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Old February 2nd 04, 02:30 PM
Steve Robeson, K4CAP
 
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wrote in message ...
Steve Robeson, K4CAP wrote:
wrote in message ...

Of course there are those that seem to think an amateur extra license is
of greater importance than an airline transport pilot certificate and an
instrument rating.


I am a Pilot, Jim, and don't think so...But we're discussing
AMATEUR RADIO in this forum, not FAA ratings and testing policies.


The discussion was the the testing practices of an agency of the
US government.


Yes...The Federal Communications Commission...NOT the FAA, DOT,
DHS, DoD, etc etc etc...

Comparing the practices of another agency gives a reality check on
the possibility of closed question pools.


No more than finding diarrhea in the commode next to you means
YOU have a problem.

My position is that we are not going to completely (or even
remotely) get the degree of "training" the FCC sets before us with
open pools. We have far too many "Extra's" who can't calculate the
length of a dipole or know the difference between peak-envelope-power
and PeeWee Herman. That's a shame.


I have mixed feelings on that.

I think the perception of the ignorance level is skewed for those that
spend a lot of time on USENET for the simple reason that those that do
know how to calculate the length of a dipole are not going to post
a message stating that.


Unfortunately you are wrong. There are any number of folks who
happen along here asking questions from time-to-time that are easily
answered in any number of texts. And many of those folks "ID" with an
Amateur callsign of a class that SHOULD know.

Only the ignorant are going to post things like that and the posts
will stand out in your memory but you will never know how many read
that post and just thought to their self "how did that guy get a
license".


I know the answer to THAT question...

"They" used a verbatim "Q&A" guide that allowed them to memorize
enough to pass the test.

If such questions were answered simply and correctly, and perhaps some

references given as to where such things may be found (such as ARRL
publications) without the usual derisive comments, maybe a goodly
part of the training you hope for would take place.


And when those folks show up here I DO answer them, as precisely
and as cordially as I can. However, had they been required to actually
KNOW the material they "tested" on, they'd already know the
answer...or at least know where to find it without embarrassing
themselves.

A closed test pool is no panacea.


A closed pool would require those who took the tests tom actually
KNOW the material

And if it were up to me, the FAA pools WOULD be closed. I can
tolerate the idea of a 71% correct Amateur Extra, but I'd rather not
think about a 71% correct ATP droning around with a load full of pax
and wx at minimums that made that 71% from a verbatim Q&A manual!


Those that memorize the tests tend to get scores closer to 100% than
to 70%.


But WHAT do they know?

They "know" if they see "this" question, the answer will be
"c"...and nothing more.

For some insight on the testing process and question pool challenges
for the FAA, see
http://www.avweb.com/news/columns/186574-1.html.

Interesting. Still doesn't fix the problem, though.

Steve, K4YZ