Foundation Sample Questions

Three questions from each section of the Foundation syllabus. Pick an answer to see whether you're right, how everyone else did, and why.

Foundation exam guide

1 Licensing conditions and station identification

Encryption is permitted for control of:

  1. Home automation systems
  2. Amateur satellites
  3. Commercial drones
  4. Internet routers

Answer: B, Amateur satellites. Syllabus 1C2 lists control of amateur satellites as a permitted use of encryption (alongside direct User Service requests). Home automation, commercial drones, and internet routers are not amateur radio and have no licence provision.

A holder of a 2E1 callsign (Intermediate) and a holder of an M7 callsign (Foundation) both travel to Wales. Which statement about RSL usage is correct?

  1. Only the M7 holder must use the RSL because Foundation licensees have stricter rules
  2. Only the 2E1 holder must use the RSL 'W'; the M7 holder may optionally use it
  3. Neither needs an RSL within the UK mainland
  4. Both must use the RSL 'W' as it is mandatory for all licence classes

Answer: B, Only the 2E1 holder must use the RSL 'W'; the M7 holder may optionally use it. Per syllabus 1A2, RSL use is mandatory for all 2x-series callsigns (e.g. 2E1) but only optional for M-prefix (Foundation) callsigns. In Wales the RSL is "W".

According to the Foundation licence Schedule 1, what is the maximum power on the 70cm (430 MHz) band?

  1. 10 Watts
  2. 25 Watts
  3. 50 Watts
  4. 5 Watts

Answer: B, 25 Watts. Foundation licence Schedule 1 (EX307, Jan 2026) shows 430–440 MHz at 25 W (13.98 dBW) PEP, measured as ERP for 430–432 MHz. All sub-bands of the 70cm allocation share this 25 W limit.

2 Technical aspects

The typical frequency range for audio communication (voice) is:

  1. 1 MHz - 2 MHz
  2. 300 Hz - 3 kHz
  3. 50 Hz - 60 Hz
  4. 20 Hz - 20 kHz

Answer: B, 300 Hz - 3 kHz. The range of frequencies used for audio (voice) communication is 300 Hz to 3 kHz. See Foundation syllabus 2E2.

What is the unit of electrical potential difference?

  1. Watt
  2. Ohm
  3. Volt
  4. Ampere

Answer: C, Volt. Per syllabus 2A1, the unit of electrical potential (voltage) is the Volt. Voltage drives current around a circuit, analogous to pressure driving water through a pipe.

If you double the voltage across a fixed resistor, what happens to the current?

  1. It doubles
  2. It quadruples
  3. It stays the same
  4. It halves

Answer: A, It doubles. Ohm's law (I = V/R, syllabus 2C1) shows current is directly proportional to voltage. With R fixed, doubling V doubles I: e.g. 10V/5Ω = 2A; 20V/5Ω = 4A.

3 Transmitters and receivers

The process of recovering information from a modulated radio frequency signal is called:

  1. Modulation
  2. Amplification
  3. Demodulation
  4. Oscillation

Answer: C, Demodulation. Demodulation is the process of recovering the original information from a modulated radio frequency signal. It is what a radio receiver does, and it is the reverse of modulation in a transmitter (Foundation syllabus 3H1).

What is the process of adding information (voice/data) to a radio carrier called?

  1. Oscillation
  2. Rectification
  3. Demodulation
  4. Modulation

Answer: D, Modulation. Modulation is the process of adding information (voice, data, CW) to an RF carrier, per syllabus 3A1. The carrier amplitude or frequency is varied to carry the information signal.

In an SDR transmitter, the modulation is generated by:

  1. The RF power amplifier
  2. Software
  3. Varying the supply voltage
  4. A hardware modulator stage

Answer: B, Software. An SDR transmitter generates the modulated radio signal in software rather than in a dedicated hardware modulator stage. This is covered by Foundation syllabus 3M1.

4 Feeders and antennas

If you feed 10 Watts into an antenna with 3dB gain (factor of 2), what is the ERP?

  1. 30 Watts
  2. 10 Watts
  3. 13 Watts
  4. 20 Watts

Answer: D, 20 Watts. Per syllabus 4C3, ERP = input power × antenna gain factor. A 3 dB gain equals a factor of ×2, so ERP = 10 W × 2 = 20 W. The antenna focuses power, not amplifies it.

Feeder loss increases with:

  1. Decreasing frequency
  2. Decreasing cable length
  3. Increasing frequency
  4. Using thicker cable

Answer: C, Increasing frequency. Syllabus 4A2 states feeder loss increases with frequency due to rising resistive (skin effect) and dielectric losses. Low-loss cable is therefore especially important at VHF and UHF.

What does SWR stand for?

  1. Standing Wave Ratio
  2. Signal With Resistor
  3. Standard Wave Reflection
  4. Short Wave Radio

Answer: A, Standing Wave Ratio. SWR stands for Standing Wave Ratio, per syllabus 4E1-4E2. It quantifies the degree of impedance mismatch between feeder and antenna by measuring the ratio of voltage maxima to minima along the feeder caused by reflected waves.

5 Propagation

The ionosphere comprises layers of ionised gases at heights between approximately:

  1. 1 and 10 km
  2. 500 and 1000 km
  3. 70 and 400 km
  4. 10 and 50 km

Answer: C, 70 and 400 km. The ionosphere is made of layers of ionised gases between about 70 and 400 km above the Earth. It is ionised mainly by ultraviolet rays from the sun (Foundation syllabus 5B1).

During mid-summer, you occasionally receive strong signals on 50 MHz from distances exceeding 1000 km. This propagation mode is NOT dependent on the F-layer. Which mode is this?

  1. Meteor scatter
  2. Sporadic E
  3. Tropospheric scatter
  4. Auroral reflection

Answer: B, Sporadic E. Sporadic E is caused by patches of intense ionisation in the E layer, most common around mid-summer. It can occasionally carry strong VHF signals, such as on 50 MHz, well beyond line of sight (Foundation syllabus 5C1).

At VHF and UHF frequencies, propagation is mainly within the:

  1. Troposphere
  2. Stratosphere
  3. Ionosphere
  4. Magnetosphere

Answer: A, Troposphere. VHF and UHF propagation is mainly confined to the troposphere — the lowest atmospheric layer. Signals travel by line-of-sight and are subject to tropospheric ducting, refraction and scattering (syllabus 5B1/5C1).

6 Electromagnetic compatibility

The ability of electronic equipment to function correctly in the presence of strong RF signals is known as:

  1. Gain
  2. Selectivity
  3. Sensitivity
  4. Immunity

Answer: D, Immunity. Per syllabus 6A2, immunity is the defined term for a device's ability to function correctly in the presence of strong RF signals. Screening and filtering power, signal and control leads can improve immunity.

At HF, which type of antenna is less likely to cause EMC problems?

  1. Indoor antennas
  2. End-fed wires
  3. Antennas mounted close to mains wiring
  4. Horizontal dipoles

Answer: D, Horizontal dipoles. Syllabus 6E1 notes horizontal dipoles are balanced antennas with well-defined current distribution, producing lower common-mode braid currents and less stray RF than unbalanced end-fed or indoor installations.

What is the best way to test a transmitter without causing interference?

  1. Transmit on a clear frequency
  2. Disconnect the antenna
  3. Use a very short indoor antenna at low power
  4. Use a Dummy Load

Answer: D, Use a Dummy Load. A dummy load is a screened resistor that lets you operate the transmitter without radiating a signal. That tests the station without interfering with anyone (Foundation syllabus 6D4).

7 Good operating practices and procedures

A Foundation licensee connects a non-standard microphone to their transceiver. What TWO things must they ensure are correct?

  1. The PTT line operation and the audio signal levels
  2. The microphone cable length and the connector type
  3. The microphone polar pattern and the sensitivity
  4. The audio frequency response and the microphone impedance

Answer: A, The PTT line operation and the audio signal levels. Syllabus 7D1 states that connecting a non-standard microphone requires ensuring correct PTT line operation (so the transmitter keys/unkeys properly) and that audio signal levels are correct (to avoid over- or under-deviation).

A station gives you an RS report of '59'. What does this mean?

  1. 59 dB signal-to-noise ratio
  2. Readability 5 (excellent quality), Signal Strength 9 (no noise)
  3. Signal 59% readable
  4. Readability 5 (perfectly readable), Signal Strength 9 (extremely strong)

Answer: D, Readability 5 (perfectly readable), Signal Strength 9 (extremely strong). RS 59 means Readability 5 (perfectly readable, no difficulty) and Signal Strength 9 (extremely strong signal). The RS report omits Tone because this is a voice contact, per syllabus 7E2.

On the 2m band, where would you normally find SSB activity?

  1. At the bottom of the band (144.000 - 144.150)
  2. At the very top of the band
  3. In the FM repeater section
  4. Around 144.300 MHz (SSB calling)

Answer: D, Around 144.300 MHz (SSB calling). The 2m band plan shows SSB in the 144.150 to 144.400 MHz segment, with 144.300 MHz marked as the SSB Centre of Activity. That is where SSB operators normally call and gather. This is Foundation syllabus 7B1, and the band plan is in the exam reference booklet.

8 Safety

What is the approximate current level at which an RCBO will trip?

  1. 30 mA
  2. 300 mA
  3. 3 A
  4. 3 mA

Answer: A, 30 mA. Per syllabus 8A5, an RCBO detects currents to earth of about 30 mA and will trip at that level, providing much better shock protection than a conventional fuse which only blows at several amperes.

What is the correct angle for a ladder placed against a wall to ensure stability?

  1. 75 degrees
  2. 45 degrees
  3. 60 degrees
  4. 80 degrees

Answer: A, 75 degrees. Per syllabus 8C2, a ladder must be used at the 4:1 height-to-base ratio, which gives approximately 75 degrees. This angle balances stability at the base against the risk of the ladder tipping backwards.

When using a hand-held radio, you should:

  1. Fit any antenna that fits the socket
  2. Check the antenna is radiating by looking along it at close range
  3. Wrap your hand around the antenna to steady it while transmitting
  4. Keep the antenna away from your eyes

Answer: D, Keep the antenna away from your eyes. RF heating is the main health effect and the eyes are especially susceptible to damage, so keep a hand-held's antenna away from your eyes and face (Foundation syllabus 8D1).