License Exam Quiz #350

de Steve, AE8AT 

In this seasonal edition of the quiz we discuss Santa’s fly ride and the radio equipment he certainly carries. Clearly there needs to be an HF rig to maintain contact with the North Pole on his global route. Perhaps the sleigh trails an end-fed, or if the reindeer are magically resistant to RF, perhaps the drawbar itself is the antenna. Assuming the reindeer have special RF resistance not accounted for by FCC Form 301, the eight reindeer in pairs might each have a yoke forming a 4-element Yagi! This might be why Rudolph’s nose glows! Additionally, we can assume that Santa is well acquainted with aurora and the effect on HF propagation, so an NVIS antenna on HF seems likely. NORAD tracks Santa each year, implying the sleigh is equipped with a transponder or APRS. In recent years, elves are often depicted accompanying Santa on the sleigh, based on credible eye-witness accounts, no doubt. This suggests VHF or UHF radios may be used to coordinate local operations. Digital communication equipment is likely, after all, his fondness for packets is legendary. The ancillary equipment likely includes grounding and bonding, tuners, interlocks, and of course Santa knows Morse Code. The physics of Santa’s sleigh and his travel has been well studied and we needn’t repeat it here any further than to point to the immense power available; surely enough to handle any transmit power Santa desires. Wishing you all a wonderful holiday season!

(Should you wish to compose a story from a different cultural, religious, or other background please reach out. Otherwise, prepare for a rabbit tale in early April!)

T8D08 Which of the following is included in packet radio transmissions?

A. A check sum that permits error detection

B. A header that contains the call sign of the station to which the information is being sent

C. Automatic repeat request in case of error

D. All these choices are correct 

G3C10 What is near vertical incidence skywave (NVIS) propagation?

A. Propagation near the MUF

B. Short distance MF or HF propagation at high elevation angles

C. Long path HF propagation at sunrise and sunset

D. Double hop propagation near the LUF

E3A13 Which of these emission modes is best for auroral propagation?

A. CW

B. SSB

C. FM

D. RTTY

Answers:

T8D08 = D

G3C10 = B

E3A13 = A