knowledge. Focus on areas where you score lowest and use flashcards to memorise Q-codes and the phonetic alphabet.
After Foundation: What's Next?
Once you pass the Foundation exam, you can progress to the Intermediate licence for increased power (100W) and more operating privileges. Learn about Intermediate