RadioBanter - View Single Post

January 26th 06, 03:14 PM posted to rec.radio.shortwave

wrote:
Maybe each State's Department of Motor Vehicles should do away with
requiring people to get Drivers Licenses too.Judging from the way some
people around here drive,running red lights and stop signs and failing
to yield the right of way and speeding and doing everything they are not
suppose to do,,, they might as well.Operating a motor vehicle on public
roads is not a Right,it is a Privaledge.It should be the same way with
Ham Radio Operators too.
cuhulin

The question isn't whether a test should be applied, but what questions
should be asked in the test. Or said another way what questions if
answered correctly will give some indication that the test taker
understands concepts like safe, efficient and courteous operation of
the equipment.

If we were to test prospective hams on their ability to safely set up a
rig and antenna for transmission and combine that with written
questions about radio theory that would provide some level of assurance
the guy wouldn't fry himself or cause interference to neighbors. If we
also required prospective hams to be observed in actual operation of
the radio we could test somewhat for their ability to conduct courteous
and efficient communication in the most commonly used mode - voice.

Requiring that a test taker be able to translate dits and dahs into
letters is only proof that the prospective ham has some command of a
little used language - morse code. It does nothing to show that the
prospective ham can operate a station effectively, safely and
courteously. It is akin to requiring that prospective drivers also be
able to use a buggy whip.