We construct explicit local systems on the affine line in characteristic p>2, whose geometric monodromy groups are the finite symplectic groups normalSp2nfalse(qfalse) for all n⩾2, and others whose geometric monodromy groups are the special unitary groups normalSUnfalse(qfalse) for all odd n⩾3, and q any power of p, in their total Weil representations. One principal merit of these local systems is that their associated trace functions are one‐parameter families of exponential sums of a very simple, that is, easy to remember, form. We also exhibit hypergeometric sheaves on Gm, whose geometric monodromy groups are the finite symplectic groups normalSp2nfalse(qfalse) for any n⩾2, and others whose geometric monodromy groups are the finite general unitary groups normalGUnfalse(qfalse) for any odd n⩾3.