GROL License

[bot]

Anyone have a suggestion for an online class for GROL Element 3? Need it for work. Already passed Element 1 already. I work for an upfitter that does radio, radar and laser repair. We do anual recerts of the units radar and laser I nits aa well. Been OJT for radar repair and will be going to Kustom's course some time this year.

Looking something that hopefully does more than just reads questions and answers. I never liked the ham cram type or memorizing answers styles. I would rather sit in or watch a class on the subject and actually learn something.

The online courses I've found so far are not clear on the format. One place had samples of their other courses on YouTube which looked good. But the GROL courses appear to be someone reading the question and answers.

I found some YouTube videos about some topics within Element 3. Found plenty of stuff on Element 1. I can post what I've for it if any one is interested? Did find someone going through test but he at least tried to explain some of it.

 

[speedway_navigator]

Tom Dover and I started developing a class for the Coast Guard but they pulled back on their plans. I will see if he wants to continue with this.

 

[mmckenna]

Looking something that hopefully does more than just reads questions and answers. I never liked the ham cram type or memorizing answers styles. I would rather sit in or watch a class on the subject and actually learn something.

This won't help, but I was fortunate to find a company that was offering in-person training sessions a few hours away. I spent about a week on site taking their classes, and then on the last day, took the test.

Full immersion helped quite a bit. Not sure my brain could do a remote training session and not get distracted (Look! Squirrel!)….

For future use, I'd be interested to know more about remote sessions/testing. I'm getting close to needing to find someone to take over when I retire.

 

[speedway_navigator]

Not sure my brain could do a remote training session and not get distracted (Look! Squirrel!)….

One of our community here said taking Moto training online was hard due to the instructor having internet issues and a hard to understand accent.

I had an IWCE student who got a text from his wife that his son's school was on lock down for a shooting threat just as I handed out test books for LAS. He passed but came back in to let me know if he didn't it wasn't my fault, he had a hard time concentrating. The threat was probably a kid having a bad day.

 

[bot]

Done some more searching on the internet. Came across an old Reddit post for someone asking the same thing. Another user posted a a link to the web site N1IR Electronics Website. Apparently Chris Johnson had put together a full course with a syllabus, course materials and different videos. The links to the Google Documents does not work any longer but the You Tube video links look good except for one so far.

 

[speedway_navigator]

thanks for the info.

 

[speedway_navigator]

I took a 20 question quiz, still wonder why I need to know the difference between a Colpitts oscillator and the others.
Would I swap out a Colpitts for a Hartley to fix poor RX?

 

[speedway_navigator]

I found copyrighted material on his site, let google know and they pulled it off.

 

[n3obl]

Well good thing some people got to look at the site before the copyright police stepped in.

 

[speedway_navigator]

Since he was giving away our GCT-1 book I don't feel the way you do. I'm going to see if google will give me a list of IP addresses that got the pdf and see about being paid for each one. How would you feel if someone stole your radios and sold them on ebay?

 

[Lucifer_Morningstar]

Since he was giving away our GCT-1 book I don't feel the way you do. I'm going to see if google will give me a list of IP addresses that got the pdf and see about being paid for each one. How would you feel if someone stole your radios and sold them on ebay?

Lars, is that you ?

Historical Pics

 

[AB4BF]

www.hamexam.com Dauntless 5 by 5. They give courses on amateur and GROL. Its a pay site but they are very good if not the best. I purchased the ham course and even with my ADHD and dyslexia, I managed to score perfect scores on all three ham tests. I can't say for sure, but back then, 2015, the one purchase included ham, GROL, and Pilot Morse. You'll have to check out the website to see.

 

[wa7gds]

The GROL book from Gordon West is very nicely done. The test is an easy one.

 

[PACNWDude]

The GROL book from Gordon West is very nicely done. The test is an easy one.

Still have my Gordon West book, with the correct answers highlighted....to make the brainwashing a little easier.

However, I also used that information for ship and aircraft radio, then on to public safety radio. Good book to reference though, as it did give good answers and descriptions.

 

[Token]

I took a 20 question quiz, still wonder why I need to know the difference between a Colpitts oscillator and the others.

Because they (different types of oscillators) have different performance characteristics which can sometimes be used for diagnostics. When you have a performance anomaly you are investigating (say, harmonics that have shown up), sometimes recognizing the oscillator type involved can help hone in on the problem.

Plus, it shows general knowledge of the fact that there _are_ different types of oscillators.

T!

 

[gmclam]

I took a 20 question quiz, still wonder why I need to know the difference between a Colpitts oscillator and the others.
Would I swap out a Colpitts for a Hartley to fix poor RX?

My favorite GROL question is where they present you with a tube circuit (not sure if they're still doing that) in which you know the bias voltage needs to be something like -20 volts. They indicate that the measured voltage is -11 and ask (among other choices) if you should increase or decrease the voltage. Many people will think-11 is more than -20, but that only applies to money.

 

[speedway_navigator]

There was one where an answer was a bad Evinrude circuit.

Many people will think-11 is more than -20, but that only applies to money

I hear people say 'a minus 3 dB loss', I don't know how they can lose negative 3 dB.

.

 

[prcguy]

There was one where an answer was a bad Evinrude circuit.

I hear people say 'a minus 3 dB loss', I don't know how they can lose negative 3 dB.

Or how bout someone stating antenna gain in dBm? That drives me nuts.

 

[speedway_navigator]

Or how bout someone stating antenna gain in dBm? That drives me nuts.

decibels per antenna millimeter?

 

[speedway_navigator]

Because they (different types of oscillators) have different performance characteristics which can sometimes be used for diagnostics.

I never did much component level troubleshooting to that level, most repairs were obvious like burned resistor or cap swelled up.
I even had a mechanic bring me a radio with no TX that did not have a battery, he felt pretty foolish when I showed him it worked better with one.