Bill Sohl wrote:

"Mike Coslo" wrote in message
...


Bill Sohl wrote:

"Mike Coslo" wrote in message
et...


Dee D. Flint wrote:


"Brian" wrote in message
gle.com...


Carl, you should see the NCI bashing being done by Dee and Jim on the
other ARRL thread.

73, Brian


I have never bashed the NCI. I've stated that I disagree with their

goal


but that does not constitute bashing them.

I have! I think that they have recieved what they wanted, but as yet
don't really offer anything of substance to fill the gap.


What GAP?

Code test dissapears, nothing in it's place.


Why should there be anything in its place? This isn't about
some mystical quantification of effort, dedication, yada yada....

You are kind of right there Bill. I can prove to you without a doubt
that a person can get on the air without ever taking a test. They can
get on the air and run relatively high power without doing harm to
themselves. There is no need for any yada yada at all.

It isn't mystical, it isn't yada yada. It is philosophy. And my
philosophy is that the amateur should want to be an amateur, and should
have some level of knowledge in order to be there.

The morse tests have completely disappeared for General
and Extra without anything taking its place. If 5 wpm is dropped
for tech, why should there be something to replace it?

Now I'm a little confused. As far as I know, if you want a general or
above, you still have to take a Morse code test. And they don't do tech
plusses any more. My Tech license had no code test in it.


I want to see something in
it's place, or else itis pretty hard to argue that it hasn't been made
much much easier to get a license.


Ending a requirement that no longer has a rational need
does not translate into a search for some "replacement".
If you had the opportunity to state what the replacement
should be, what would you suggest?

I support strengthening the tests. In general, I want more questions on
theory, and more procedural questions. I wouldn't mind if there were a
ham etiquette section added to the test.

I want the new ham to come on board with some idea of what is expected
of him or her in the way of how to conduct themselves on the air. I want
them to have at least a rudimentary knowledge of electronics, and know
some basics on antenna theory, like our "quarter wave dipole" discussion
on rrap of a few months back proves is needed.


You may want it made much easier to get a license, but I don't. Not a
filter, not a way of keeping people out. just a way of ensuring that the
amateur has some level of acumen.


Ending morse doesn't change the level of written tests.

No kidding! I want the level of the tests changed though. And not to the
level of the "average sixth grader" either.


Otherwise, those who want little or no testing are just encouraged.


Encouraged about what?

About little or no testing.


Instead, some
members express "unofficial opinions that scare the bejabbers out of me.

"Some members"? Who? It is always easy to make non-speciifc
accusations against unidentified "some members".

W5YI for one. I trust you have read his work?


W5YI's comments as to testing issues beyond the elimination
of code testing are NOT, in any way, shape or form,
the position or opinion of NCI.

Show me where I said it was!

As to other NCI members, assuming you can ID someone,
they too may have a personal belief as to how testing should go...
but that does NOT make their opinions or beliefs NCI
doctrine.

I'm not talking about NCI, I'm talking about NCI members. There is a
difference. As far as I know, NCI has no official opinions beyond ending
the Morse code test.

- Mike KB3EIA -