{"id":14579,"date":"2017-05-10T10:38:25","date_gmt":"2017-05-10T09:38:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/?p=14579"},"modified":"2026-09-10T21:07:20","modified_gmt":"2026-09-10T20:07:20","slug":"calculators-for-amateur-radio-exams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.essexham.co.uk\/train\/calculators-for-amateur-radio-exams\/","title":{"rendered":"Calculators for UK Amateur Radio Exams | Foundation, Intermediate & Full"},"content":{"rendered":"

A question that comes up from time-to-time is: what sort of calculator can I use for my Foundation, Intermediate or Full amateur radio exam?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The current RSGB examination rules state:<\/p>\n

Silent, battery powered, non-programmable calculators are permitted.<\/strong> The Invigilators may provide spares but are not required to do so.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

If you’re taking the exam online, you still need a physical calculator<\/strong>. A calculator app on your computer, tablet or smartphone isn’t suitable for use during the exam.<\/p>\n

Which calculator should I choose?<\/h2>\n

For the Foundation<\/strong> exam, a basic calculator is perfectly adequate. At Intermediate<\/strong>, a scientific calculator becomes more useful, and for the Full<\/strong> exam I’d strongly recommend one.<\/p>\n

If you’re buying a calculator specifically for amateur radio training, it makes sense to buy one that will see you through all three licence levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Recommended calculators for amateur radio exams<\/h3>\n

\"Casio<\/p>\n

Casio MX-12 \u2013 budget Foundation choice<\/strong>
\nIf you’re only taking the Foundation exam, you don’t need a scientific calculator. This straightforward Casio is more than adequate for the basic arithmetic required.<\/p>\n

Good for:<\/strong> Foundation<\/p>\n


\nSee the Casio MX-12 on Amazon UK<\/strong>
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

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\"Casio<\/p>\n

Casio fx-85GT CW+ \u2013 simple scientific choice<\/strong>
\nA straightforward scientific calculator that’s more than capable for Foundation and Intermediate, and can also be used at Full level.<\/p>\n

Good for:<\/strong> Foundation, Intermediate and general radio calculations<\/p>\n


\nSee the Casio fx-85GT CW+ on Amazon UK<\/strong>
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

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\"Casio<\/p>\n

Casio fx-991CW+ UK \u2013 our recommended choice<\/strong>
\nA more capable scientific calculator with a natural textbook-style display and equation-solving functions. A particularly good choice if you’re planning to progress to Intermediate and Full.<\/p>\n

Good for:<\/strong> Foundation, Intermediate and Full \u2013 especially more involved formula calculations<\/p>\n


\nSee the Casio fx-991CW+ UK on Amazon UK<\/strong>
\n<\/a><\/p>\n

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As an Amazon Associate, Essex Ham earns from qualifying purchases.<\/small><\/em><\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Foundation exam<\/h2>\n

For Foundation, the calculations are fairly straightforward. You’ll encounter formulas such as:<\/p>\n

V = I \u00d7 R<\/strong><\/p>\n

P = I \u00d7 V<\/strong><\/p>\n

A basic four-function calculator is enough to handle this sort of calculation. You don’t need a scientific calculator just to pass Foundation.<\/p>\n

That said, if you’re planning to progress through Intermediate and Full, buying a scientific calculator now saves buying another one later.<\/p>\n

\"A

A basic calculator is perfectly adequate for Foundation<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Intermediate exam<\/h2>\n

At Intermediate, the calculations become a little more involved. A scientific calculator isn’t essential for every question, but it makes working with powers, roots and scientific notation considerably easier.<\/p>\n

For most candidates, something like the Casio fx-85GT CW+<\/strong> is more than sufficient.<\/p>\n

If you intend to progress to Full, I’d consider going straight for the fx-991CW+ UK<\/strong> instead.<\/p>\n

Full exam<\/h2>\n

For the Full exam, a scientific calculator is strongly recommended.<\/p>\n

You don’t have to memorise every formula. The RSGB provides reference data for the examination, including the formulae you’ll need, but you still have to enter the values correctly and perform the calculation.<\/p>\n

Some of these calculations are considerably more involved than those encountered at Foundation.<\/p>\n

\"Example

Example formulae from the Full-level reference material<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Why we recommend the Casio fx-991CW+ UK<\/h2>\n

If formula manipulation isn’t your favourite part of amateur radio, a calculator with a clear natural-display system can make life much easier.<\/p>\n

The Casio fx-991CW+ UK<\/strong> is Casio’s current advanced scientific calculator. It displays mathematical expressions in a form much closer to how they’re written on paper and includes equation-solving functions that can be useful when working through more complex calculations.<\/p>\n

That makes it a sensible one-off purchase for someone starting at Foundation who expects to progress through Intermediate and Full.<\/p>\n

See the Casio fx-991CW+ UK on Amazon UK<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Are these calculators allowed in amateur radio exams?<\/h2>\n

The RSGB doesn’t publish a list of specific approved calculator models. Instead, its examination rules specify that calculators must be silent, battery powered and non-programmable<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The current Casio fx-85GT CW+<\/strong> and fx-991CW+ UK<\/strong> are non-programmable scientific calculators designed for UK examinations, so they fit the type of calculator permitted under the RSGB rules.<\/p>\n

If you’re unsure about an unusual calculator model, check with your exam centre or the RSGB before the examination.<\/p>\n

Can I use a mobile phone calculator?<\/h2>\n

No.<\/strong> Mobile phones, smart watches and other electronic devices aren’t permitted for use as calculators during the examination.<\/p>\n

The safest approach is to take a separate physical calculator with you.<\/p>\n

Can I use a calculator with memory?<\/h2>\n

Having ordinary calculator memory functions doesn’t automatically make a calculator programmable.<\/p>\n

A programmable calculator is one capable of storing and running sequences of instructions or programs. The standard Casio scientific calculators recommended above are designed as non-programmable examination calculators.<\/p>\n

Do I need an expensive calculator?<\/h2>\n

No.<\/p>\n

For Foundation, almost any ordinary calculator will do. Even at Intermediate and Full, there’s no need to spend a large amount of money.<\/p>\n

The reason for choosing a good scientific calculator isn’t that the exam demands an expensive device \u2013 it’s simply that a clear display and useful scientific functions make calculations easier and reduce the chance of entering a formula incorrectly.<\/p>\n

Which one would we choose?<\/h2>\n

If you’re only interested in Foundation and want something simple, the Casio fx-85GT CW+<\/strong> is more than adequate.<\/p>\n

If you’re likely to progress through the amateur radio licence levels, we’d choose the Casio fx-991CW+ UK<\/strong>. It costs a little more, but gives you more useful functionality for Intermediate, Full and general electronics calculations.<\/p>\n