Anyone currently attempting to acquire an Amateur Operator Recognition Certificate must submit to and pass the Practical Assessment.   There is no getting around this.  The candidate will be asked a series of questions, of which they must provide an adequate answer.  They must be able to physically demonstrate knowledge of basic skills.  Candidates must achieve a 100% proof of competency to pass.  The process will take around 30 minutes.

This is not as scary as it sounds.  The questions are straightforward.  Often it is simply a matter of pointing at the right item, or providing a key word that the assessor needs to hear.  

A few hours of reading and observation is usually sufficient to achieve a pass – but it is essential.

As with all Amateur assessments, remember to bring along a form of photo I.D. to the exam .

On this page we break down the steps involved in a practical assessment and link to the specific sources of information that provide clear answers.   Candidates who follows these 11 steps, view the linked content and watch the embedded video clips, should have little difficulty in passing their Amateur Radio Practical Assessment.

However, it is important to understand All the steps and not just some of them.

Step 1  Antenna Connections

Candidates need to identify the differences between shielded (Coax) cables and open wire balanced feedlines.  

Visit Page 61:   https://thisisamateurradio.com/p61-identifying-antenna-cables/

Candidates need to identify common coax connector types and must be able to use a meter to check the integrity of a coaxial patch cable with continuity testing.

Visit Page 70:  https://thisisamateurradio.com/p70-identifying-coaxial-connectors/

Step 2 Antenna identification

Candidates must be able to recognise at least for of the five basic antenna types by name.  Centre-fed dipole, Folded Dipole, Beam/Yagi antenna, Vertical antennas and end-fed long wire antennas.

Visit Page 44: https://thisisamateurradio.com/p44-identifying-common-antennas/

Step 3 Make a simple RF Choke

Using a short section of cable, candidates must be able to demonstrate how it may be wrapped around a ferrite ring to form an RF Choke device ans a method of reducing radio interference.

Visit Page 59:  https://thisisamateurradio.com/p59-constructing-an-rf-filter-choke/

Step 4 Identify basic circuit symbols

Candidates will be presented with a series of symbols on a sheet, of which they must be able to correctly identify.  This includes the symbols for Earth and Antenna.

Visit Page 33:  https://thisisamateurradio.com/p33-component-symbols/

Step 5 Setting up a radio

Candidates must be able to demonstrate how to connect up a radio to a power supply and antenna, in the correct order.

Visit Page 73:  https://thisisamateurradio.com/p73-assembling-an-amateur-station/

Step 6 Recognise the Frequency ranges of Amateur Bands

Candidates are supplied with a chart and have to be able to show that they understand where the edges of each band allocation start and finish for Foundation, Standard and Advanced.

Visit Page 39:  https://thisisamateurradio.com/p39-operating-within-band-limits/

Step 7 Correct on-air operating procedures

Candidates must demonstrate the steps taken leading up to transmitting on-air, then show the procedures for calling another station.  Leaving a suitable pause between transmissions and on-air arrangements to swap to a different frequency (QSY).

This process also includes the correct way to provide a Signal Strength report.

Visit Page 31:  https://thisisamateurradio.com/p31-basic-operating-procedures/

Step 8  Understanding Repeater tones

There are two conventions for using audio tones on repeaters.  One is the Repeater Access Tones (CTCSS) and the other is repeater control tones (DTMF)

Visit Page 56: https://thisisamateurradio.com/p56-ctcss-repeater-tones/

Visit page 66: https://thisisamateurradio.com/p66-dtmf-control-tones/

Step 9  Q codes and the Phonetic Alphabet

Candidates Need to be familiar with the use of common abbreviations and codes used on the air.  This does not mean that they all need to be memorised, but candidates do need to understand that these abbreviations are in common use.

Visit Page 42: https://thisisamateurradio.com/p42-the-phonetic-alphabet/

Visit Page 68: https://thisisamateurradio.com/p68-international-operator-abbreviations/

Step 10 Measuring transmitted power and SWR

Candidates must show some familiarity with the steps to measure how much power is being transmitted and the differences between satisfactory and unsatisfactory antenna SWR.  They should also be aware that Antenna Tuner devices have a role to improve an antenna match, but an actual antenna tune-up is not needed.

Visit Page 22: https://thisisamateurradio.com/p22-permissible-transmitter-output/

Visit Page 62: https://thisisamateurradio.com/p62-introducing-vswr-principles/

Visit Page 63: https://thisisamateurradio.com/p63-using-antenna-tuners/

Step 11 An awareness of the dangers of high voltages and current

Candidates will be asked about what voltages are considered to be dangerous voltages and how high current flow through a human can cause burns.

Visit Page 21: https://thisisamateurradio.com/p21-rf-exposure-safety/

Visit page 23: https://thisisamateurradio.com/p23-basic-electrical-safety/

ACMA Requirements

There is a lot of information available for the steps required to attain an Amateur Radio qualification.  Where there is any doubt, the legislative detail from the ACMA website should be followed, as this will always contain the most current information. 

A good place to start is here:

https://www.acma.gov.au/qualifications-operate-amateur-radio.

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