Customer Reviews

Extra Class, Element 4 FCC License Preparation

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you want to get your extra Amateur radio license in the shortest amount of time possible, this is the way.
I started studying this book the day before Thanksgiving, 2005 and passed my extra exam with 1 wrong on January 12. Thats SEVEN weeks. I could have taken the exam 2 weeks earlier, but it wasn't offered in my area until January 12.
I am 47 years old and have had my General license for about 25 years, so I had a lot of experience. I am also a pretty quick learner. This book made learning the material easy.
Do what Gordo says and work the book - 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening. Go through each section at least 3 times - once to learn, once to circle the questions you don't know, and once to study the questions you don't know.
After 30 days, take a practice exam on AA9PW dot COM every AM and PM and write down the question numbers you miss. Then go back and study those questions again.
A couple more hints: 1. In a parallel circuit with reactance and resistance, the net impendance will be less than the resistance. For net inductance, the phase angle is 90 - arctan(x/r). For net capacitance, the phase angle is -90 + arctan(x/r). Using this, you can almost do the hardest algebra questions by sight.
2. When given transmitter output power and db gain / loss, the formula is: P2 = P1 * 10^(db/10). Thats power out times 10 to the power of the net db gain (loss) over 10.
I got overwhelmed during weeks 2 and 3. But I just kept going and it kept getting easier after that. This is the easiest way to get your Extra Amateur License.

I passed the Extra with a perfect score. I spent two weeks reading this book and taking practice exams at AA9PW's web site, and at QRZ.com. QRZ seemed to keep repeating the same questions. PW's was much better. After abandoning all other reading material and activities for two weeks, taking practice exams and poring over this book, along with MFJ's answer-only pamphlet, I passed. I was going to wait longer, but I was pretty well prepared. Gordon gives good explanations, and it works. However, the section on Polar Coordinates is not adequate to figure out the answers. That part is the toughest part of the Extra test. Bottom line, GO FOR IT. Be sure to mark up the book while you go through it...
Ron KB6GK

I had an older copy of the ARRL Amatuer Extra study guide and just found my self floundering. So, I thought I would try Extra Class, Element 4 FCC License Preparation by Gordon West. What I like about this Amatuer Radio Study Guide is that it presents the material needed to pass Element 4 in a clear and concise manner.
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It contains over 800 study questions out of the current exam pool. I studied this guide for 30 to 60 minutes a night, Monday through Friday. At the end of 6 weeks I passed Element 4 and am now the proud owner of an Amatuer Extra Class license.
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Granted, you basically are studying the exam more than the theory and regulations, but what you do find is that you actually remember the math formulas, radio theory, and rules & regs after studying each appropriate section.
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So if you want to pass Element 4 you can't go wrong purchasing and studying from Extra Class, Element 4 FCC License Preparation
by Gordon West.

Good for memory tricks, but not so much for explanation of material, bottom line, good to pass test, but to truly learn the material, another book would be needed.

Gordon West is a knowlegible, well-versed instructor in electronic communication. This book is as good as all his others. Supperlatives to him. The only real problem with the approach to the current licensure is the difficulty in actually learning the material. I have a good memory, and am a "test taker." I will be able to pass the extra test with the material in this book, but I am not sure I will Know It. But, with this book, you WILL pass with ease.

I used this to study for my Extra Test and passed it to receive the upgrade from to General to Extra.
Great format to learn what you need to know to upgrade.
73 for now and God Bless

After passing the Technician and General exams with Gordon's assistance in his prep books and CDs for these licenses, I ordered both for the book and CDs for the Amateur Extra, Element 4. As the current question pool expires on June 30, 2008, I was taking a chance on being able to complete the study - almost 800 questions - and pass the test before the change of questions. I read the book, highlighting questions, answers and Gordo's memory tips on the ones that gave me trouble. The CD's were invaluable as they allowed me to use daily commuting time to listen to Gordo's explanations and memory joggers. On June 18, I passed the Extra Class test easily. If want to get your ham ticket, trust Gordo!

Great format for study and comprehension of the material. All of his books have help me pass my exams with very few errors. Easy to read as well.

Updated with changes. questions not used have a deleted mark imposed on them. December changes are cited with explanation paragraph. Seems to be written with hints for remembering the correct answer. Formulars could have been simplified a little more.

I'd suggest the ARRL over this book. Essentially, it covers the question pool, which can be done online. The ARRL book actually covers the material.