FCC Element 8, Ship Radar Endorsement: free practice test
The Ship Radar Endorsement is added to a GROL, GMDSS Radio Maintainer's or Radiotelegraph license and is the only FCC authority to repair, maintain or internally adjust ship radar. Element 8 tests radar principles, transmitters, receivers, displays, antennas and waveguides, and installation and repair. You must hold or qualify for a PG, DM, DB or T license, and the endorsement is issued for the life of the license.
Watch the free 4:27 video lesson: the key FCC Element 8 Ship Radar concepts →
Premium: 3,000 practice questions, 6 full mock exams, 800 flashcards and 60 comprehensive key notes, topic by topic. See the study path ·
- Lesson 2: Marine radar systems and the pulse cycleTrigger, transmitter, duplexer, receiver and display, followed through one complete pulse.
- Lesson 3: Range timing and the radar mileEcho time, 12.36 microsecond sums and maximum unambiguous range calculations.
- Lesson 4: Frequency, wavelength and X versus S bandBand choice, wavelength sums and how each band handles rain and sea.
- Lesson 5: Pulse width, PRF, duty cycle and powerAverage versus peak power, duty cycle and choosing pulses per range scale.
- Lesson 6: Range resolution, minimum range and bearing resolutionHow pulse width and beamwidth limit what the radar can separate.
- Lesson 7: Timing and trigger circuitsHow the synchronizer locks modulator firing to the display sweep.
- Lesson 8: Modulators and pulse-forming networksPFN charging, switching devices, pulse transformers and pulse length selection.
- Lesson 9: Magnetron operation and frequency pullingCrossed-field oscillation, cathode pulsing, magnet and load effects on frequency.
- Lesson 10: Duplexers, TR and ATR cells, circulatorsHow one antenna transmits and receives while the receiver stays protected.
- Lesson 11: Transmitter power supplies and directional couplersHigh voltage generation, forward and reflected power sampling, VSWR checks.
- Lesson 12: Superheterodyne receivers and mixer crystalsMixing to IF, crystal protection and why receivers lose sensitivity.
- Lesson 13: Local oscillators and AFC loopsKlystron and Gunn sources, AFC tracking and manual tuning faults.
- Lesson 14: IF amplifiers, detectors and video amplifiersWhere receiver gain comes from and how video is recovered.
- Lesson 15: Sea clutter, rain clutter and interference rejectionSTC, FTC and sweep correlation, with typical exam traps.
- Lesson 16: PPI and raster-scan display principlesSweep generation, video memory and how echoes are drawn on screen.
- Lesson 17: Range rings, VRM and EBLFixed and variable markers, bearing arithmetic and display accuracy checks.
- Lesson 18: Stabilized displays and heading inputsHead-up, north-up and course-up modes and the sensors each requires.
- Lesson 19: ARPA, CPA and TCPATarget tracking, collision alarms and the inputs automatic plotting depends on.
- Lesson 20: Slotted waveguide antennas and beamwidthArray length, horizontal and vertical beamwidth and antenna data to the display.
- Lesson 21: Waveguides, rotary joints and transmission linesTE10 mode, cutoff, VSWR, bends, flanges and coaxial alternatives.
- Lesson 22: Fault-finding by sectionUsing magnetron current, tuning and sweep symptoms to isolate the failed section.
- Lesson 23: Installation practice and safetyAntenna siting, shadow sectors, compass distances, high voltage and RF safety.
Keep going after the free lesson. Every topic gets its own lesson, plus the full question bank, timed simulations and study tools.
About the FCC Element 8 Ship Radar exam
The Ship Radar Endorsement is added to a GROL, GMDSS Radio Maintainer's or Radiotelegraph license and is the only FCC authority to repair, maintain or internally adjust ship radar. Element 8 tests radar principles, transmitters, receivers, displays, antennas and waveguides, and installation and repair. You must hold or qualify for a PG, DM, DB or T license, and the endorsement is issued for the life of the license.
What's on the exam
Each branch is a topic in the official outline. Members see every key fact on the full mind map. Read the free study guide →
How to pass the FCC Element 8 Ship Radar exam
- The exam pulls one question from each of the 50 key topics, so subelements A (principles), C (receivers) and D (displays) carry 10 questions each; B has 8, F has 7 and E has 5.
- Learn the radar mile (12.36 microseconds per nautical mile of range) and the 150 metres per microsecond rule for pulse width. Several calculation questions reduce to one of the two.
- Trace the signal path in order: modulator, magnetron, circulator or duplexer, waveguide, antenna, then TR cell, mixer, IF strip, detector, video and display. Fault questions ask where along that path the problem sits.
- Element 8 is often taken with Elements 1 and 3 for a GROL with radar endorsement. Element 3 electronics carries over, so revise Ohm's law and basic circuits too.
Save your results and get your Readiness Score
Create a free account after the test: your score by topic, a mistakes bank, the complete study notes for the first topic, flashcards and the ABYC Numbers & Formulas Sheet.
What's in the premium FCC Element 8 Ship Radar prep
Premium FCC Element 8 Ship Radar prep is studied one topic at a time. Each step starts with that topic's key notes and flashcard deck, then its own question sets of 25, so you master one topic before you move to the next. When every topic is strong, the 6 full mock exams show you're ready.
Your step-by-step study path
- 1Radar Principles10 key notes, 135 flashcards, then 500 practice questions in 20 sets of 25Notes free with an account
- 2Transmitting Systems10 key notes, 135 flashcards, then 500 practice questions in 20 sets of 25Premium
- 3Receiving Systems10 key notes, 135 flashcards, then 500 practice questions in 20 sets of 25Premium
- 4Display and Control Systems10 key notes, 135 flashcards, then 500 practice questions in 20 sets of 25Premium
- 5Antenna Systems and Waveguides10 key notes, 130 flashcards, then 500 practice questions in 20 sets of 25Premium
- 6Installation, Maintenance and Repair10 key notes, 130 flashcards, then 500 practice questions in 20 sets of 25Premium
- Final step: 6 full mock exams50 questions each, timed like test day. Pass them, then book your exam.Premium
Read the complete FCC Element 8 Ship Radar study notes for “Radar Principles”
Our first full set of comprehensive notes, about 14 minutes of reading: Time and distance · Frequency and wavelength · Pulse width, PRF and power · Resolution and minimum range · System building blocks, a worked exam example, the traps examiners use and a one-minute recap. Create a free account to read it and see how premium notes work before you decide.
Study tools included
3,000 practice questions
3,000 exam-style questions per exam, organized topic by topic in sets of 25. Every answer explained, with the rule it comes from.
6 full mock exams
6 full-length timed mock exams per exam, with real question counts and time limits, so test day feels like practice day.
Exam Readiness Score
One 0 to 100 number that tells you when you're ready to book. Reach 80 and you're covered by our Pass Guarantee.
800 flashcards + spaced repetition
800 flashcards per exam, in a deck for each topic, that come back right before you'd forget them. Five minutes a day keeps every number fresh.
60 comprehensive key notes
60 key notes per exam, split across its topics and each explained in full: the concepts, worked exam examples, the traps examiners use and a quick recap. Your first set is free with an account.
Mind maps
See the whole exam on one screen: every topic and the facts under it.
Sample questions with answers
These are the questions in the free test above, with answers. Try the test first. You'll learn more by getting some wrong.
1. An echo from a buoy reaches the receiver 61.8 microseconds after the transmitted pulse. How far away is the buoy?
2. A radar transmits 0.5-microsecond pulses at a pulse repetition frequency of 1,000 Hz with a peak power of 10 kW. What is the average power?
3. Two small boats lie on the same bearing, 100 metres apart in range. The radar is on a range scale that uses a 1-microsecond pulse. How will they appear?
4. In a marine radar magnetron, what mainly determines the frequency of the transmitted microwave energy?
5. In a line-type modulator, what sets the width of the pulse delivered to the magnetron?
6. A radar's magnetron transmits on 9,410 MHz and the receiver IF is 60 MHz. Which local oscillator frequency would produce the correct IF?
7. Echoes within about 3 miles are hidden by a mass of sea return, while distant targets look normal. Which control is designed to reduce this without cutting gain at long range?
8. Another vessel's radar on the same band is operating nearby. What pattern does this interference typically produce on the display?
9. Own ship is heading 045 degrees true. A target appears on a head-up display at a relative bearing of 300 degrees. What is its true bearing?
10. Over several ARPA plots a target's bearing stays constant while its range keeps decreasing. What does the ARPA display most likely show?
11. An operator needs to measure the exact range to a headland that lies between two fixed range rings. Which control should be used?
12. A technician replaces a 4-foot slotted waveguide antenna with an 8-foot array on the same X-band radar. What happens to the horizontal beamwidth?
13. Standard X-band rectangular waveguide has an inside broad dimension of about 22.9 mm. Why can't it carry a 3 GHz S-band signal in the TE10 mode?
14. A radar shows weak echoes on every range, the magnetron current is normal, and a new mixer crystal fails again within days. What should be checked next?
15. Before working inside a radar modulator that has just been switched off, what should the technician do first?
Get the full FCC Element 8 Ship Radar prep
Premium Monthly
- One ABYC exam of your choice: any of the 10 certifications, from Marine Electrical to USCG Regulations
- 3,000 practice questions + 6 full mock exams per exam
- 800 flashcards + 60 key notes per exam, by topic, plus mind maps
- Spaced repetition + mistakes bank
- Readiness Score & detailed reports
- Video lessons as they release
- Content updates during your access
- 5 bonuses: numbers and formulas sheet, standards map, study planner and more
- Pass Guarantee: complete the prep, pass or 100% back
Renews monthly until you cancel. Cancel in two clicks from your account; you keep access until the end of the month you've paid for. No minimum term.
Premium Yearly
- One ABYC exam of your choice: any of the 10 certifications, from Marine Electrical to USCG Regulations
- 3,000 practice questions + 6 full mock exams per exam
- 800 flashcards + 60 key notes per exam, by topic, plus mind maps
- Spaced repetition + mistakes bank
- Readiness Score & detailed reports
- Video lessons as they release
- Content updates during your access
- 5 bonuses: numbers and formulas sheet, standards map, study planner and more
- Pass Guarantee: complete the prep, pass or 100% back
Renews once a year until you cancel. We email you before each renewal. Cancel any time from your account; you keep access until the end of the year you've paid for.
FCC Element 8 Ship Radar exam FAQ
How many questions are on the FCC Element 8 Ship Radar exam?
50 multiple-choice questions drawn from the FCC's published Element 8 pool, one from each of 50 key topics in six subelements, with a time limit of not set by the fcc; each colem sets its own session length, so confirm when you book. Format: closed book: the fcc does not permit reference materials, notes or study guides in the exam. written element only; there is no practical test.
What is the passing score for FCC Element 8 Ship Radar?
At least 38 of 50 correct (76%).
How much does the FCC Element 8 Ship Radar exam cost?
No FCC fee for the endorsement itself (the FCC says Form 159 and fees are not needed). COLEM exam fees are set by each manager, from about US$25 to US$90 per element (for example NMEA US$50 per element). The underlying GROL or GMDSS Maintainer license carries a separate US$35 FCC filing fee. ABYC charges members less than nonmembers, so confirm current fees with ABYC before you book.
Which languages is the FCC Element 8 Ship Radar exam offered in?
English.
Where do I take the FCC Element 8 Ship Radar exam?
FCC-authorized Commercial Operator License Examination Managers (COLEMs) such as NMEA, ETA International, Exemplar Global, ISCET and others; in person or online, depending on the COLEM.
Is this FCC Element 8 Ship Radar practice test free?
Yes. The 15-question practice test on this page is free, with an explanation for every answer and no signup. A free account also unlocks the complete study notes for the first topic. The full FCC Element 8 Ship Radar prep is Premium at $147 a month for this exam.
What's in the premium FCC Element 8 Ship Radar prep?
3,000 practice questions organized topic by topic (Radar Principles: 500; Transmitting Systems: 500; Receiving Systems: 500; Display and Control Systems: 500; Antenna Systems and Waveguides: 500; Installation, Maintenance and Repair: 500), 6 full-length timed mock exams of 50 questions, 800 flashcards and 60 comprehensive key notes split across all 6 topics, plus a mistakes bank and the Readiness Score.
Related practice tests
FCC Element 1, Marine Radio Operator Permit
Element 1 covers basic radio law and operating practice for maritime radio operators: licensing, watchkeeping and logs, operating and distress procedures, GMDSS, VHF and MF-HF equipment, and survival equipment such as EPIRBs, SARTs and NAVTEX. Passing it alone qualifies you for the lifetime Marine Radio Operator Permit, required on vessels over 300 gross tons and vessels carrying more than six passengers for hire in the open sea or tidewater.
FCC Element 3, General Radiotelephone Operator License (GROL)
Element 3 is the technical half of the GROL: electronic fundamentals and the techniques used to adjust, repair and maintain radio transmitters and receivers.
Exam details are summarized from the official candidate information available in November 2026. ABYC changes formats and fees, so confirm with Federal Communications Commission (FCC), Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Commercial Radio Operator License Program before you book. ABYCExamPrep is not affiliated with the American Boat & Yacht Council.