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Are frequency privileges and band plans on the ham radio Technician exam?

Yes.

The 2026-2030 Technician Class FCC Element 2 Question Pool (in use July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2030) gives frequency privileges and band plans their own group, T1B, with 12 questions. Another 6 questions on the topic sit in groups T2A and T2B, which also cover other subjects. Each exam takes one question from each of the pool's groups, so an exam has between 1 and 3 questions on the topic, depending on which question each group supplies, out of 35 (26 correct to pass).

Where it sits in the question pool

  • Group T1B: 12 of 12 questions (the whole group)

    Frequency allocations; Emission modes; Spectrum sharing; Transmissions near band edges; Contacting the International Space Station; Power output

    T1B01, T1B02, T1B03, T1B04, T1B05, T1B06, T1B07, T1B08, T1B09, T1B10, T1B11, T1B12

  • Group T2A: 5 of 11 questions

    Station operation: choosing an operating frequency, calling another station, test transmissions; Band plans: calling frequencies, repeater offsets

    T2A01, T2A02, T2A03, T2A07, T2A10

  • Group T2B: 1 of 14 questions

    VHF/UHF operating practices: FM repeater, simplex, reverse splits; Access tones: CTCSS, DTMF; DMR operation; Resolving operating problems; Q signals

    T2B09

Besides that group, the count includes questions anywhere in the pool whose question text mentions a band plan, a repeater offset or a calling frequency.

What you need to know

Frequency privileges are the parts of the radio spectrum the FCC lets you transmit on, and with which modes and power. A Technician licensee has phone (voice) privileges on only one HF band, 10 meters, between 28.300 and 28.500 MHz, with at most 200 watts peak envelope power on the HF segments. Above 30 MHz the general power limit is 1500 watts, and Technicians have privileges on the VHF and UHF bands, such as 6 meters, 2 meters and 70 centimeters. A few segments are CW only, and in segments where amateurs are secondary users you must avoid interfering with the primary users.

A band plan is different: it is a voluntary guideline, beyond the FCC rules, for which modes and activities use which part of a band. The exam asks about familiar band plan conventions such as the 2-meter FM simplex calling frequency, 146.520 MHz, and the usual repeater offsets of 600 kHz on 2 meters and 5 MHz on 70 centimeters.

Sample questions from the pool

T1B06

On which HF bands does a Technician class operator have phone privileges?

  1. A. None
  2. B. 10-meter band only
  3. C. 80-meter, 40-meter, 15-meter, and 10-meter bands
  4. D. 30-meter band only

Correct answer: B. 10-meter band only

T1B11

What is the maximum peak envelope power output for Technician class operators in their HF band segments?

  1. A. 200 watts
  2. B. 100 watts
  3. C. 50 watts
  4. D. 10 watts

Correct answer: A. 200 watts

T2A10

What is a band plan, beyond the privileges established by the FCC?

  1. A. A voluntary guideline for using different modes or activities within an amateur band
  2. B. A list of operating schedules
  3. C. A list of available net frequencies
  4. D. A plan devised by a club to indicate frequency band usage

Correct answer: A. A voluntary guideline for using different modes or activities within an amateur band

Source: NCVEC, 2026-2030 Technician Class FCC Element 2 Question Pool, Public release of February 19, 2026, with the errata to the December 18, 2025 release, in use July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2030. Questions and answers quoted as published (public domain); the group counts come from the pool's syllabus. Passing score: 47 CFR 97.503, Element standards.

Practise for the ham radio Technician exam

The 2026-2030 Technician pool questions with their answers, drills by subelement, and mock exams of 35 questions drawn one from each group, 26 correct to pass. Free.

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Other topics on the ham radio Technician exam

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