- The AMD exam is 50 multiple-choice questions plus one 20-point essay, 51 items total, in 3 hours.
- You need an 84% combined score across multiple-choice and essay to pass; results are pass/fail only.
- Multiple-choice is open book with internet access allowed; the essay portion is closed book.
- Application fees are $78 for SBE members and $183 for nonmembers.
Quick Facts Snapshot
This is the one-page reference you bookmark the night before your Certified AM Directional Specialist (AMD) exam. It strips away the fluff and lists exactly what the Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE) expects, how the test is scored, and what it costs at every stage. If you want the full walkthrough behind any of these numbers, the AMD Study Guide 2026 and AMD Exam Domains 2026 guide go deeper than this cheat sheet can.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Certifying body | SBE National Certification Committee, approved proctors |
| Question count | 50 multiple-choice + 1 essay (51 total) |
| Time limit | 3 hours |
| Passing score | 84% combined multiple-choice and essay |
| Essay weight | 20 points |
| Application fee | $78 member / $183 nonmember |
| Retake fee | $46 (next scheduled testing period only) |
| Recertification cycle | 5 years, tied to host credential |
Eligibility and Application Basics
AMD is not an entry-level exam. Before you can even sit for it, you must currently hold one of these qualifying SBE certifications:
- Broadcast Engineer
- Senior Broadcast Engineer
- Professional Broadcast Engineer
- Broadcast Networking Engineer
That prerequisite shapes everything else about how you should prepare - you're layering specialized AM directional knowledge on top of a foundation you already proved you have. If you're unsure whether your current credential qualifies, the AMD Requirements 2026 breakdown walks through eligibility in detail before you pay the application fee.
Exam Format at a Glance
The exam has two distinct halves that behave very differently under test conditions:
- Multiple-choice section (50 questions): open book. You may use the internet, personal notes, standard reference texts, tables, and calculators. You are responsible for arranging your own internet access at the testing location - this is not provided by SBE or the proctor.
- Essay section (1 question, 20 points): closed book. No notes, no references, no internet.
All 51 items share a single 3-hour clock, so pacing between the open-book and closed-book portions matters as much as content mastery. For a realistic sense of how tough this combination actually feels under pressure, see How Hard Is the AMD Exam? Complete Difficulty Guide 2026.
Key Takeaway
Because the multiple-choice portion is open book, spend your study time building fluency with your reference materials - knowing where to find an FCC rule fast matters more than memorizing its exact wording.
The Three Domains, Condensed
SBE's official CertPreview description organizes AMD competency into three domains. Here is the condensed version of each - for the full breakdown of subtopics and sample question logic, use the complete domains guide.
Domain 1: FCC Rules Concerning Directional Operation
Covers the regulatory framework governing directional AM stations - the rules you're expected to apply, not just recite, when evaluating a station's compliance status.
- FCC requirements specific to directional antenna operation
- Understanding when and how compliance documentation matters
Domain 2: Test Equipment and Safety Procedures
Covers the instrumentation used to verify a directional array's performance and the safety practices surrounding high-power RF and tower work.
- Measurement techniques and tools
- Safety procedures around energized towers and phasing equipment
Domain 3: Operation, Maintenance and Repair of the Directional Antenna System
The broadest domain - day-to-day realities of keeping a directional array in spec.
- AM radiators and antenna-system components
- Phase addition and cancellation concepts
- Adjustments and troubleshooting during drift or fault conditions
Across all three domains, the technical scope repeatedly touches AM radiators, phase addition and cancellation, antenna-system components, measurements, adjustments, FCC requirements, and safety. If any of those terms feel unfamiliar right now, that's your study priority list, not a footnote.
Fee Reference Sheet
Budgeting for AMD involves more line items than just the application fee. Here's the complete picture, also detailed in the AMD Certification Cost 2026 pricing breakdown:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Application fee (member) | $78 |
| Application fee (nonmember) | $183 |
| Retake (next testing period) | $46 |
| Specialist renewal add-on | $36, alongside host renewal |
| Optional CertPreview | $45 per exam level |
| Intro to AM Antenna Systems course | $90 member / $135 nonmember |
| Intro to Matching Networks and Phasing course | $90 member / $135 nonmember |
Scoring and Retake Math
The passing threshold is 84%, calculated as a combined score across the multiple-choice section and the 20-point essay. Results come back strictly as pass or fail - there's no scaled score report to parse afterward. That single number is your entire target; there's nothing else to interpret. For the mechanics of how the combined score is likely weighted and what that means for your study allocation, see AMD Passing Score 2026: Exactly What You Need to Pass.
If you don't pass, you get one additional attempt at the next scheduled testing period for $46. Beyond that, a fresh application is required. That structure rewards disciplined first-attempt preparation over a "test and see" mentality - plan your review schedule with the AMD Study Guide 2026 before you book a date, not after a failed attempt.
Official Prep Resources
SBE offers a small set of official preparation tools, and knowing what each one actually covers saves you from over-buying:
- SBE CertPreview ($45 per exam level): a preview of exam structure and content areas tied to the official CertPreview description used to build this cheat sheet's domain list.
- Introduction to AM Antenna Systems ($90 member / $135 nonmember): a course built around the physical and electrical fundamentals of AM radiating systems.
- Introduction to Matching Networks and Phasing ($90 member / $135 nonmember): targets the phase addition and cancellation concepts that show up heavily across Domain 3.
SBE reviews its question bank at least three times per year, so treat any unofficial "brain dump" material you find online with skepticism - content can shift between testing windows. Practicing with realistic, regularly updated multiple-choice questions on amquiz.com's practice platform is a safer way to build exam-day confidence than relying on outdated forum posts.
Domain 1 and Domain 2 foundations
- Review FCC rules for directional operation using your actual reference library
- Study test equipment functions and safety procedures around energized arrays
Domain 3 depth
- Work through phase addition and cancellation problems repeatedly
- Study antenna-system components and common adjustment scenarios
Timed practice and essay drills
- Run full-length practice sets on amquiz.com under a 3-hour clock
- Practice writing closed-book essay responses without references
Renewal Cycle Cheat Sheet
AMD follows a five-year certification cycle, and specialist renewal rides along with renewal of your host credential - there is no separate specialist credit requirement to track. You simply pay an additional $36 specialist fee when you renew the host certification.
For the host credential itself, renewal by professional credits requires:
- 20 credits at the Broadcast Engineer / Broadcast Networking Engineer level
- 25 credits at the Senior level
- 30 credits at the Professional level
Credits must be drawn from at least four activity categories. Applicable host credentials may also renew by examination instead of credits, giving you flexibility depending on how your five-year cycle lines up with continuing education opportunities.
Key Takeaway
Because specialist renewal has no independent credit requirement, the real renewal work is keeping your host SBE certification current - plan credit-gathering around that cycle, not the AMD add-on.
Final Week Checklist
In the days before your scheduled exam:
- Confirm your qualifying host certification (Broadcast Engineer, Senior Broadcast Engineer, Professional Broadcast Engineer, or Broadcast Networking Engineer) is still active.
- Arrange your own internet access for the open-book multiple-choice section - this is your responsibility, not the proctor's.
- Organize physical reference texts, tables, and a calculator for the open-book portion.
- Do at least one closed-book essay practice run with no notes and no internet, timed separately from the multiple-choice section.
- Review Domain 1's FCC directional-operation rules and Domain 2's safety procedures one final time - these tend to reward precise recall even in an open-book format.
If you're still weighing whether the time and fees are worth it relative to your career goals, Is the AMD Certification Worth It? Complete ROI Analysis 2026 and AMD Jobs cover the employer-side value of holding this specialist credential. Broadcast engineering employers who staff directional AM facilities tend to recognize the AMD designation as a marker of verified, hands-on competency beyond the general engineer credential.
Frequently Asked Questions
Partially. The 50-question multiple-choice section is open book and allows internet access, notes, reference texts, tables, and calculators. The essay section is closed book.
You need an 84% combined score across the multiple-choice and essay sections. Results are reported as pass or fail only, with no numeric score breakdown given back to candidates.
No. You must currently hold a qualifying SBE Broadcast Engineer, Senior Broadcast Engineer, Professional Broadcast Engineer, or Broadcast Networking Engineer certification before applying for AMD.
You get one additional attempt at the next scheduled testing period for a $46 retake fee. If you don't pass that attempt, you'll need to submit a new certification application.
Every five years, aligned with your host SBE certification's renewal cycle. Specialist renewal simply adds a $36 fee - there is no separate specialist credit requirement to satisfy.
Keep this page bookmarked as your quick-reference companion, but pair it with deeper review using the AMD Study Guide 2026 and hands-on practice questions on amquiz.com before exam day.