The Yellowknife Amateur Radio Society does not run an Advanced Amateur Qualification Course at this time. In theory it could, if there was sufficient interest. Like the Basic Qualification Course, there is a textbook that we use for those seeking to do the Advanced Qualification Examination: Canadian Amateur Radio Advanced Qualification Study Guide, 2d which is published by Coax Publications. This guide is available from Radioworld . There are other guides too: https://www.rac.ca/study-guides-2/ .
According to Industry Canada the examination consists of 50 questions drawn from a series of questions on the following topics:
5.3.1 Advanced Theory - 001
1-1 time constant - capacitive and inductive
1-2 electrostatic and electromagnetic fields, skin effect
1-3 series-resonance
1-4 parallel resonance
1-5 quality factor (Q)
5.3.2 Advanced Components and Circuits - 002
2-1 germanium, silicon, gallium arsenide, doping, P-type, N-type
2-2 diodes - point-contact, junction, hot-carrier, Zener, etc.
2-3 transistors - NPN/PNP
2-4 field effect transistor (FET), JFET, MOSFET
2-5 silicon controlled rectifier (SCR)
2-6 amplifiers - classes A, AB, B and C
2-7 amplifier circuits - discrete and IC
2-8 operational amplifiers, properties and applications
2-9 mixers, frequency multipliers
2-10 digital logic elements
2-11 quartz crystal - properties and applications
2-12 advanced filter circuits - AF, RF
5.3.3 Measurements - 003
3-1 AC - peak, peak-to-peak, average, root mean square (RMS)
3-2 PEP, PEP relative to average power, PEP relative to voltage across load
3-3 dip meter, signal generator
3-4 crystal calibrator, marking generator, frequency counter
3-5 oscilloscope
3-6 meters, multimeter, power meter
5.3.4 Power Supplies - 004
4-1 transformer and rectifier circuits, voltage doubler circuit, PIP
4-2 filter circuits, bleeder resistor function
4-3 linear and switching voltage regulator circuits
4-4 regulated power supplies
5.3.5 Transmitters, Modulation and Processing - 005
5-1 oscillator circuits, phase locked loop (PLL)
5-2 RF power amplifiers
5-3 transmitters, neutralisation
5-4 AM, single sideband, linearity, two-tone test
5-5 FM deviation, modulation index, deviation ratio, deviation meter
5-6 FM transmitter, repeater circuits
5-7 signal processing – AF, IF, and RF
5-8 codes and protocols, Baudot, ASCII, parity, CRC), X.25, ISO layers
5-9 spread spectrum - frequency hopping, direct sequence
5.3.6 Receivers - 006
6-1 single, double conversion superheterodyne architecture
6-2 oscillators, mixers, tuning
6-3 RF, IF amplifiers, selectivity
6-4 detection, audio, automatic gain control
6-5 performance limitations - instability, image, spurious, etc.
5.3.7 Feedlines - Matching and Antenna Systems - 007
7-1 antenna tuner/transmatch, impedance matching circuits
7-2 velocity factor, effect of line terminated in non-characteristic impedance
7-3 antenna feed arrangements - tee, gamma, stub
7-4 current and voltage distribution on antenna
7-5 polarization, helical beam, parabolic antennas
7-6 losses in real antenna systems, effective radiated power
7-7 ground and elevation effects, vertical radiation (take off) angle
7-8 radiation resistance, antenna efficiency, beamwidth
7-9 waveguide, microstrip line
The pass mark is 70%.
Having the Advanced Qualification allows one many more privileges, including remote operation and the ability to become a trustee of a club callsign and a repeater system. One can also build one's own equipment from scratch. One can also operate ex-military hardware that is not manufactured to be restricted to the amateur radio bands - although only on the amateur radio bands - such as the PRC-320 ex-British Army HF unit in the image on this page (part of the decommissioned Clansman suite circa 1980s-2000s).
There are two Accredited Examiners in the Society that can administer these exams. If interested contact Ian Rennie or Ron Thompson.
- RIC-01 — Guide for Examiners Accredited to Conduct Examinations for Amateur Radio Operator Certificates
- RIC-03 — Information on the Amateur Radio Service
- RIC-09 — Call Sign Policy and Special Event Prefixes
- All Advanced Questions Test Data Bank
- RBR-4 — Standards for the Operation of Radio Stations in the Amateur Radio Service