By H. Ward Silver, N0AX
ARRL Contributing Editor
n0ax@arrl.org
March 4, 2010

Even though you might be an inveterate tinkerer and builder, it's occasionally a good idea to put down those hot irons, sweep off the workbench and turn off the test equipment. This quiz is for you!

1) An Arduino is a type of ________________.
a. transistor array
b. microprocessor prototyping system
c. coax connector
d. Italian vacuum tube

2) Which is most likely to have a "bat handle?"
a. soldering iron
b. rack-mount enclosure
c. toggle switch
d. torque wrench

3) Which connector family is most closely associated with parallel data interfaces?
a. DB
b. USB
c. BNC
d. Centronics

4) What type of holes does a nibbling tool cut?
a. circles
b. squares
c. rectangles
d. irregular

5) What does DIP stand for?
a. Drill In Place
b. Dual Interconnection Pins
c. Dual In Line Package
d. Delta Insertion Point

6) What is the name for the solder composition with the lowest melting point?
a. Acid core
b. Eutectic
c. RoHS
d. Silver-bearing

7) A bipolar switching transistor's fully-saturated collector-to-emitter voltage is ___________.
a. 0.3 V or less
b. 0 V
c. 0.7 V
d. 5 V, +/- 10 percent

8) An op-amp's ability to change output voltage rapidly is called _____________.
a. beta
b. CMRR
c. slew rate
d. open-loop gain

9) What component is used to keep plate voltage out of an amplifier's output matching circuit?
a. Plate Choke
b. Neutralizing Capacitor
c. Bleeder Resistor
d. Blocking Capacitor

10) Which of these is a Germanium diode?
a. 1N28
b. 1N34A
c. 1N914
d. 1N4148

11) Which type of logic element's output is false when both inputs are true or both inputs are false?
a. NAND
b. NOR
c. XOR
d. D-type Flip-Flop

12) Winding parallel wires on a ferrite core is called _____________.
a. bifilar
b. trifilar
c. twisted-pair
d. scramble-wound

Bonus: An "orange drop" would be what type of component?

Answers

1. b -- www.arduino.cc
2. c -- Miniature toggle switches frequently have handles shaped like a baseball bat.
3. d -- Now mostly known as a "parallel port" connector, it was originally developed as a high-speed data interface by Centronics for its printers.
4. d -- A nibbling tool is used to cut irregularly-shaped holes in sheet metal in a series of small, rectangular bites.
5. c -- This is the most common package for through-hole components.
6. d -- Eutectic refers to the mix of metals that melts at the lowest temperature.
7. a -- The exact voltage depends on the circuit.
8. c -- Slew rate is measured in V/µsec.
9. d -- This component passes output RF, but not dc.
10. b -- Germanium is used for its special temperature coefficient and lower forward voltage drop.
11. c -- XOR stands for Exclusive-OR.
12. a -- Bifilar windings are used to balance multiple winding's electrical characteristics.

Bonus: Sprague's "orange drop" film capacitors have been around a long time.