Name: 
 

VDV Practice Test

This Practice Test will help you prepare to take the California VDV Certification Exam. These practice tests are randomly generated from several hundred questions covering various areas of the VDV scope of work. Be sure to also read the informational documents available on this website.



Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
 

 1. 

When installing a equipment rack, what is the minimum distance it can be installed from an Electrical panel?
a.
12”
c.
24”
b.
18”
d.
36”
 

 2. 

What is the 3dB rule?
a.
If the distance to the speakers is cut by half, the volume is increased by 3dB.
c.
If you add a speaker you must increase the volume 3dB
b.
If you double the wattage on the load you increase the volume by only 3dB.
d.
Increasing 3dB triples the power
 

 3. 

What is the “one arm rule”?
a.
you need to always have one hand on a ladder
c.
one arm should always the minimum distance when working next to high voltage
b.
The tension when pulling cat 5 cable should not exceed that when pulling with one arm
d.
when carrying a ladder one arm should always be free to hold open doors
 

 4. 

Today’s LAN structure uses what topology as the most common use for cable installation
a.
Bus
c.
Daisy chain
b.
Ring
d.
Star
 

 5. 

What does the acronym AFF stand for?
a.
The measurement from the foundation to the bottom of the box 
c.
The measurement from the center of the box to the finished floor
b.
The measurement from the bottom of the box to the finished floor
d.
none of these
 

 6. 

What is the typical AWG size for a CAT 5 cable?
a.
26-24 AWG
c.
20-18 AWG
b.
24-22 AWG
d.
18-16 AWG
 

 7. 

If you suspect hazardous dust is in the area you are working you should __________.
a.
get a mask then continue to work
c.
leave the area right away and report to you supervisor
b.
spray the area with water then continue to work
d.
try and stay as low as possible
 

 8. 

What cable is an ST connector used on?
a.
Fiber
c.
18-2
b.
Coax
d.
4pr communication
 

 9. 

Adjusting a room acoustically, you would use ______ noise.
a.
Pink
c.
Music
b.
White
d.
intermittent
 

 10. 

An Insulation Displacement Connector is for?
a.
Coax
c.
UTP
b.
Fiber
d.
Protection
 

 11. 

What term is used to describe a locking device that locks during a power or equipment failure?
a.
Delayed egress
c.
Fail secure
b.
False Alarm
d.
Fail safe
 

 12. 

The industry standard for XLR-type connector pin out is:
a.
Pin 1, pos;  Pin 2, neg; Pin 3, Gnd
b.
Pin 1, Gnd;  Pin 2, pos;  Pin 3, neg
c.
Pin 1, neg;  Pin 2, pos;  Pin 3, neg
d.
Pin 1, Gnd;  Pin 2, pos;  Pin 3, N/C
 

 13. 

A ladder top should extend at least ________ inches above the roof edge of a building when used as access to the roof of a building.
a.
6 inches
c.
24 inches
b.
12 inches
d.
36 inches
 

 14. 

In a typical wiring, the blue-white pair is used for:
a.
Control functions
c.
Bridging
b.
Tip & Ring
d.
None of these
 

 15. 

Where do you use bridging clips?
a.
An RJ-31X
c.
Telephone switching system
b.
A 66 block
d.
Across Tip & Ring line
 

 16. 

The type of cable that is generally used to connect a camera to a monitor in a CCTV system is:
a.
24 GA twisted pair, with an overall shield
c.
RG-59 coaxial cable
b.
RG-59 or RG-6
d.
Category 5  10 Base T
 

 17. 

A series circuit always has ______ current path(s).
a.
one
c.
three
b.
two
d.
four
 

 18. 

In a 70 volt speaker system, the audio is distributed at a higher voltage and the stepped down at each speaker using a __________.
a.
amplifier
c.
power supply
b.
transformer
d.
receptacle
 

 19. 

What type of fiber cable is used by the telephone industry for long distance communications, where the bandwidth is essentially infinite?
a.
multimode
c.
U.T.P
b.
singlemode
d.
F.J.M
 

 20. 

Which zone, on a burglar alarm would an exterior door contact be wired?
a.
Interior
c.
Perimeter
b.
24-hour holdup
d.
Local access
 

 21. 

If an ohmmeter test shows that a diode has an extremely high resistance in each direction, the diode:
a.
is probably good
c.
is defective
b.
is probably shorted
d.
may still be usable in most applications
 

 22. 

Optical fiber cable is covered under which of the following Articles of the NEC?
a.
Article 770
c.
Article 810
b.
Article 800
d.
None of these
 

 23. 

How many conductors are needed to “a balanced” microphone connection (not including the shield):
a.
1
c.
3
b.
2
d.
4
 

 24. 

The primary or tip colors are:
a.
Blue, orange, green, brown, slate
c.
Red, white, blue, yellow, green
b.
White, red, black, yellow, violet
d.
Green, yellow, red
 

 25. 

The main cause of job-related eye injuries is:
a.
Electrical hazards
c.
Dust or powders
b.
Lasers
d.
Flying objects or particles
 

 26. 

A time-lapse VCR that records in real time during an alarm condition needs a(n):
a.
Extra long-play videotape
c.
Alarm Contact Closure
b.
Built in monitor
d.
Time/Date Generator
 

 27. 

When measuring resistance in circuit for a professional sound system, one would use a(n)___________.
a.
ammeter
c.
impedance bridge
b.
spectrum analyzer
d.
None of these
 

 28. 

What can be an ignition source for liquids that are flammable?
a.
Cutting torch
c.
Sparking hand tools
b.
Burning cigarette
d.
All of these
 

 29. 

In a security system, the EOL resistor for a zone should be mounted:
a.
In a PIR or door contact
c.
At the first device across the loop wires
b.
Across the power circuit at the end of the loop
d.
At the last device across the loop wires, but after the initiation switch
 

 30. 

In an audio system, an equalizer is normally installed:
a.
Before the power amplifier
c.
After the power amplifier
b.
Before the mixer
 

 31. 

In a high frequency driver, the diaphragm is:
a.
coned
c.
formed
b.
domed
d.
Styrofoam
 

 32. 

What does the format size determine in a camera?
a.
focal length, focus range and lens length
c.
lens length, focus range and weight
b.
focal length, lens size and resolution
d.
resolved length, focus size and camera length
 

 33. 

What things need to be considered when installing pan/tilt units?
a.
Is there enough horizontal clearance for the total movement required?
c.
Will this unit be subject to wind-loading
b.
Is there enough vertical clearance for the total movement required?
d.
all the above
 

 34. 

When using 24-volts AC to power CCTV equipment, you would use a __________ transformer.
a.
class 1
c.
rectifying
b.
class 2
d.
step-up
 

 35. 

What does the “.1” stand for in Dolby 5.1 system?
a.
center channel
c.
mono rear channel
b.
limited bandwidth channel
d.
version 1
 

 36. 

Which of the following is a common use for a distributed sound system?
a.
background music
c.
room stereo systems
b.
intercoms
d.
all the above
 

 37. 

A series of _____ is the simplest form of output from an automation system.
a.
contractors
c.
macros
b.
integrated circuits
d.
relay contacts
 

 38. 

The purpose of a block diagram is to present the _______ of the equipment in a simple, readily accessible form.
a.
current flow
c.
measurement process
b.
logical structure
d.
wiring diagram
 

 39. 

What must be done to a sound masking system so that all frequencies fall within the preferred sound masking curve?
a.
All noise must be removed from the environment.
c.
The input signal must be balanced.
b.
It must be tuned.
d.
The output voltage must be adjusted.
 

 40. 

“The portion of the wiring system between the load side of the overcurrent device or power-limited supply and the connected equipment”, is the definition of a _______.
a.
Class 1 circuit
c.
Class 3 circuit
b.
Class 2 circuit
d.
Circuit Integrity cable
 

 41. 

The single most important thing you can do to increase your level of safety is to be ____________.
a.
aware
c.
isolated
b.
insulated
d.
quick
 

 42. 

Current in a DC circuit will always flow in  _____________ direction.
a.
a negative
c.
alternating
b.
a positive
d.
one
 

 43. 

Decreasing the resistance of a circuit will cause the _____________.
a.
current to decrease
c.
voltage to decrease
b.
current to increase
d.
voltage to increase
 

 44. 

It is clear to most people who have worked in the construction trades that a dirty jobsite is ______________.
a.
a dangerous jobsite
c.
the accepted standard in our industry
b.
a productive jobsite
d.
the customer’s problem and responsibility
 

 45. 

Multiple telecommunications rooms on the same floor shall be interconnected by a minimum of one ___________ inch conduit or equivalent pathway.
a.
1 1/2
c.
2 1/2
b.
2
d.
3
 

 46. 

Convert the following value- 212 mA = _______ amps
a.
0.000212
c.
0.212
b.
0.0212
d.
212
 

 47. 

Chapter 8 of the NEC covers ___________ systems and is not subject to the requirements of the other chapters except where they are specifically referenced therein.
a.
communications
c.
grounding
b.
computer
d.
definitions
 

 48. 

If you decrease the voltage in a series circuit, the current will ___________.
a.
decrease
c.
increase
b.
double
d.
remain the same
 

 49. 

What type of failures may show up on a test instrument, if during installation the proper twist at the connection points were not maintained?
a.
NEXT and PSNEXT
c.
Return Loss
b.
PSELFEXT
d.
All of these
 

 50. 

When batteries are connected in parallel, their voltages remain the same and their amp-hour capacities ________.
a.
are added
c.
are subtracted
b.
are averaged
d.
remain the same
 



 
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