Taking mock exams before sitting your RSGB amateur radio exam is highly recommended – it gets you used to the style of multiple-choice questions that you might encounter, tests how well you’ve studied the course material, and highlights any weak areas. So, where can you find good mocks?
Course: Foundation Online
Our free Foundation course has mock questions after each module, two mini-mock tests during the course (to check your progress) and a mock test at the end of the course – That’s 115 mock questions as part of the standard free course.
For people who are kind enough to make a donation at the end of the course, we make available a classroom with some bonus mock tests – That’s 5 full mocks and some extra module mocks – a total of 160 mock questions. Our course and mocks are updated for the September 2024 syllabus.
RSGB Mock Papers (PDF)
The RSGB has some free mock papers on its website. At the time of writing, the following can be found on the RSGB site here: RSGB Mock Papers
- Three Foundation papers – 26 mock questions
- Three Intermediate papers – 45 mock questions
- Three Full papers – 62 mock questions
These papers are based on genuine exam questions, so we recommend everyone tries these mocks.
Website: HamTrain
You can get access to various of our HamTrain Mock tests (4, 6 or 11 mocks) for a small fee from the HamHub UK Patreon Community. As you’d expect, our mocks are updated for the September 2024 syllabus.
Book: Foundation Radio Revision Questions
This is an independent book containing over 200 mock questions for Foundation questions. This is well-prepared book including explanations of how the answers are arrived at. Sadly, this has not been updated for the 2024 syllabus yet, so the licence conditions questions are out of date.
At the time of writing, the book is available from Amazon (Kindle), or the RSGB (paperback):
- Foundation Radio Revision Questions (Paperback, from Amazon)
- Foundation Radio Revision Questions (Amazon Kindle)
We’ve not read the book ourselves, but the online reviews at Amazon appear very positive!
Book: RSGB Exam Secrets
The RSGB publishes a book of exam questions. This includes questions for all three licence levels.
We’re not currently recommending this book, as it is for exams before September 1st, 2024 only. We understand a new version is in production, but we don’t advise purchasing out-of-date material.
At the time of writing, the book is available from Amazon (Kindle), or the RSGB (paperback):
- Exam Secrets for Radio amateurs (Paperback, from RSGB and Moonraker’s eBay store)
- Exam Secrets for Radio amateurs (Amazon Kindle)
- Exam Secrets for Radio amateurs (RSGB Book Store)
The book is a little pricey (£15-£19), but does cover all 3 levels, so could be a good investment if you’re planning to study towards Full. Note: The syllabus changed in 2019, so make sure you buy the latest version.
Websites (Various)
There are other websites that offer mock tests, but several have not been updated for the 2019 syllabus revision.
There’s one handy mock on the HabHub UK website: HamHub Mock.
The website radiotutor.uk offers mocks tests for all 3 levels, but note that these questions came from the website hamtests.co.uk, which closed in 2018. The radiotutor site does not appear to have been updated for the 2019 syllabus revision. Whilst the questions are useful, they do not appear to cover the entire syllabus
Apps (Various)
There are various apps out there for both Apple iOS and Google. Here are the ones we know about.
- UK Amateur Radio Mock Tests (Apple iPhone / iPad) – Created by Jonathan Gibbs, this supports the 2019 syllabus revision and at the time of writing has a rating of 3.6/5 on the Apple Store.
- Ham Mocks UK (Apple iPhone / iPad) – Created by John Burns, the description does not make it clear whether this has been updated for the 2019 syllabus revision. At the time of writing, this app has a rating of 3.0/5 on the Apple Store.
- Ham Exam (Apple iPhone / iPad) – Mock papers for all three levels of the UK exam. The description does not make it clear whether this has been updated for the 2019 syllabus revision. At the time of writing, this app has no ratings on the Apple Store.
Got any good suggestions or recommendations? Please add them as a comment below…
Thank you, Pete and team enjoyed the course shows what I need to work on. I’ve sent you all a tea bag so don’t forget to dry it out so you can have two cups of tea. Thanks again 73
Great course, clear, concise, and well structured – many thanks to Pete and the team! Hope the ‘thank you ‘ donation helps 👍
thanks pete for all your help the cours is great and it lets you catch up if your not asfast as everyone so thanks agane
Hi. I just tried going to the mock papers on the link above (from https://www.essexham.co.uk/train/mock-amateur-radio-exams/) The link reads http://www.sxham.uk/mocks but links back to this same page https://www.essexham.co.uk/train/mock-amateur-radio-exams/
Whoops. Link fixed.
Hi, I know you are not recommending the “exam secrets ” book by Alen Betts at the moment, but perhaps you could help me.
There are three sample exams in appendix 1 in the book, but for the life of me I cannot find the answers to these sample questions.
I can find the answers to the bulk of the questions, but not those in that appendix.
Could you direct me to them?
Anyone?
73
Hi Pete, a great on line course put together very well with nicely structured modules.
hi pete great course,as you get older the brain is not as sharp but im enjoying the challenge and hopfully will get there in the end.
regards rob.
I have really enjoyed the course, Pete is a great teacher, Thanks
Booked the exam. Doing every mock I can find then will start on learning for Intermediate (I Hope)
Thanks Great Easy to Digest and Understand Course. (Please start an Intermediate version????)
Nick