{"id":16498,"date":"2022-01-30T18:39:12","date_gmt":"2022-01-30T18:39:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/?page_id=16498"},"modified":"2025-09-03T20:55:20","modified_gmt":"2025-09-03T19:55:20","slug":"exam-tips","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/exam-tips\/","title":{"rendered":"Foundation Exam Hints and Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Some handy advice when studying for, and taking, your Foundation amateur radio exam:<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Hints &amp; Tips Video<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>We&#8217;ve created a video covering some of the more important hints and tips:<\/p>\n<table class=\"mid\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><center><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jGMbQsoSfnc\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/center><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><strong>Exam preparation<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Make sure you have studied all of the material \u2013 this could be via an online course, at a radio club, from the training manual, or from YouTube<\/li>\n<li>Don\u2019t wait too long between studying, and taking the exam (as you\u2019ll forget stuff)<\/li>\n<li>Take some mock tests \u2013 you shouldn\u2019t even think about booking your exam until you can regularly get 19\/26 or better on mock tests. Be warned \u2013 some online mock websites have not been updated to the current syllabus!<\/li>\n<li>Spend some time getting familiar with the 4-page exam booklet &#8211; what table does what, and how to look things up.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Day of the exam<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-16492\" src=\"https:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/wp-content\/uploads\/foundationrevisionsheet-image-150x150.jpg\" alt=\"Foundation Revision Sheet\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/wp-content\/uploads\/foundationrevisionsheet-image-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/wp-content\/uploads\/foundationrevisionsheet-image-120x120.jpg 120w, https:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/wp-content\/uploads\/foundationrevisionsheet-image-70x70.jpg 70w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/>Take a couple of mock tests (from a site offering current mocks &#8211; like this one)<\/li>\n<li>Have a quick review of the areas where you know you\u2019re weak<\/li>\n<li>Review the key areas: Formula Triangles, Block Diagrams, Callsigns and Regional Locators &#8211; our handy <a href=\"https:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/foundation-revision-sheet\/\">Foundation Revision Sheet<\/a> might be of use here<\/li>\n<li>Watch the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/foundation-online-quick-revision\/\">HamTrain Quick Revision Video<\/a><\/li>\n<li>If you&#8217;re using your computer to take the exam, make sure it&#8217;s had all of the operating system and anti-virus updates &#8211; as you don&#8217;t want your computer to be slowed down or interrupted for &#8220;updates&#8221; during the exam<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Just before the exam<\/strong><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Make sure you have everything ready and are comfy. You\u2019re allowed a drink during your exam (we suggest non-alcoholic!)<\/li>\n<li>Make sure you have your 4-page exam booklet, a pen, some blank paper and a calculator. No other notes allowed<\/li>\n<li>Relax! The exam isn\u2019t life or death &#8211; if you don&#8217;t pass first time, who cares? You can always take it again when you&#8217;re more prepared<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>During the Exam<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The exam time is one hour, which is plenty of time. Many people finish earlier, but don\u2019t be rushed. We recommend you spend at least one minute per question. Here is what you need to do with each question:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Read each question carefully<\/li>\n<li>Read through every single answer \u2013 don\u2019t just pick the first one that \u201csounds sort of right\u201d<\/li>\n<li>Work out which answers are definitely wrong<\/li>\n<li>Select the answer that is MOST right, not the first one that looks right<\/li>\n<li>Use the exam booklet every time a frequency is mentioned, to check what the rules are for that frequency<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Remember, take your time and don\u2019t panic.<\/p>\n<p>Also, don\u2019t forget that 4-page exam booklet. Here\u2019s what it tells you:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Parameters &#8211; What frequencies can you use at Foundation, with what restrictions<\/li>\n<li>Band Plans &#8211; How the 2m (144-146MHz) and 20m (14.0-14.35MHz) bands are divided up<\/li>\n<li>Conversion chart \u2013 Convert between frequency and wavelength<\/li>\n<li>Frequency Allocation Table \u2013 Frequencies used by other radio services<\/li>\n<li>Gain Table \u2013 Calculate the e.r.p using the dB Conversion Table<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>At the end of the exam, go through all of the questions and answers again, asking yourself \u201cam I <u>sure<\/u> this is the best answer?\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>After the Exam<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>If you thought one or more of the questions were unfair, tell the exam invigilator \u2013 there is a mechanism for reporting (challenging) problem questions which may be unfair (badly-worded, confusing, using jargon, or just plain trick questions).<\/p>\n<p>Take a note of any such question (either the wording, or the question reference number), and report any such question to the Invigilator after the exam. Also, tell your tutor.<\/p>\n<h2>Related Links<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/foundation-online\"><strong>Foundation Online<\/strong><\/a> &#8211; Free Internet-based distance learning course<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/foundation-exam\/\"><strong>Foundation Exam Information<\/strong><\/a> &#8211; Details on taking the Amateur Radio Foundation Exam<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/amateur-radio-and-dyslexia\/\"><strong>Exam Support<\/strong><\/a> &#8211; Need help help and support? Help is available<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/foundation-study-guide\/\"><strong>Foundation Study Guide<\/strong><\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/foundation-licence-manual\/\"><strong>Foundation Training Manual<\/strong><\/a> &#8211; Two publications to help with study for Foundation<\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/rsgb.org\/main\/clubs-training\/for-trainers\/training-guide\/training-assessment-guide\/\">RSGB Examination Guidelines<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/raibc.org.uk\/\"><strong>RAIBC<\/strong><\/a> &#8211; Helping those with disabilities to get into amateur radio<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Good luck with your studies and exams. Any tips we\u2019ve missed? Share them below!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Some handy advice when studying for, and taking, your Foundation amateur radio exam: Hints &amp; Tips Video We&#8217;ve created a video covering some of the more important hints and tips: Exam preparation Make sure you have studied all of the material \u2013 this could be via an online course, at a radio club, from the&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"more-link-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/exam-tips\/\" class=\"more-link\">Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &ldquo;Foundation Exam Hints and Tips&rdquo;<\/span> &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17237,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-16498","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16498","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16498"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16498\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18024,"href":"https:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/16498\/revisions\/18024"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17237"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16498"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}