Those who read the article about me knew that I was going to "D-ečko". Last week I received the coveted invitation. When studying, I mainly relied on two sources: the book "Requirements for amateur radio station operator exams" by Ing. Jaroslav Kadlčák OK1BB and Ing. Miloš Prostecky OK1MP and the website of the Slovak Technical University https://www.teleoff.gov.sk. Since time was short and I wanted to learn it as best as possible, there were a few articles on the portal and I only replied to e-mails today - SRI...
My pilgrimage to the exams started on Monday evening - by tram through Starý Smokovec to Poprad. After 40 minutes of waiting, the bus arrives. He arrives at Nivy before five in the morning. I am already encouraging it in such a way that even a crocodile would be scared. At the station I wait for daylight, then I jump to eat something and head for the city. TÚ SR is located at Továrenská 7 in a nice building. I'm already sitting at the gatehouse at about half past seven....
How do such amateur radio tests take place?
Everyone - it's seven o'clock (shame!) we go to the meeting at eight o'clock, where we are welcomed by the chairman of the examination committee, Mrs. Kováčová. He will introduce us to the members of the examination committee and tell us how such an examination is conducted. We still need to check the applications, and we can start!
Class C and B adepts begin with an exam in Morse code and operation. In order not to disturb them, we go into the corridor, but behind the door we hear the beeping. Concentration, nervousness and great anticipation can be seen on the faces. After all, they have been preparing for this for so long!
After that, the others also get to speak - it's the turn of the regulations and technical exams. Five questions from each area. Nothing complicated if one has studied it. I guess it's only the technique that makes it difficult - I guess every applicant stayed there the longest.
I'm starting examination of the regulations. I start with the question: "What is an amateur broadcast radio station?". "Under what conditions is it possible to broadcast from aboard ships and aircraft?": another question. I'm not quite sure, but I seem to be answering well. "What is not allowed to broadcast?" Then I go to the corridor, where we compare questions...
After a short break I come to "operation". My friends rated it as the most difficult. We discuss the possibilities of using 2m. EME, tropo, locator system, QSL tickets... The questions are really more difficult, it's not enough to just get good at it. There are several to think about. A "I'll call an acquaintance" joker would do. Finally, the coveted seven letters appear: he passed.
I immediately sit in my chair and they start technical questions. "First - rectifiers, types, properties, uses. Second: what is antenna front-to-back ratio? Third: VHF antennas. Fourth: receiver input amplifier and requirements. Last: TCVR block diagram." I draw a one-way, two-way, Graetz rectifier... I mentally formulate an answer to each question: yagi, quad, quagga, parabolas, verticals, gain, polarization, advantages. I finally have everything!
A more relaxed atmosphere reigns in the corridor among the participants - most have already completed their exams - and successfully so. When are they all done? So it will appear on the band in the foreseeable future six new operators plus one old one. My only regret is that the suffix should start with the letter "A". I wanted to apply for the "OM0WAO" tag, because of family tradition…. It seems nonsensical to me that there is a regulation that the suffix must start with that letter.
The exams seemed easier than I imagined. Or was it just the luck of the questions? I don't know. But they are definitely manageable. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for other adepts for the exams and I look forward to hearing from you, dear HAMs!