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Wireless Communications (WCM) — Requirements & Free Practice

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Wireless Communications (WCM)

ETA Wireless Communications specialty certification in the Journeyman CET program.

Licensing authority: ETA International

Initial by examination
Wireless Communications (WCM)
Assessment
Pass the WCM examination at 75%; no hands-on requirement.
Award
Basic Electronics combines with the Journeyman Option to form Journeyman CET; basic electronics is then no longer renewed/issued separately as shown in the official pathway diagram.
Experience
The Journeyman pathway says two or more years of experience to qualify.
Prerequisite Qualifications
{"anyOf":["Associate Certified Electronics Technician (CETa)","All five Electronics Modules (EM1-5)","General Communications Technician - Level 1 (GCT1), the Communications-category substitution"]}
Rollover Boundary
The separate FCC GROL rollover is not this initial-by-examination route and does not create a separate WCM exam or version.
Scheduling
Arrange day/time with a CA for in-person online or paper/pencil delivery. Remote non-hands-on testing requires ETA registration/setup through its Remote Proctoring Examinee Registration Form, working webcam and microphone, recent computer and at least 3MBPS internet; initial scheduling up to 72 hours, Monday–Friday 8am–5pm EDT, with same/next-day testing not guaranteed.
Scope
This route is initial qualification by the WCM examination for applicants with the prior foundation qualification. The shared foundation examinations are not re-investigated, re-registered or included in this production list.
Stand Alone Boundary
The current WCM table and catalog identify Journeyman. The generic Stand-Alone pathway is not applied to WCM without same-object evidence; no additional WCM examination is inferred.

Wireless Communications (WCM)

Provider
ETA International; online or paper/pencil with a Certification Administrator, or ETA-arranged ExamRoom.AI remote proctoring
Format
Proctored knowledge examination; no hands-on assessment required
Exam questions
Total questions: 100.
Time limit
2 hours
Passing score
75%
Exam fee
$80 examination fee; remote proctoring carries an additional fee
Examination outline
  • Radio Theory
    • Electromagnetic transmission and reception
    • Radio frequency bands
    • Transmitter and receiver blocks
    • FCC bandwidth and frequency allocations
    • Receiver stages
    • Frequency tuning and channel switching
    • Propagation by band
  • Components, Terminology and Symbols
    • Electronic components, symbols and uses
  • Satellite – Data – Telecommunications
    • Satellite, GPS, telephone and telecommunications applications
    • Interference involving the listed applications
  • Mobile Systems
    • Simplex operation
    • Mobile relay simplex and duplex
    • Remote and manual control
    • RF links
    • Commercial and private radio band assignments
    • Competing radio services
    • Public safety frequencies and bands
    • Paging communications
    • Single-site and multi-site trunking
    • Conventional single-site and multi-site systems
    • Simulcast
    • Satellite voting
    • Wireless data and two-way voice
    • CTCSS squelch
    • DCSS signaling
    • Point-to-point and point-to-multipoint
    • Repeater functions
  • Commercial Radio Networks
    • Operational characteristics
    • Technical characteristics
    • Receiver and transmitter programming
    • Trunking concepts
  • Block Diagrams – Schematics – Flow Charts
    • Diagram symbols
    • Power and signal tracing
    • Schematic test points
    • Expected signals and voltages
    • Flow chart purposes
  • Basic Analog Circuits
    • AC and DC radio supplies
    • Amplifier types, RF and IF stages
    • Audio amplifier identification
    • AM and FM audio detectors
    • AVC and AGC operation
    • Transmitter modulators
    • Transmitter output components
    • Operational amplifier circuits
    • Gain measurement
    • Bi-directional amplifiers
    • PLL and VCO circuits
  • Hand Tools and Soldering
    • Soldering tools and accessories
    • Equipment care
    • Soldering sequence
    • Visual soldering quality
    • Desoldering sequence
    • Good solder joints
    • Solder alloys
    • Flux
    • Cold and defective joints
    • Surface mount replacement
    • Wire wrap precautions
    • Hot air bonding
    • RoHS purpose
    • Solder lead forms
  • Computer and Digital Circuits
    • Digital gate symbols and truth tables
    • Radio memory devices
    • Radio tuning
    • Microprocessor control
    • RAM, PROM, EEPROM and ROM
    • DAC and ADC use
    • Modems
    • Wireless communication drivers
    • TTL and CMOS outputs
  • Computer Applications
    • Computing and software applications in wireless communications
  • Interfacing
    • Interconnection signal levels
    • Impedance matching and mismatch
    • Two-way radio numbering systems
  • Transmission Lines, Cabling and Connectors
    • Coaxial cable
    • Coaxial connector installation
    • Routing, bend ratios, tension and regulations
    • Transmission line test theory
    • Transmission line test equipment
    • Impedance matching practices
    • Ground loops
    • Balanced and unbalanced pairs
    • Cable loss
    • Cable termination
    • FDR principles
    • TDR and FDR comparison
    • RF connector identification
  • Antennas and Towers
    • Wave propagation speed
    • Reception and mobile antennas
    • Polar patterns
    • Cross polarization
    • Antenna gain
    • Hand-held transceiver antennas
    • Antenna combining
    • Diplexers and duplexers
    • Cavities, circulators and isolators
    • Communications equipment grounding
    • Lightning protection devices
    • Beam tilt
    • Base station antennas
    • Receiver multi-coupling
    • Tower components and installation
    • Transmission site documentation
    • Tower top amplifiers
    • Attenuator uses
  • Grounding – Lightning Protection
    • Antenna grounding
    • Facility grounding standards
    • Common grounding electrode systems and NEC requirements
    • NEC lightning rules
    • Bonding and grounding practices
    • Grounding blocks, rods and conductors
    • Transient surge protection
    • Exothermic welding
  • Radio Mathematics and Formulas
    • dB, dBmV and microvolt conversion
    • dBi, dBm, dBW and dBd
    • Scientific calculator use
    • Technician numbering systems
    • Frequency and wavelength
    • Effective radiated power
    • Effective isotropic radiated power
    • Free-space path loss
  • Modulations Schemes
    • AM methods and limits
    • FM methods and deviation
    • Companding
    • Pre-emphasis and de-emphasis
    • SSB principles
    • TDMA
    • CDMA, TDMA and FDMA comparison
    • QPSK and OQPSK
    • Digital modulation and APCO Project 25
    • Encryption and algorithms
    • Keyloading
    • GSM
  • Control Systems
    • DC remote operation
    • Remotes and adapters
    • DC system operating signals
    • Tone remote operation
    • High and low guard tones
    • Tone versus DC control
    • DTMF applications
    • SCADA
    • IP remote control
  • RF Interference
    • Receiver de-sensitization
    • Spurious emissions and receiver response
    • Site compatibility
    • Co-channel and adjacent-channel interference
    • Image frequency
    • Transmitter noise
    • Noise floor
    • Harmonics and sub-harmonics
    • Broadband over power line interference
    • Natural noise
    • Wind-generated static
    • Interference detection
    • Inter-modulation causes
    • Site filtering and mitigation
    • Passive intermodulation
  • RF Coverage Analysis, Testing and Diagnosis
    • RF modeling under TIA TSB 88
    • Service area
    • Reliability
    • Portable configuration effects
    • Balanced coverage design
    • Coverage verification under TIA TSB 88
    • Side-mounted antenna signal distortion
    • Common obstructions
  • Test Equipment and Measurements
    • Communications Service Analyzer
    • TDR, OTDR and FDR
    • SWR and watt meters
    • Return, insertion and cable loss
    • Signal-to-noise and carrier-to-noise
    • Loads, meters, logic tools and generators
    • SINAD and audio measurement
    • Spectrum analyzers
    • RF test cables and converters
    • Variable power supplies
    • Power measurement
    • Frequency and modulation measurement
  • Troubleshooting
    • Circuit defect localization
    • Block diagrams and test points
    • Heat and cold for intermittent faults
    • PC board and surface mount replacement
    • Signal overdrive
  • Workplace Safety for Radio Environment
    • 47 CFR Part 15 topics
    • Basic FCC two-way radio rules
    • Station and technician licenses
    • FAA communications rules
    • OSHA, fall and ANSI 14 ladder safety
    • NEC provisions for radio, antennas and cabling
    • Technician workplace environment
    • Fire hazards
    • Ground faults and shock protection
    • Electrostatic discharge
    • Fiber optic safety
    • Electrical shock potential
    • Transmitter RF exposure
    • RF monitoring
    • Beryllium hazards
    • First aid and uncertified worker limits
Examination sources