Hi Tom.

If you look at the exam pool, you'll find that the questions that involve
phase angles aren't that bad.  For the most part, you can figure out which
answer is the correct answer by realizing whether the reactance is
capacitive or inductive.  If you don't mind springing for the Gordon West
tapes, you'll find that he shows you how to eliminate all the wrong
answers.  I actually did not use any tables at all, as the only scientific
calculator that I own is the one in my Type 'n Speak, and I did not think
they would let me use it in the exam since it is a computer, and could
conceivably be used to cheat if someone left notes about all the formulas,
etc. in it.  So, my strategy was to read through the ARRL materials so that
I had a good foundation, and then to use the Gordon West tapes to zero in
on the questions that I would be dealing with, and figure out the
strategies that I would use to calculate the answers when I got to the
exam.  I didn't try to memorize the answers--I figured out in advance how I
would calculate each answer when I got to the exam.

That strategy paid off beautifully for me--I aced the exam.  The only
question I had trouble with was a question that had a schematic diagram on
it, and asked what the function of one of the capacitors in the circuit
was.  I probably could have had that question waived, but I just asked the
reader to start at the left and describe the diagram to me, telling me what
was connected to what and working through the diagram to the right.  I was
able to figure out what the capacitor was used for and answer the
question.  That might have worked more easily for me than for some because
my vision loss is recent, and as such I can still visualize things in my
mind's eye.  I remember what schematic diagrams look like and how to read
them.  I am not sure it would be as easy for someone who had never read a
schematic diagram.

What I can tell you is that with a little preparation in advance, it is
possible to do well on this exam without trig tables, log tables, or a
scientific calculator, but the trick is to look at the questions that they
are going to pick from and notice what you can figure out without doing the
calculations.  Knowing whether a phase angle will be positive or negative
(inductive or capacitive) will help you a lot.

You might want to consider getting the Gordon West tapes for the Extra
tapes.  Then, keep on like you are going so that you know the theory behind
the questions--that will help you a lot.  Then use the tapes in your final
hours of preparation--when you would be reviewing things, and figure out
your strategy for taking the exam then, and I'll bet that you do well on
the exam.

73, de Lou K2LKK



At 01:18 AM 5/4/2003 -0500, you wrote:
>Thanks for this info, Lou.  I think I'm more concerned with needing tables for
>figuring phase/angle relationships etc for tan etc.
>
>I got a set of tapes from Handi-Hams for study.  They're the ARRL Extra
>manual.
>Being an audiologist I have the dB stuff down pretty well.  Its the
>geometry and
>trig that are eating my lunch <g>.
>
>Tom
>
>
>Tom Brennan KD5VIJ, CCC-A/SLP R/D - AU
>web page http://titan.sfasu.edu/~g_brennantg/sonicpage.html

Louis Kim Kline
A.R.S. K2LKK
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