2020JAN22 E6B06 Extra exam question...

[needairtime]

I don't like this question in the recently released Extra exam. (Why am I looking at this? Hoping I never get a question dispute by someone missing getting their Extra by one question...)

E6B06 (D)
Which of the following is a common use of a Schottky diode?
A. As a rectifier in high current power supplies
B. As a variable capacitance in an automatic frequency control circuit
C. As a constant voltage reference in a power supply
D. As a VHF/UHF mixer or detector

I think in previous versions "Schottky" was originally "Hot Carrier" in the text (as "Hot Carrier" is the traditional name). With "Hot Carrier" I would have probably select the intended option D and not even think of the modern name of "Schottky." However as I'm a SMPS power supply junkie as well, I know a LOT of SMPS PSUs use Schottky diodes as high current rectifiers and thus was tempted to option A.

Should there be an errata for this or am I reading this wrong? If answer A was worded "As a rectifier in high voltage power supplies" then I would automatically throw this option out as Schottky diodes have poor PRV ratings.

BTW the 2020JAN22 Extra pool seems a lot different than the previous version...Wow. Would have to re-study if I had to pass this again.

 

[rapidcharger]

The extra class question pool looked to me like it was written by many different people.
Some of them wanted gotcha questions to trip you up and others clearly wanted you to pass. There were some questions that were so straight forward that after a row of the gotcha questions, you have yourself doubting your answer. I tend to overthink those and get the easy ones wrong.

 

[AK9R]

Keep in mind that the Extra Class question pool released JAN 15 2020 will not go into effect until July 1, 2020. If you think there's a problem with a question in the pool, contact the Question Pool Committee of the National Conference of Volunteer Examiner Coordinators using their email address qpcinput@ncvec.org.

Also, the questions in all of the pools are written by the QPC which consists of five people. You can find their names and callsigns here: NCVEC - Question Pool Committee

 

[k6cpo]

BTW the 2020JAN22 Extra pool seems a lot different than the previous version...Wow. Would have to re-study if I had to pass this again.

The 2020 release is a major revamp of the Extra pool. The size of the pool went from 713 questions down to 622. That's a substantial reduction.

 

[W5GX]

Which is more "common" in the amateur radio world? Answer A, or answer D?

 

[needairtime]

Since a radio without a power supply is no better than a car without an engine, what can you say?

(and also why bother asking all those digital logic/truth table questions in Element 4, those have nothing to do with "radio," right?)

BTW, I spotted another element 4 question that's completely false, but the summation of the question and answer (if the question was factual) is correct as a group... ooh i hope i don't find any more of these, makes me mad...

 

[prcguy]

I think the question and potential answers are clear and A would be the only correct choice they way its written.

 

[needairtime]

Hah you're right...taken literally "D" is wrong too, even though that is the answer they intended. Thank you

 

[W5GX]

Since a radio without a power supply is no better than a car without an engine, what can you say?

(and also why bother asking all those digital logic/truth table questions in Element 4, those have nothing to do with "radio," right?)

BTW, I spotted another element 4 question that's completely false, but the summation of the question and answer (if the question was factual) is correct as a group... ooh i hope i don't find any more of these, makes me mad...

Just took a stab as to what the writers were thinking.