Ham Radio General Class Practice Test

What component in a radio transceiver helps prevent interference from strong nearby signals?

1. Bandpass filter

2. Low-pass filter

3. Antenna tuner

4. Preselector

The correct answer is: Bandpass filter

A bandpass filter is designed to allow signals within a certain frequency range to pass through while rejecting all other frequencies outside that range. In the context of a radio transceiver, this component is crucial for preventing interference from strong nearby signals that may operate at frequencies outside the desired transmission or reception range. By filtering out unwanted signals, the bandpass filter ensures that the transceiver can effectively focus on the specific frequencies of interest, leading to clearer communications and reduced noise from adjacent channels or other strong signals. Other components like a low-pass filter primarily allow signals below a certain frequency to pass while attenuating higher frequencies, which is useful in other contexts but does not specifically target interference from strong nearby signals in the way a bandpass filter does. An antenna tuner adjusts the impedance between the transmitter and antenna to maximize power transfer, but it does not filter out unwanted signals. A preselector can be a valuable component in improving selectivity, but it typically operates to enhance the performance of already existing filters rather than act as a primary means of filtering out interference. Therefore, the bandpass filter is the most appropriate choice for this specific function in a radio transceiver.