About the Extra exam
Amateur Extra is the top US licence class. The exam, Element 4, has 50 questions, one from each of 50 groups in a pool of about 600, and you pass with 37 correct. The pool used here is valid from 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2028. You need a General licence first, or to pass all three exams at one session.
The Extra pool is the most technical: complex impedance and Smith charts, filter and amplifier circuits, digital signal processing, antenna theory and the finer points of the FCC rules. Ten diagrams from the pool appear with their questions.
Tips for the Extra
- Look for patterns. Many candidates pass by understanding the main ideas and recognising the answers, rather than working every calculation. That's fine, but the theory is worth knowing.
- Study by subelement. E5, E6 and E7 are the circuit theory sections and hold the most questions. Spend the most time there.
- Use the calculators. The Smith chart and matching calculator, LC resonance calculator and noise figure calculator help the theory sink in.
What Extra licensees get
Extra class operators have every amateur frequency, including the bottom of 80m, 40m, 20m and 15m, where much of the rare DX is worked. They can also apply for a shorter 1x2 or 2x1 callsign and become volunteer examiners for every exam.
Practice tests for every class: Technician, General and Amateur Extra.
Questions
Are these the real exam questions?
Yes. They're the official NCVEC 2024-2028 Extra pool, which is public domain.
How many questions are on the Extra exam?
50, and you need 37 right to pass.
Is the Extra exam hard?
It's the most technical of the three, but many people pass it with a few weeks of steady practice on the question pool.
When does this pool expire?
30 June 2028.