2014-2018 Technician Class Book

Good instructions to legally use radios

The presentation of this book is terrible. The front cover has a noisier, more offensive design than a copy of "People" magazine, with crazy colors and bold graphics all over a busy picture. And yes: there's even an informal Comic Sans-like font on the front cover. Comic Sans makes another appearance inside the front cover.Horrible typography and graphic design permeate the book. Headings on each page use a different font than section headings, and those use a different font than chapter headings. This is more than a superficial complaint; the writing and graphic content in the book sometimes don't come together. Figure 6-1 is a great example; the jumbled list of sub-figure labels is confusing at best. The content of the figure isn't explained by the prose; the figure shows an interrupted carrier as it applies to code, but the next never doesn't explain what the topic means.The publisher desperately needs to hire a graphic designer to make the presentation less garish, and an editor to pull together some sort of useful coherent message out of the material. The one coherent message visible throughout the book is "buy my other products!"The content isn't markedly better than the presentation. The beginning chapters are a jumble of information, mostly about available bands and their use. Problem is, the material here is not approachable by a beginner. After that, the book jumps into sample questions for the tests.The questions are answered with short explanations, but those short explanations are the only supporting material in the book.The "Your First Radio" section, starting on page 73, is where we start getting into technical content. Question T2B05 is a great example of the book's failing to deliver any depth. "What determines the amount of deviation of an FM (as opposed to PM) signal?" The book offers the answer, but never describes deviation, bandwidth; it doesn't define frequency modulation, and doesn't define PM. (It doesn't even explain that "PM" stands for "Phase Modulation"!)The are four follow-up sentences to this question. One says "after a while you'll discover that you need to 'close talk' your radio microphone or dual-band handheld in order to get the proper amount of amplitude for your modulating signal". Beyond the question, the book doesn't explain the new term it has introduced here ("close talk"), and doesn't explain why it makes the implication that this technique isn't necessary for single-band handhelds.Carrier modulation a fundamental concept to the implementation of a radio. That topic is casually described in the answer to another question, some 55 pages away.I have a strong electronics background, though I don't know much about amateur radio rules, frequency allocation and band usage, or operating practices. I don't doubt that I'll pass my test after working through the practice questions here, but that's only because I have sufficient context and background to make sense of them. My understanding of the topic was not given any depth by studying this book. I'll pass the test, but any actual knowledge is something I've pick up outside this title.While this book will be useful with some electronics knowledge to get through the tests, it doesn't illuminate the topic of amateur radio communication with any depth whatsoever.

Great book

After buying two other study books, and several smart phone apps, this book gave me everything I needed. Just passed the test with flying colors today. Other books and study materials all have questions from the question pool and tell you the correct answers. This book is much better because it explains every answer right below each Q & A, and in a way that gives you context and helps you remember the why!The study method that really worked well for me was to use this book in conjuction with a good practice test app. I would take a practice test, and the app would tell me the areas I was the weakest in. Then I would go study those specic segments of the book, and retake the test. I kept doing this over a short number of days until I was routinely scoring very high on all the practice tests.I am so appreciative, that I just ordered the next book in this series, and plan to always keep them as good long term references. Thanks Gordo!

I purchased this for my family so they could study for the latest Technician license test. While I did not read this one, I did read Gordon's 2010-2014 Technician book, as well as the General 2011-2015 (passed both, btw). I had a few other books that I worked with (i.e., the ARRL offerings) but honestly, for someone completely new to this field, Gordon's approach really worked for me.He gives you some tips/tricks for remembering the answers, explains why the answers are the right answers; and also, most importantly, identifies those questions that are really thrown in there to annoy you (and will basically have no meaning once you get on the air).You might want to get the ARRL books also, as you'll get a lot more background; they are more for educating. Gordon's books do teach you a bit, but the purpose is really to pass the tests. Also, if you're great at memorizing, definitely buy this book!

I signed up for some classes held by a local ham club to study for my Technician Class license. Gordon's book was the required reading. The classes were meant to be one Saturday each week for a month with the test on the final day. However after just over a week of studying the book I found I was averaging 30 out of 36 right on the practice exams, so I skipped the rest of the classes and just took my test. I passed! This book not only had the questions with the correct answers but explained the answer in a paragraph and/or illustration so I was able to understand the concepts and reasoning of the answer. I found this to be an excellent study guide and I recommend it to anyone who is just starting out.

Very comprehensive and well written study guide. Gordon and crew take the time to explain each area of study and why it applies to Ham Radio. The CD enclosed is a nice touch and the question pool is the exact one to expect on the exam. Plenty of illustrations, photos, and very useful links add to the material presented. The subject matter is an excellent blend of theory, true life stories and is a nice mix of the fun and serious aspects of the Ham Radio Hobby. I got the impression that Gordon was looking over my shoulder while I was reading and studying. This guide is as current a product that can be obtained in print form. Once you start reading - difficult to put down. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

I liked Gordon West's compilation more that the ARRL study book. It was very easy to assimilate the information the way it was grouped in the West study books. The highlighted key words helped as well, but just realize not all the questions have key words highlighted. I used his key words to train me in selecting my own key words where he did not. Overall, if there were one book to buy, this it it in my opinion. I read the ARRL one time through cover-cover; then this book one time through; then[...] practice tests. Passed both the Technician and General test in one sitting. The Gordon West books are the prime reason I believe for that.

Thank you