So i got the app from ham study (3.99) and i seem to be doing ok with everything but the math related stuff. Math and I have never gotten along well and I just can't seem to get the equations for finding all the different stuff to stick in my brain. Anyone have any good tips they could pass along?

Memorize the correct answers, whether it's the math ones specifically, or all the rest of the questions, so that if you fail only the math ones, you shouldn't fail the entire exam.

The only equations I remember trying to memorize for the tech were:

Freq = 300/wave length
If you solve that for wavelength its
Wave length = 300/freq (same equation as above, just re-aranged)

And 1m = 39.37in

You can do the majority of the test questions with those unless im forgetting somthing.

For example...if you want to know the length of a halfwave antenna for 144mhz figure it out in meters and then convert to inches at the end rather than memorizing some equation that has the units in it...

Wavelength = 300/144 = 2.1m

For a halfwave antenna thats 1.05m (2.1 / 2)

Convert that to inches and its 41.34" (1.05x39.37)

Ohm's Law  - Three letters: E (Voltage) I (Current), R (Resistance), write them in a triangle with "E" on top, "I" on the bottom left, "R" on the bottom right (pronounced as "Ear").  Cover the one you want to calculate with your finger and what is left is the formula.  For example: Need "E" so cover it with a fingertip and the formula is I x R;  Need "I" so cover it with a fingertip and the formula is E / R; Need "R" so cover it with a fingertip and the formula is E / I.

Same thing for power.  Three letters: P (Power), I (Current), E (Voltage), write them in a triangle with "P" on top, "I" on the bottom left, "E" on the bottom right (pronounced as "Pie").  Behavior is the same as above in that P = I x E; I = P / E; E = P / I.

Yes, if you just want to pass the test, this is the thing to do.  If you want to learn it, the posts above are helpful, but so would finding an Elmer to help you in person.  

My suggestion:  Memorize those questions now, pass the test and find a local Elmer to help you understand it all

FPNI.

The way it was originally taught to me (by a crusty old elmer) was the Eagle flies over the Indian and the Rabbit. The Power (God, almighty, etc.) is over the Indian and the Eagle.

I passed Technician and General earlier this month.  At least on the test forms I received, there really wasn’t much math. Maybe two or three questions each.

I’m not a big believer in just memorizing equations.  I think it’s more important to understand the concepts.  If you understand the concepts, the equations for wavelength and frequency and Ohm’s Law are pretty easy.  General will get a little more equation oriented with calculating values for different components in series and parallel.

The circle method for calculating volts, amps, ohms and watts suggested by SA Craig works great.  

For wavelengths and calculating antenna length, don’t get bogged down trying to remember exactly how many inches in a meter at this point.  Know that a meter is a couple of inches longer than a yard, and you will get close enough to get the right answer on 1/4 or 1/2 wavelength antenna calculations.

I used the same app to prepare and it worked great.  Make sure you are reviewing the rationale for the answers.

For some reason, a chart like this helped me memorize the formulas...

About the test.

If you read the question and the correct answer ( don't read the wrong answers ) and go through the list of questions a few times ( yes I know there are 900 of them ) and can remember those 2 formulas above about ohms law and freq / bandwidth, when you take the test ( can confirm it on the practice tests. I used hamstudy.org ) your brain will be able to read the question , look at the 4 multiple guesses and one of those will sound familiar, because you have read that answer before because that is the right answer. An example would be the 20 meter band 14.0-14.350

You can also use some memory keys. When I was studying, I could not remember that the 20m band was 14.0-14.350 so I found a way based on the question. I could remember that 20m was 14.0 at the beginning but could not remember the upper end ( was it .350 or .300 ?) , so I used the 14.0  to derive a way to remember the upper end using 14.0.... 4-1 =3. 1+4=5. 35 then the 0  =350. so 14.350.  I am dumb and have used little tricks like that my whole life to remember stuff. What about the 40m band. 40 meters is 2x 20m. Wavelength is twice as long so if 20m starts at 14.0, 40m starts at 7.0 so it is a smaller number and doesn't go up to .350 it only goes up to .300.  How about 80m band, 80m is twice as long as 40m. 40 starts at 7.0 then 1/2 of 7.0 is 3.5 so that is where 80m starts. Where does it end? starts at 3.5 take 3 and 5 and what is the number in the middle? 4. So the upper end is 4.  Most of the questions I could come up with memory joggers based on the question itself.

another example. LSB and USB. There are 2 questions. if on USB and the band width is 3khz what is the highest freq you can transmit on and remain in the 20m band. My memory jog ( and it is true when I took the all 3 tests ( tech, Gen, Extra ) I had no idea what this question meant and never understood it until after I got my HF radio and started using it ),  if the question is USB what is the highest freq you can transmit on I would remember Upper Side Band can not go upper, Lower Side Band  can not go lower so I would remember the highest for USB was not above the highest freq and the Lowest for LSB was not the below the highest freq.

I did that for every question I could not remember or understand the answer to. And for the questions that I came across where I had no little trick or could not remember the little trick I picked the multiple guess answer that 'seemed familiar'. Guess how many I got wrong on the test? Tech was 0, Gen was 1, Extra was 0.

In full disclosure, the only thing I understood starting out was ohms law because I have a BS EE, that I had not used since 1983. I had spent the last 33 years making little houses look big and big houses look little and shooting shit at people trying to kill me in training.

If I can do this anybody can.

Then when I bought and started using my equipment it all started making sense to me. I learn best by using, not reading.

I'm going to be honest - and folks will probably disagree, but memorize them.  Most (not all, mind you) of the stuff on the tech test is irrelevant about actual use of the radios.  There are some very relevant things on there - but to be honest, for folks that just want to use their radios, there is no real need to learn ohms law.  When you start to get into some hardcore technical use of the radios (such as contacting the ISS for example, maybe getting into digital modes), there isn't a real reason to have an intimate knowledge of some of this stuff.

When you get into general, you definitely need to know this, and more.  I know the old timers are pissed off that CW was removed, and no longer necessary - and I'm sure many will put forth their wrath on me for believing the above.

But the fact is - most folks nowadays that get a tech license don't care to do 75% of the crap that they used to do - they just want to pick up a radio, and talk to people (or use some of the digital modes).  They don't want to build antennas, they don't want to play around with experimental stuff - they just want to talk on the radio.

Thanks for the replies guys. I know I can just do the memorize the questions thing but in the end memorizing answers doesn't teach you anything and part of getting the license for me is to learn not just to be able to use my radio for what it was intended for.

Good for you for wanting to know the theory behind the questons.

For Ohm's Law, use the the Eagle, the Indian, and the Rabbit analog. (This website is good as a general primer on electricity.)

YEP. It's a lot easier to remember how to calculate everything in metric system and then convert to imperial if necessary. This is why Metric system is so much easier to use.