Amateur Extra E7C: Filters and matching networks

These are the 11 official questions in group E7C of the 2024–2028 Amateur Extra question pool, with the correct answer marked and a plain-English explanation of why it's right. The real exam asks one question from this group.

Learn E7C step by stepThe Amateur Extra course teaches this group in a short guided lesson, then drills you on the questions you miss. Start with the free lessons to see how it works.
  1. E7C01Question 1

    How are the capacitors and inductors of a low-pass filter Pi-network arranged between the network’s input and output?

    • ATwo inductors are in series between the input and output, and a capacitor is connected between the two inductors and ground
    • BTwo capacitors are in series between the input and output, and an inductor is connected between the two capacitors and ground
    • CAn inductor is connected between the input and ground, another inductor is connected between the output and ground, and a capacitor is connected between the input and output
    • DA capacitor is connected between the input and ground, another capacitor is connected between the output and ground, and an inductor is connected between the input and output Correct

    Why: Capacitors from input and output to ground, with an inductor between them.

  2. E7C02Question 2

    What is the frequency response of a T-network with series capacitors and a shunt inductor?

    • ALow-pass
    • BHigh-pass Correct
    • CBand-pass
    • DNotch

    Why: Series capacitors and a shunt inductor make a high-pass T network.

  3. E7C03Question 3

    What is the purpose of adding an inductor to a Pi-network to create a Pi-L-network?

    • AGreater harmonic suppression Correct
    • BHigher efficiency
    • CTo eliminate one capacitor
    • DGreater transformation range

    Why: The extra inductor gives more harmonic suppression.

  4. E7C04Question 4

    How does an impedance-matching circuit transform a complex impedance to a resistive impedance?

    • AIt introduces negative resistance to cancel the resistive part of impedance
    • BIt introduces transconductance to cancel the reactive part of impedance
    • CIt cancels the reactive part of the impedance and changes the resistive part to the desired value Correct
    • DReactive currents are dissipated in matched resistances

    Why: It cancels the reactance and transforms the resistance to the desired value.

  5. E7C05Question 5

    Which filter type has ripple in the passband and a sharp cutoff?

    • AA Butterworth filter
    • BAn active LC filter
    • CA passive op-amp filter
    • DA Chebyshev filter Correct

    Why: Chebyshev filters have passband ripple and a sharp cutoff.

  6. E7C06Question 6

    What are the characteristics of an elliptical filter?

    • AGradual passband rolloff with minimal stop-band ripple
    • BExtremely flat response over its pass band with gradually rounded stop-band corners
    • CExtremely sharp cutoff with one or more notches in the stop band Correct
    • DGradual passband rolloff with extreme stop-band ripple

    Why: Elliptical filters cut off extremely sharply and have notches in the stopband.

  7. E7C07Question 7

    Which describes a Pi-L network?

    • AA Phase Inverter Load network
    • BA Pi-network with an additional output series inductor Correct
    • CA network with only three discrete parts
    • DA matching network in which all components are isolated from ground

    Why: A Pi-L is a Pi network with an extra series output inductor.

  8. E7C08Question 8

    Which of the following is most frequently used as a band-pass or notch filter in VHF and UHF transceivers?

    • AA Sallen-Key filter
    • BA helical filter Correct
    • CA swinging choke filter
    • DA finite impulse response filter

    Why: Helical filters are common in VHF and UHF radios.

  9. E7C09Question 9

    What is a crystal lattice filter?

    • AA power supply filter made with interlaced quartz crystals
    • BAn audio filter made with four quartz crystals that resonate at 1 kHz intervals
    • CA filter using lattice-shaped quartz crystals for high-Q performance
    • DA filter for low-level signals made using quartz crystals Correct

    Why: A crystal lattice filter uses quartz crystals for low-level signals.

  10. E7C10Question 10

    Which of the following filters is used in a 2-meter band repeater duplexer?

    • AA crystal filter
    • BA cavity filter Correct
    • CA DSP filter
    • DAn L-C filter

    Why: Repeater duplexers use cavity filters.

  11. E7C11Question 11

    Which of the following measures a filter’s ability to reject signals in adjacent channels?

    • APassband ripple
    • BPhase response
    • CShape factor Correct
    • DNoise factor

    Why: Shape factor measures adjacent-channel rejection.

Learn E7C step by stepThe Amateur Extra course teaches this group in a short guided lesson, then drills you on the questions you miss. Start with the free lessons to see how it works.
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