KH6HZ wrote:
wrote:

Len thinks there should be such a requirement. He thinks no one under
the age of 14 years should be able to get any class of US amateur
license, regardless of their ability to pass the license tests.

Len has a (small) point.

Not on the issue of age requirements for an amateur radio license..

Generally speaking, 14 year olds lack the knowledgebase to properly pass the
theory elements in higher license classes -- that is, without "memorization"
or "association" of the question pool contents.

That's not to say there are not child prodigies who can do it. Certainly,
I'm sure there are. However, if you took your average 10 or 12 year old and
tried to teach him/her algebra, geometry, etc... it simply isn't going to
happen.

Doesn't matter, for a number of reasons.

First, I disagree that 14 year olds generally "lack the knowledgebase"
- particularly current-day
14 year olds. Having seen the curriculum for the local school district,
the amateur radio exams aren't a problem.

Second, the mere fact of attaining a particular age does not mean the
person can learn algebra, geometry, etc., or has learned it.

Third, young people have been passing the exams for as long as they
existed. Way back in the days of essay exams and drawing diagrams
(1948), a local 9 year old got her Class B license in front of the
local FCC examiner. Granted, an above-average child - but should the
above average be prevented from doing things because everyone can't do
them? (I suggest the short story "Harrison Bergeron" by Kurt Vonnegut).

Fourth, and the big one: What problems in the amateur radio service
have resulted from the lack of an age requirement? Can you or anyone
else name even *one* enforcement action against a radio amateur younger
than 14 years that had anything to do with the youth of the licensee?

Heck, look at the age of the worst Part 97 offenders in recent history,
like Gerritsen.

Thus, the only real way such an individual -- again, generally
speaking -- can pass the theory examinations is thru a) fraud, b) rote
memorization, or c) associative learning of the questions to answers.

Except for a), what's the problem? FCC doesn't care how someone passes
the
exams as long as they don't cheat. Hams older than 14 have passed the
tests by
methods b) and c). If there's something wrong with the exam process, it
applies to
all ages.

How much of the written exam requires algebra and geometry, anyway?
Much of what
I see in the practice exams is regulations (memorization), operating
practices (more
memorization), basic theory (science and a little math).

What would be nice is, perhaps, a license class with very little theory,
mostly regulations, which younger generations could "step into" the hobby
with, gives them a broad spectrum of operating modes on limited frequencies,
and as they mature, they can upgrade into higher a higher license class.
Oops. That almost sounds like the novice license. We know the FCC isn't
going to introduce any MORE license classes, the trend for the past 20?
years has been to REDUCE licensing requirements and make it easier for
anyone to get a ham license.

So what's the problem?

73 de Jim, N2EY