Comm Study Techniques

[edwardholgate]

Hi All,

Does anyone know any good threads to help me with comm study? Im an englishmen with an FAA/JAA PPL and motorglider instruction experience. Im doing my comm in SA at the moment, but need some help on techniques for the comm theory study.

I know that the biggest hurdle for me at the moment is the exams, so really would like to get on the way with these asap. Have not sat any exams yet at the CAA, but am on my second subject 'Radio Aids'. The problem is I dont get a lot of chance to work at these, since I have an arrangement (job) set up which is going to turn into a career stepping stone.

Much appreciated:ok:

[Insane]

There is no easy way. I have just done my comm at mid age with a full time job, and the only way i found that worked was read, make study notes highlighting main points that will refresh your mind as you read them

Good lick:ugh:

[edwardholgate]

Yeah I guess Im just going to have to take the plunge and spend some serious time studying. I find some of the stuff quite interesting, like: Avionics, Instruments e.t.c. But there is some stuff that is so boring and im just going to do it because I have to, like magnestism.

Its good though, that in a sense it seperates those who sorta want to do a CPL to those who are dedicated. Since the stuff is not rocket science, but theres a LOT of it

[south coast]

Just read through the notes once, have some kind of understanding about things...

Technical & General and met will probably be of most use.

After that, just do practice papers, learn the answers to questions...do them a million times till you recognise the answer to a particular question.

At the end of the day, you are trying to pass some exams which are not there to test you, they are there to fail you and for the CAA to make money.

So, jump through the hoops by the most effeceint and effective way and once you have the licence you will learn 100 times more from a good guy sitting to the left of you than from any manual.

[starcrest]

Ed, you got it, no easy shortcut. A technique that works well for most subjects is to first start by trying to answer sample questions. You will probably get quite a few wrong - that's okay, it is the window to understanding providing you read up where and why you went wrong.

For plotting, first understand the theory well then focus on speed and accuracy.

You mention magnetism is boring, true. But you will get at least one question worth 3 points (out of 24, so effectively 12.5%) on compass swings. More likely you will get 2 such questions (25%), so you wont pass if you drop these.

Good luck.

[Kennytheking]

Something I found quite useful :-
Get a small notebook....say a 24 page A5(or even smaller) size softcover notebook. The object is to make crib notes in this book and the entire subject must be summarised in that 1 book.

The notes should be the kind of stuff that you would want to take on crib notes into the exam with you.....it will be things like formulas, mnemonics, sketches, etc.

Being a small book you can carry it with you virtually everywhere you go. This means that even a 10 minute break at work can be productive. Before you know it, a lot of the stuff will be memorised.

If you don't understand some of the subject matter, then learn the questions. Obviously some subjects you can't do this and but for example you don't need to go in depth into doppler theory because there may only be 3 or 4 possible questions they might ask you. (This is just an example.....I dunno what they still include in the various subjects these days)

It is also usefull to view plotting and navgen as one subject. Apart from the speed and accuracy, in plotting you need to know what to plot and how to work out certain things that are big elements of navgen.

Good luck
KTK