Failed my electronics PE exam need help

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rppearso

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Hello All,

I am new here.  I am a practicing process engineer with a chemical PE stamp.  I have taken a significant number of EE classes at the local university since 2009 and the board approved me to sit for the EE PE exam (I also do process controls work as part of my job).  However, there were some obvious issues in my knowledge (I have attached my diagnostics).  Can anyone help with additional practice test problems, resources, etc.  The exam that I was presented was VERY different from the practice exam, there were a few similar questions but most of the questions were out of left field.  I am looking at re-testing next fall.

Thank you

IMG_3956.PNG

 
I suggest trying an online course like the School of PE. This way you're introduced to all the topics in a structured, easy to follow format.

 
Do they give you all of the references you will need to pass?  I noticed I was missing a significant amount of study material with Camara. 

 
Taking a look at the list of topics posted by the NCEES, in my opinion the Camara books lacks in the following topics: signal processing, digital components, antennas, oscillators and phase locked loop, control systems (very basic stuff in Camara), and communications.

 
alien said:
Taking a look at the list of topics posted by the NCEES, in my opinion the Camara books lacks in the following topics: signal processing, digital components, antennas, oscillators and phase locked loop, control systems (very basic stuff in Camara), and communications.
Click to expand...
What do you recommend to fill the gaps?  I also noticed its lacking in zener diodes and circuit analysis with diodes and transistors.  Also the NCEES practice exam and the camara practice problems were only about 50% similar to the actaul exam.  I am desperatly looking for new material, I have most of the questions from the exam fried into my head and I am trying to go through schaums outlines looking for the problems or like problems and coming up short.

The NCEES practice exam had wierd stuff like pi-pad questions which my mentor had never even heard of and these were not on the exam at all, but instead obscure computer questions about data storage.  The E&M question asked to calculate the B field from the E field but then did not give enough info, I am trying to find that question in schaums electromagnetics now.

I got slammed on measurement as well.  My EE classes were extremely math heavy, our antenna classes were solving the wave equation and then modeling antenna arrays using matlab and then doing finite element at the end for edge difraction but we did not really do the whole one antenna on a mt vs another on another mountian, there were equations in the Camara quick reference manual but the problems in the exam were just different enough that I could not solve them with the equations in the quick reference

 
akmetal said:
What do you recommend to fill the gaps?  I also noticed its lacking in zener diodes and circuit analysis with diodes and transistors.  Also the NCEES practice exam and the camara practice problems were only about 50% similar to the actaul exam.  I am desperatly looking for new material, I have most of the questions from the exam fried into my head and I am trying to go through schaums outlines looking for the problems or like problems and coming up short.

The NCEES practice exam had wierd stuff like pi-pad questions which my mentor had never even heard of and these were not on the exam at all, but instead obscure computer questions about data storage.  The E&M question asked to calculate the B field from the E field but then did not give enough info, I am trying to find that question in schaums electromagnetics now.

I got slammed on measurement as well.  My EE classes were extremely math heavy, our antenna classes were solving the wave equation and then modeling antenna arrays using matlab and then doing finite element at the end for edge difraction but we did not really do the whole one antenna on a mt vs another on another mountian, there were equations in the Camara quick reference manual but the problems in the exam were just different enough that I could not solve them with the equations in the quick reference
Click to expand...
I found Youtube videos to be quite helpful, especially for most of the topics listed above. For the antenna and oscillator problems, I asked my boss for help since he's a RF guy with over 30 years experience.

 
The problem is that you don't really know how much to study and how much in depth you have to go for each topic. You just try to study anything about everything, understand it well, and hope you don't come across too many questions you don't know how to answer.

 
alien said:
The problem is that you don't really know how much to study and how much in depth you have to go for each topic. You just try to study anything about everything, understand it well, and hope you don't come across too many questions you don't know how to answer.
Click to expand...
Hello Alien,

Do you by any chance have the school of PE files(PDF) / videos (MP4)?  I would love to register, however I have just been laid off and my entire industry that I was once in is experiencing mass lay offs and forced retirements.  I am attempting to make the jump from chemical engineering (which I have my PE in) to electrical which I do not have my PE as of yet.  Because I am unemployed dropping a grand on the school of PE (which I would not be reimbursed for) would be a big deal.  I planned for this eventuallity so the lay off has not hurt thus far but it will if I cant find a job in about a year.

 
akmetal said:
Hello Alien,

Do you by any chance have the school of PE files(PDF) / videos (MP4)?  I would love to register, however I have just been laid off and my entire industry that I was once in is experiencing mass lay offs and forced retirements.  I am attempting to make the jump from chemical engineering (which I have my PE in) to electrical which I do not have my PE as of yet.  Because I am unemployed dropping a grand on the school of PE (which I would not be reimbursed for) would be a big deal.  I planned for this eventuallity so the lay off has not hurt thus far but it will if I cant find a job in about a year.
Click to expand...
I didn't use School of PE. My main sources were the PPI book, the NCEES practice exam, notes taken from YouTube videos, and my boss. If you tell me what topics you feel you need help in, let me know and I'll help you out as much as I can.

 
alien said:
Taking a look at the list of topics posted by the NCEES, in my opinion the Camara books lacks in the following topics: signal processing, digital components, antennas, oscillators and phase locked loop, control systems (very basic stuff in Camara), and communications.
Click to expand...
I also had the same problem when I failed the PE Exam in April (passed the second time around recently). And I do agree, the Camara books do lack in the Communications area. I used a lot of Schaum Outlines to provide extra help in outstanding concepts and provide good practice problems (List of books shown here http://electronicspeprep.com/test-prep/ ).

And Alien is correct, YouTube is a great area to research and learn specific areas. Sadly, I noticed the internet lacks the exact information required to understand the Communication discipline (and it problems). There are several sources which describes Antenna theory, however I couldn't find any good Antenna Practice problems suited for the P.E Exam.  You may need to purchase Communication specific books and try to self teach yourself.

Watch videos, Take notes, Understand the theories.

Good Luck my friend.

 
alien said:
I didn't use School of PE. My main sources were the PPI book, the NCEES practice exam, notes taken from YouTube videos, and my boss. If you tell me what topics you feel you need help in, let me know and I'll help you out as much as I can.
Click to expand...
I was recently laid off end of January (and all the scuttle butt that comes with the months leading up to lay offs, scopes and contracts being cut, hours reduced, etc) and I have been just focusing on looking for work using my chemical engineering back ground and PE.  This EE stuff is still hobby level, as it seems, from an employer stand point.  I posted the report that NCEES gave me in my first post, so I am going to need some help in multiple subjects.

I am just hoping that someone has the school of PE or test masters materials to include the full sets of MP4 files for all the videos they are willing to sell second hand as I can not afford to drop 1200-1400 on test prep right now for a career field that I feel employer kind of look at me like its a hobby (since I dont have the full EE degree or the MSECE or the PE yet).  After the lay off all these things went on hold but now I have a lot of time so if I can scrounge up the materials I can start doing deep study so at least I am being productive until I land a new professional job.

 
Mcgurr said:
I also had the same problem when I failed the PE Exam in April (passed the second time around recently). And I do agree, the Camara books do lack in the Communications area. I used a lot of Schaum Outlines to provide extra help in outstanding concepts and provide good practice problems (List of books shown here http://electronicspeprep.com/test-prep/ ).

And Alien is correct, YouTube is a great area to research and learn specific areas. Sadly, I noticed the internet lacks the exact information required to understand the Communication discipline (and it problems). There are several sources which describes Antenna theory, however I couldn't find any good Antenna Practice problems suited for the P.E Exam.  You may need to purchase Communication specific books and try to self teach yourself.

Watch videos, Take notes, Understand the theories.

Good Luck my friend.
Click to expand...
My Antenna Theory class was PDE based and we modeled the antenna patterns in matlab, when I took the PE there was very clearly short cut ways to figure this stuff out without solving the E&M wave equation.  You dont know what you dont know so youtube is kind of tough and its doubtful youtube will have a full complement of PE test questions that I might actually see on the exam.

As an aside, is anyone here working on their MSECE?  How are you handling the massive tuition bills for any credible institution?  Every school I have found that has a reputable MSECE program is charging over $1000 a class, how is that suppose to work?

 
So the better question I think is this: what is the authoritative text book on the following subjects

Circuit analysis - I have nielson and ridel

Measurement - none

safety - Guessing NEC

signal processing - openhiem

digital logic - tocci and lathi

digital components - tocci and lathi

electromagnetic fields - balanis, grifith and cheng (cheng was the official class book)

transmission lines - balanis, grifith and cheng (cheng was the official class book)

antennas - balanis

circuit theory - nielson and ridel

electric components -sedra/smith

automatic control / control systems - seborg (process dynamics and controls, chemical engineering text)

communications (modulation, noise, telecom) - none, I got hammered on this section

However, these texts are math heavy and the solution methods used in some of these classes are in no way a "6 min solution".

 
akmetal said:
I was recently laid off end of January (and all the scuttle butt that comes with the months leading up to lay offs, scopes and contracts being cut, hours reduced, etc) and I have been just focusing on looking for work using my chemical engineering back ground and PE.  This EE stuff is still hobby level, as it seems, from an employer stand point.  I posted the report that NCEES gave me in my first post, so I am going to need some help in multiple subjects.

I am just hoping that someone has the school of PE or test masters materials to include the full sets of MP4 files for all the videos they are willing to sell second hand as I can not afford to drop 1200-1400 on test prep right now for a career field that I feel employer kind of look at me like its a hobby (since I dont have the full EE degree or the MSECE or the PE yet).  After the lay off all these things went on hold but now I have a lot of time so if I can scrounge up the materials I can start doing deep study so at least I am being productive until I land a new professional job.
Click to expand...
So did you take the NCEES practice exam yet? How'd you do?

So my boss helped me out with the antennas subject and taught me shortcuts. Let me see if I can put together something for you. In the meantime, I recommend checking out the Antenna Fundamentals chapter in Electromagnetic Waves and Radiating Systems by Jordan/Balmain.

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Yes, I took the NCEES practice exam and brought all the practice questions with my on the exam i failed.  Since I cant afford the school of PE and I cant find anyone that has all the mp4 video files and print materials that wants to sell them or share them I will have to scour youtube and see if I can put together a ciriculum for myself.

 
Mcgurr said:
I also had the same problem when I failed the PE Exam in April (passed the second time around recently). And I do agree, the Camara books do lack in the Communications area. I used a lot of Schaum Outlines to provide extra help in outstanding concepts and provide good practice problems (List of books shown here http://electronicspeprep.com/test-prep/ ).

And Alien is correct, YouTube is a great area to research and learn specific areas. Sadly, I noticed the internet lacks the exact information required to understand the Communication discipline (and it problems). There are several sources which describes Antenna theory, however I couldn't find any good Antenna Practice problems suited for the P.E Exam.  You may need to purchase Communication specific books and try to self teach yourself.

Watch videos, Take notes, Understand the theories.

Good Luck my friend.
Click to expand...
Would you be willing to share the Youtube videos you used that you really liked?

 
Asmetal,

Sadly, I don't remember all the videos I researched. I do remember watching videos from Rolinychpetin's Channel and Raiya Energy Academy's Channel. I know Raiya Academy is focused on the FE/EIT side, however it helped me relearn bode plots. Rolinycheptin's Videos are great for grasping the fundamentals (FETs, BJTs, etc); I would recommend him.

ElectronicsPePrep's Channel has a fair amount of videos overall, it appears it still lacking in the Electromagnetics area (Antennas), but its a good starting point. If you are still looking for a Communication book, I recommend Modern Electronic Communication (9780131130371). I think amazon has it for $7 (worth it).

Hope this helps. Let me know if there is anything more I can do.

 

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