Mike Coslo wrote in message ...
N2EY wrote:
In article , Mike Coslo writes:

I wonder how many people DO memorize the question pools as opposed to
doing the background work.

There was an article on the ARRL website a few months ago about
an "efficient"
"Tech in a day" class. The authors (who were not ARRL staff, btw)
went on about
their high success rate and 'efficiency' in getting people licensed.

Basically their method was to simply review the Tech question pool. A quick
cram course, and then the test. First-time pass rate of more than 85% IIRC.

The article caused such a stir that it was quickly pulled. ;-)

I don't doubt it! That is the "cramming route", and it is a horrible
way to learn - or not learn - anything.

It's only horrible if the student really wants to learn the material.

I say such courses actually do new hams a disservice because they are left with
a license but not the knowledge or skills they need to use it.

Right. All that does is puts the test material into mid-term memory,
and from there it goes we know not where.

Not only that, the person may not have any real understanding of how
to actually get on the air. Heck, I know of a General who's had a
license fo
years but can't figure out how to get a simple end-fed random wire to
work
on HF.

I don't know if anyone offers "General in a day" or "Extra in a day"
courses,
but I have read of a "GROL in a day" course. Money-back guarantee, IIRC.

It isn't very smart to do it that way. 800
plus questions just for the Extra license is a *lot* of memorization.

Not if you consider that:

1) You don't have to do it all at once. There are three writtens and
they don't share pools

Its a *lot* of questions between the three pools.

Sure but you only need to pass them one at a time.

2) You don't have to memorize the pool - just enough of the correct answers.

? If you are going the rote route, you have to do something, because
you don't know which questions will be used.

You only need to word-associate the correct answer to each question,
not recite them verbatim.

3) Get ~74% right and you pass. You get the same license as someone who aced
it.

Just like a passing grade anywhere else

Not completely. In many situations things like GPA and class ranking
make a difference. In grad school I had to maintain a B average (3.0
GPA) just to stay in school. Wasn't a problem, even though I was
working full-time while going to school at night.

4) A guess is as good as gold.

True of any multiple guess test I guess.

Yep. That's the downside. The upside is that there is no chance for
bias or interpretation of an answer - you either got the right one or
you didn't.

That's not a minor point, either. Suppose the question is and essay on
"how long is a 40 meter dipole, and how do you determine the length?"
Is 66 feet the right answer, or 67? If a person puts down 68 feet, is
that wrong? How much explanation is enough?

A lot of hams I know used "Now You're Talking" as a study guide when
they got their Technician's license. That has lots of other stuff
besides just the pool.


Good for them! Most of the new hams (and old ones too!) I've encountered
really do want to learn the material, not just pass the test.

There we agree for sure. The learning process for my General and Extra
tests was *fun*. Certainly the Extra was more difficult, taking around a
week of fairly intense study and reference. But it was still enjoyable.

Actually I never formally studied for any FCC license exam. Just read
my books, built and used my rigs and went for the test when I thought
I was ready.

Can a person do one of those license in a day things? I guess. They
have my sympathy.

Remember in "Family Vacation" when the family was at the Grand Canyon,
but Clark Griswald was in a hurry to get to "Wally World"? He bob's his
head up and down a few times impatiently, and tells them "Okay let's go".

Never saw that one but you describe the scene so perfectly that I
didn't have to.

One sees this sort of thing in many ways. There's the parent who is so
intent on videodocumenting all of their kids' school plays and sport
events that they miss actually seeing/experiencing the kid perform or
play. There's the air show/railroad buff/museum visitor/tourist who is
so intent on getting the picture or marking the checklist of places
visited that they don't actually experience the aircraft, trains,
museum exhibits or local color.

And there's the ham who doesn't experience actual radio operation...

They were there, but they missed all the good stuff. Just like crammin'
Hams.

But we can't dictate how people pass the tests, only that they do pass
them.

We *can* have an effect. I've taught ham radio classes, code and
theory, but I won't teach a "license in a day" class, nor endorse one.

And I suspect that almost all new Hams try to do this the right way.

Now ya just set yourself up to be a target, saying there's a right
way!

73 de Jim, N2EY