ARRL Technician Practice Exam

Which of the following is an example of a digital communications method?

1. Traditional voice communication

2. SSB (Single Side Band)

3. All of these choices are correct

4. Morse code

The correct answer is: All of these choices are correct

The answer indicates that all the methods listed are indeed forms of communication, but not all qualify as digital communications. To better understand this, consider that digital communications involve the transmission of information in a format that is represented by discrete values, typically including forms like data packets or modulation schemes used in digital modes. Traditional voice communication, such as AM (Amplitude Modulation) or FM (Frequency Modulation), primarily transmits audio signals in an analog format, which does not fall under digital communication methods. SSB (Single Side Band) is a type of amplitude modulation used for voice communication that, while more efficient than standard AM, is still an analog form of modulation and does not meet the criteria for digital. Morse code, although it can be transmitted over various types of communication modes (including digital formats), is fundamentally an analog system of communication relying on sequences of tones or signals that represent letters and numbers. It is not a digital communication method. None of these methods are classified as digital in the strict sense of the term, which would include techniques like PSK31, packet radio, or Wi-Fi. Thus, the correct answer affirming that all the choices listed are methods of communication, but only some may fit more specifically in the realm of digital communication