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Study guide, field manual, pig-powered operator notebook.
Ham Exam Arcade turns ham-radio exam pools into short arcade runs. Pick a pool, pick a game,
answer questions, bank Study Points, and learn the pool without feeling chained to flashcards.
Core systems
How the arcade thinks
Question pools
The arcade works with installed pools. Switch pools anytime. Each pool keeps its own progress, high scores, and game stats.
Study Points
SP is the learning economy. Correct answers usually grant SP, and SP drives arcade level and long-term progress.
Score
Score is run performance. Score feeds end screens, high scores, and bragging rights. It is not the same thing as SP.
1. Pick a poolUse the built-in Technician, General, Extra, or load a compatible JSON pool.
2. Pick a gameEach mode asks questions differently and rewards different habits.
3. Finish a runRuns end with a summary showing Score, SP, accuracy, and now high scores where supported.
4. Learn the weak spotsUse weak areas, notes, and repeated play to turn rough spots and unseen categories into solid ground.
Study tools
Search, hints, and notes
Search
Search is an optional study aid that opens a web search in a new tab. It is only available on question pages and in end-of-run missed-question review.
- Search opens a web search and requires an active internet connection. If the connection is unavailable, Search is disabled.
- During a run, Search is limited and counts toward your run’s maximum (when enabled by the mode).
- In missed-question review, Search is unlimited overall but can be used once per question.
- Some difficulty tiers disable Search during play on purpose.
Elmer Notes
Notes are your personal breadcrumbs: trouble questions, memory hooks, or “future me will thank present me” reminders. Missed-question review links directly into Notes so you can capture what you learned while it is fresh.
- Notes save locally in the browser.
- Notes do not include Search (so Search limits can’t be bypassed).
- Use Notes for patterns, not novels.
Connection note: Ham Exam Arcade is a web application and is intended to be used while connected to the internet. Search opens a web search in a new tab and requires an active connection. Elmer Notes are stored locally in this browser, but the Arcade itself is not intended or supported for offline use. If your connection is interrupted, Search may become unavailable, and reloading or navigating away from the Arcade may interrupt play.
Focus Mode
Point the question picker toward what needs work
Focus Mode is a study steering wheel. It does not give hints, does not change the answer, and does not change SP or scoring.
It simply biases supported random question draws toward categories that need more attention.
Why it unlocks at Level 5
Focus Mode needs a little history before it can make useful decisions. At very low levels, the arcade has not seen enough of your answers to know whether a category is truly weak, merely unseen, or just unlucky from one bad run.
Level 5 gives the system enough early sampling to make targeting helpful instead of noisy.
The lock also protects new users from getting trapped in one small corner of the pool before they have seen the broader landscape.
First build a little map, then let Focus Mode start marking the rough roads.
How categories work
Each ham exam question has a code. The code is more than a serial number; it tells you where the question lives in the pool.
Focus Mode uses those category groups to aim practice.
- The full code identifies one exact question.
- The shorter category code groups related questions together.
- Weak-category tracking becomes useful because questions with similar codes usually test related material.
Example: E8B02
Read it from left to right:
- E = Extra pool.
- 8 = major topic group 8 within that pool.
- B = category B inside that topic group.
- 02 = the second question in that category.
So E8B02 is one exact question. The category E8B is the study bucket that contains that question and its neighbors.
| Part | Example | Meaning | How Focus uses it |
|---|
| Pool letter | E | License pool: T = Technician, G = General, E = Extra. | Keeps category tracking inside the current pool. |
| Topic number | 8 | Major topic group inside that pool. | Helps separate broad subject areas. |
| Category letter | B | Subtopic/category inside the topic group. | This is the main focus bucket, such as E8B. |
| Question number | 02 | The individual question within that category. | Used for notes, review, and exact question history. |
Tip: When you see a cluster like E8B, G5A, or T2C showing up as weak, treat it as a study clue.
That category is the arcade saying, “this family of questions needs another pass.”
Backups
Backups, restores, and browser storage
Ham Exam Arcade saves your notes, stats, progress, high scores, and settings in your browser.
That makes the arcade fast and private, but it also means your data belongs to that browser profile on that device.
Browser cleanup tools, private/incognito windows, profile resets, site-data clearing, or switching browsers can remove or hide your progress.
Important: Use Backup after meaningful study sessions, before clearing browser data,
before moving to another computer or browser, and before major testing passes. Supported browsers can update one chosen reusable file named
HamExamArcade_Backup.json. Other browsers use normal download backups.
What the Backup button does
The Backup button in the Stats & Guide panel opens the backup and restore center. The same tools are also available from
Options → Backup & Restore. The screen explains your current backup status, chooses the best backup method available in your browser,
restores saved data, and includes advanced notes-only or stats-only tools for special cases.
Recommended backup method
- Click Backup.
- If your browser supports reusable backup files, click Choose backup file the first time and pick where to save HamExamArcade_Backup.json.
- Later, click Update backup file to update that same chosen file instead of collecting numbered downloads.
- If your browser does not support reusable backup files, use Download backup and keep the newest copy.
The arcade cannot silently write files to your computer. The reusable method starts only after you click the backup button and approve the browser’s file prompt.
Browsers that do not support that permission flow fall back to normal downloads.
What is included in the full backup?
| Included | Why it matters |
|---|
| Notes | Your saved notes and study comments. |
| Stats and progress | Question history, pool progress, levels, Study Points, and related study records. |
| High scores and game records | Local game performance records saved by the arcade. |
| Settings and backup metadata | Useful local settings and backup status information. |
Question pools are not the main purpose of the backup file. The arcade already ships with the bundled pools, and pools can be reloaded if needed.
Restoring a backup
- Click Backup.
- Click Restore backup….
- Choose your HamExamArcade_Backup.json file.
- Review the preview before importing.
- Choose Merge or Replace.
| Restore choice | Use when |
|---|
| Merge |
You want to add the backup into your current data while preserving anything already in this browser. This is usually the safer first choice. |
| Replace |
You want the backup file to become the current data for this browser. Use this when you are setting up a clean browser, new computer, or fresh version. |
Before a restore is applied, the arcade creates a small internal pre-restore recovery snapshot for the current browser location. This helps protect against
a bad import or accidental overwrite, but it is not a substitute for an external backup file because browser storage can still be cleared.
Browser storage locations
Progress belongs to the browser profile and web address where you use the arcade. If you switch browsers, switch devices,
clear site data, or use a different browser profile, the arcade may not see the same saved progress. Restore from your backup file
when you need to move your study data into a different browser or device.
Backup reminders
Ham Exam Arcade may remind you when notes or stats have changed or when your backup is getting old. These reminders are intentionally limited: the default is weekly when needed,
and end-of-run reminders appear at most once per session. The main backup file stays HamExamArcade_Backup.json.
Advanced split-file tools
The advanced tools can export or import notes-only and stats-only files. Most players should use the full backup instead.
Split files are mainly for troubleshooting, testing, or special recovery situations.
Simple rule: When in doubt, click Backup and keep a copy of
HamExamArcade_Backup.json somewhere safe. Browsers that support reusable backups will offer Choose/Update; other browsers will offer Download Backup.
Scoring
Score, SP, and separate scoreboards
Difficulty rewards: Easy uses the normal baseline. Hard adds Score x1.20 and a +10% SP mastery bonus. Extreme adds Score x1.50 and a +25% SP mastery bonus. These bonuses are shown separately on end screens and are not awarded on early exits or cash-outs.
The code and some stats labels may still use the word bucket. In plain English, that just means a separate scoreboard lane.
| Term | What it means | Where you see it |
|---|
| SP | Study Points from correct answers and learning progress. | Sidebar, summaries, level progress, Arcade Stats. |
| Score | Run performance number used by end pages and high scores. | Run summary, highscore block, Arcade Stats top scores. |
| Bucket / scoreboard lane | One saved scoreboard lane for a specific game, pool, and ruleset so unlike runs do not get mixed together. | Summary screens and Arcade Stats. |
Arcade stats
The big dashboard
The Arcade Stats screen is your bird’s-eye view. It combines saved question stats, game results, Study Points, and separate scoreboards for different games and rulesets.
All pools
- Shows the broad picture across active pools with saved data.
- Useful when you want to compare how hard you have leaned on Technician versus General or Extra.
- The current pool is highlighted so you can spot your active study lane quickly.
Current pool
- Shows the pool you are actively studying right now.
- Best for checking coverage, plays, recent highs, and whether you are actually learning or just poking buttons.
- Use it after a run to sanity-check that your stats moved the way you expected.
Game guides
Each game, without the fog machine
These are practical field notes. The goal is enough detail to play confidently without turning the help file into a swamp.
1) Exam Cram
Classic study mode
Exam Cram has three lanes: Study Grind for study-only reps, Practice Run for exam-style draws with helpers, and Mock Exam for a cleaner pass/fail rehearsal. It is the shortest road from raw pool exposure to real test confidence.
How it works
- Study Grind is the study-only submenu. It contains Random Run, Targeted Quiz, and Unseen Explorer.
- Random Run is broad, low-pressure repetition across the whole pool.
- Targeted Quiz now opens as a roll-up list of weak or unseen categories so the menu stays compact. Pick one target and drill that entire group on purpose.
- Unseen Explorer pulls up to 20 random unseen questions per run until there are none left.
- Practice Run uses an exam-style draw from official topic groups, but keeps normal helpers available.
- Mock Exam simulates a full pass/fail run with the helpers held back until grading.
Know this
- Tech/General exams use 35 questions. Extra uses 50.
- Passing is about 74%: 26 correct for Tech/General, 37 for Extra.
- Highscores are tracked separately by mode so study runs and exam runs do not muddy each other.
- Study Grind: unlimited Search + Notes, no rolling accuracy or streak impact, and no pass/fail grading. It is study-only SP and review.
- Focus Mode: unlocks at Level 5 in Options. It biases random question selection toward your weakest or chosen categories, but does not change SP or scoring.
- Practice Run: 5 Searches, Notes on, immediate feedback.
- Mock Exam: Search/Notes off during the exam, then review tools open after grading.
2) 3-Lives Survival
Three misses and the curtain drops
- You start with 3 lives. Every wrong answer burns one. Lose all three and the run ends.
- There is no countdown timer here. The pressure comes from attrition, not speed, so careful reading pays.
- Correct answers build both Score and SP. Survival is a clean fundamentals mode for spotting whether knowledge is actually sticking.
- You clear the run by surviving the full set of questions. If you like your haul and do not want to push your luck, you can Cash Out early.
- Difficulty controls helper access and rewards: Easy keeps Search + Notes on. Hard keeps Notes only and adds Score x1.20 plus +10% SP mastery bonus. Extreme turns helpers off and adds Score x1.50 plus +25% SP.
- Cash Out is a completed Other ending, not a win or loss. It does not award difficulty bonuses.
- Use the end-of-run missed-question review to turn the questions that cost lives into your next study targets.
3) Backscatter Board
Game-show brain teaser
- The clue board shows an answer. Your job is to pick the matching question from the four choices.
- The run has two rounds. Values rise in Round 2, and difficulty changes the round timer only.
- If time expires in Round 2, the remaining board is forfeited and the game moves on. You do not get to graze forever.
- Daily Doubles: one can appear in Round 1 and up to two in Round 2. They are special clue squares that boost the stakes.
- Final Category: after Round 2 ends, you can wager up to your current score. Correct adds the wager, wrong subtracts it, and score cannot drop below 0.
- Clue questions are kept unique inside a run, including Daily Doubles and Final Category, so the board does not recycle the same material back at you.
- This mode is good for category recognition and precision reading because it flips the normal exam phrasing on its head. Search and Notes stay off here, including the recap, because clue-style prompts do not map cleanly to the normal study tools.
4) Signal Sweep
Tune the board and lock the pattern
- You work across a 5×5 category board. Pick a channel, answer one question, and lock that square if you are right.
- Before the run starts you choose the target pattern: Line, Cross/X, or Full Sweep.
- Each choice matters because misses can break the route you were building. This is less about raw speed and more about choosing the board path intelligently.
- Difficulty changes helper permissions and overall pressure, so higher tiers feel less forgiving.
- If the selected pattern becomes impossible with the squares left on the board, the run now ends cleanly instead of dragging on pointlessly.
- Signal Sweep is good for category confidence because it lets you steer into lanes you trust first, then widen the scan as the board develops.
5) Coax Circuit
Build the signal path
- Every move is paid for with a question. Answer correctly, then choose how to rotate the selected path piece.
- The goal is to connect the rig to the antenna before you run out of fuses.
- The board expands across the run, so later rounds get busier and less forgiving than the opening layout.
- Difficulty controls helper access and rewards: Easy keeps Search + Notes on. Hard keeps Notes only and adds Score x1.20 plus +10% SP. Extreme turns helpers off and adds Score x1.50 plus +25% SP. Circuit rules, fuses, and boards do not change.
- Some turns require more work than a simple nudge, so planning the route matters more than spinning at random and hoping the coax gods smile.
- Wrong answers blow fuses. Too many blown fuses ends the run before the station comes together.
- You can Cash Out if you want to stop with what you have already earned. That is an Other completed ending, not a win.
6) Choice Scramble
Decoy answers and careful reading
- This mode mixes in decoy answers borrowed from other questions, so familiar-looking wrong choices are part of the trap.
- You get 20 questions per run. The scoring pressure comes from clean reading and streaking, not from giant walls of rules.
- Difficulty controls helper access and rewards: Easy keeps Search + Notes on. Hard keeps Notes only and adds Score x1.20 plus +10% SP. Extreme turns helpers off and adds Score x1.50 plus +25% SP. Scramble rules do not change.
- Read all four options carefully. Tiny wording differences, units, limits, and one-word qualifiers are where the decoys usually crack.
- Choice Scramble is one of the best modes for learning not to lunge at the first answer that merely looks familiar.
- Review missed questions is the cleanup lane for bad spots after the run.
- The end page uses the same universal missed-question review style as the rest of the arcade, so cleanup study behaves consistently.
7) Shack Triage
Questions become diagnostic tests
- Each case starts with a radio problem and several plausible causes. Your job is to diagnose the real one instead of guessing by vibes.
- You pick a test, answer a question, and get a clue from the result. Better answers produce cleaner evidence.
- Different tests push the evidence toward different causes, so the trick is choosing the test that best matches the symptoms you already have.
- Some case modifiers nudge the likely explanation, but they are not automatic truth. Treat them as leads, not verdicts.
- Difficulty controls helper access and rewards: Easy keeps Search + Notes on. Hard keeps Notes only and adds Score x1.20 plus +10% SP. Extreme turns helpers off and adds Score x1.50 plus +25% SP. Cases and tests do not change.
- Work Day style modes chain multiple cases into one counted run, which makes this feel more like a troubleshooting shift than a single puzzle.
- This mode rewards methodical reasoning. The fastest-looking guess is often the one that walks into a rake.
8) Stormline Sprint
Beat the storm to the connection
- You are trying to finish the antenna/coax job in 20 successful steps before the storm reaches you.
- Correct answers complete work and buy breathing room. Wrong answers drag the storm closer.
- The pressure meter here is the storm distance, not a normal timer. It creates urgency without punishing you for simply reading the question.
- If the storm reaches you before the job is done, the run ends in the strike sequence. The game is cartoonishly rude about it, which is part of the charm.
- You can choose Come in from the storm to end the run early and keep the SP you already earned instead of gambling everything on one more push.
- That early exit is a completed Other ending, not a loss, so the stats should treat it honestly.
9) Ham Hunter
Explore, fight, loot, survive
- You move through a neighborhood map, opening new streets and rooms as you go, while looking for Signal Foes, stashes, and the final showdown with The Sad Ham.
- Combat is question-driven. Correct answers win exchanges. Wrong answers cost S-Units, so repeated misses can leave you limping.
- Loot matters. Helpful finds can restore your footing, improve survivability, or make later fights less ugly.
- Scanning, helper access, and some comfort features vary by difficulty, so the harder rulesets feel meaningfully different instead of merely faster.
- Highscores are split by ruleset because a relaxed exploratory run should not be wrestling the timed, stricter versions in the same scoreboard lane.
- This is the arcade’s adventure mode: part map crawl, part study gauntlet, part “why is that alley yelling at me?”
10) Steel Wake
Patrol the wake and pick your shots
- Contacts crossing the scope are tied to exam questions. Stronger knowledge means cleaner shots and safer patrols.
- Use the ping ring to identify contacts before you fire. Inside the ping range you can learn what you are aiming at. Outside the ring, long shots are riskier.
- Correct answers damage or sink targets. Mistakes waste shots and can trigger incoming fire from enemy subs.
- Tankers pay well. Enemy subs fight back. Fishing boats are trouble you absolutely do not want to sink.
- You can Return to Port early instead of pushing the patrol until disaster. That is a completed Other ending, not a win.
- Highscores are separated by patrol length and ruleset so short and long patrols do not wrestle in the same ring.
FAQ
Questions people will ask the machine
Does the arcade save online?
No. Progress, notes, high scores, and most stats save locally in this browser. Export your data if you want a backup.
Why does Search sometimes disappear?
Search can be unavailable for three reasons: (1) the browser does not have a usable web connection, (2) the current mode or difficulty tier disables Search during play, or (3) the screen is not a question page. Missed-question review may still allow study-mode Search even when in-run Search is off.
How does Search work in missed-question review?
Missed-question review is study mode. Search is unlimited overall, but you can use it only once per missed question. The Search button will show whether Search is currently available.
What does Focus Mode do?
Focus Mode biases random question selection toward your weakest or chosen categories in the current pool. It does not create a new mode, change SP, or change scoring. Weakest 3 leans toward your three weakest categories. Choose… lets you pick your own categories. Light, Strong, and Full control how hard the randomizer leans.
Why do some games compare Score and not SP?
SP measures study progress. Score measures run performance. Highscores and most end-page bragging use Score so the learning currency stays separate from game scoring.
What do Coverage, Overall Acc, and O / Other mean?
Coverage is how much of the pool you have seen, including study-mode exposure. Overall Acc uses non-study answer history so study-only drills do not fake a cleaner batting average. O / Other means completed endings that are neither wins nor losses, like cash-outs, Return to Port, or study-mode completions.
Can I compare scores across different games?
Not cleanly. Different games award Score in different ways. Compare runs within the same game and the same scoreboard lane first. Cross-game comparisons are fun but fuzzy.
What should I report if Help seems wrong?
Please report broken links, stale terminology, missing sections, unreadable layout, or any mismatch between Help text and actual game behavior through the public Feedback page.
About & feedback
Ham Exam Arcade™
Ham Exam Arcade™
© 2025–2026 Jose Ramos / KD4RVB. All rights reserved.
Original arcade design, software package, interface text, artwork arrangement, Help materials, and website content are protected as original project materials.
Amateur radio question pool material is credited to NCVEC and is not claimed as original Ham Exam Arcade content.
Ham Exam Arcade is free to use. Feedback, bug reports, and suggestions are welcome through the public website.
Open the dedicated About & Feedback page or send feedback.
