Screen Shots / Guided Tour
Here are a collection of screenshots, sorted by function.
Basic Test Taking
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This is the main screen. From here, you can download question pools, install question pool updates, start or continue practice tests, or check your test history. Tap an installed pool to start or continue a test. Long-tap it to get a menu that lets you get test history stats, or move or delete the pool. From the long-tap menu, you can also browse the question pool or look at all the related figures. |
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This is the test taking form. If you want PalmVE to prompt you when you miss a question, you can configure that in the settings screen. By default, it won't give you immediate feedback on your answers. |
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This question has an associated figure, so there's a big 'View Figure' button. |
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The figure viewer. Hit 'back' to return to your test. |
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When you've finished the test, you'll get a summary as to whether you passed or failed. Questions you missed will be listed on top, and you can tap them to review them. |
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Test Statistics
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PalmVE can display your past testing data to you in two views. The first is the test statistics view. Use this view to look for or analyze trends in your test history. The default parameters will show you the question groups that you've missed the most questions in over the past week. Since question groups are organized around content, this can give you hints as to what areas you need to study (for example, Electrical Principals, or Operating Standards). It also shows some overall stats. You can change the timeframe and the displayed sorting statistic on this form. You can clear your history or go to the test history view in the options menu. |
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The test history view simply shows you all the tests you've taken on this question pool, and whether you passed or not. You can select a test to view the same test summary screen you saw the first time you took it (so that you can review questions, or what not). |
Search
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Full text search is provided by the application. So, if you want to find all the questions (in the pools you've downloaded) that contain the word mosfet, why, you can. Search uses SQLite FTS-3 virtual tables, so you can provide any sort of query that SQLite supports. |
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From the search results form, or from the quick results list, you can select a question to view it in the answer browser. |
Pool Browser
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The program contains a rudimentary pool browser, so that you can just look at all the questions, if you want. This is accessible from the long-press menu. This page is showing you all the sub-elements in the question pool. |
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Here you can see the question groups contained in a sub-element. |
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Here we're looking at a list of questions inside a particular question group. |
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Here we can see the answers and question text for a particular question. By default, the answer will be masked. You can change that in settings. Periodically, the body that manages the question pools withdraws certain questions. PalmVE won't show you the withdrawn questions by default, but it does know about them. If you want to see them, you can toggle that behavior in the settings menu, too. |
Download
You can find the app on Google Play.
You can find the source code in the dev area. If you want to download the raw question pool data, you can find it there, as well.
Changes
- Wed 03 Nov 2021 02:29:30
- I rewrote most of the android program to use more modern android API concepts like Room DBs and ViewModel and so forth.
- Some features were discontinued, like VE session search. Sadly, the ARRL website that supported this was http only, which is not availble on modern Android devices. Also, I found that some people got confused about why the app wanted Location permission.
- I threw away all the old C/C++ that did the pool conversion and rewrote it in python. There was a lot of legacy there because this code started for PalmPilot.
- Note that you now need a somewhat recent android phone to run the program, Lollipop (Android 5.0), released in 2015.
- Mon Feb 7 17:25:57 EST 2011
- Fix a problem with CDT times in VE session search results, and show the detected timezone in the activities.
- Sun Feb 6 22:12:24 EST 2011
- VE session details broke because of a formatting change the ARRL folks made on their website. Fixed it.
- Released the 2011 general pool.
- Mon Dec 6 15:39:49 EST 2010
- Added a feature to search for VE sessions. Feature uses device coarse (network based) location to try to figure out your zipcode. Then it uses the arrl.org provided VE session database to locate nearby sessions and display them to you.
- Fri Sep 24 18:27:52 EDT 2010
- Initial release of the android version. The original palmpilot version is discontinued and will no longer be maintained.
FAQ
What version of Android do I need ?
Lollipop (5.0) and above should work. It also works OK on chromebooks.
How much does it cost ?
It's free.
Can I test on all the question pools (extra, general, technician)?
Yes. The first time you run the program, it will download the list of available pools and provide you the option to download one or all of them.
As updated pools are released, the program will automatically notice them and allow you to update them.
I found a problem / wrong question / want a feature / something else
Well, let me know, please. :)
If I leave the program in the middle of a test, will it be there when I get back ?
Yes, in progress tests are saved and so is your test history. 'Long-click' on a question pool to get at your test history. Tap them to continue an in-progress test.
Your thing said I passed the test but I missed too many questions !
PalmVE goes by the percentage, and it is calculated with integer precision. Because of that, it can be off. Also, since I go by percentage and not by a hard number of questions right vs. wrong, the application may differ with the VEC by a question or so.
If you're this close to the line, keep studying !
I don't like it that PalmVE doesn't correct me right away when I answer a question
You can change that in the settings screen.
Gimme the source
All the source is available! Head here.
Why is it called PalmVE?
This program was first built for PalmPilot a very long time ago. It has since been ported to Android, but I've kept the name.
Contact
I'm Michael Ballbach, N0ZTQ. I'm an extra class amateur radio operator and an accredited ARRL VE. You can email me if you'd like, with questions, comments, error reports, whatever.