Ham Radio Extra Class Practice Test

Intermodulation interference occurs when signals from multiple transmitters mix together in non-linear devices, such as amplifiers or mixers. In these devices, the presence of two or more strong signals can create unwanted spurious signals at frequencies that are not originally transmitted. This mixing results in intermodulation products, which can corrupt the desired signals and produce interference.

Non-linear behavior is key to generating intermodulation interference, as linear devices allow signals to pass through without interaction, whereas non-linear devices cause the mixing of signals. Therefore, when multiple transmitters operate simultaneously, particularly in proximity to each other, it increases the potential for this type of interference.

Other factors, such as battery strength or the use of a single transmitter, would not lead to intermodulation interference, as they do not involve the combination of multiple signals in a non-linear manner. Incorrect frequency usage is also unrelated to intermodulation interference, as it deals more with channel assignment rather than the mixing of signals.