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Mike Coslo · January 9th 07, 02:39 AM posted to rec.radio.amateur.policy

(Michael Black) wrote in
:

Mike Coslo ) writes:

I don't feel like typing much more. Hopefully I've made my
point.
And if anyone missed it, my point is that the tests given in the so
called "golden age" of Amateur radio were definitely NOT harder than
the tests administered today. Of course those rascals from Coleco
could have just been pulling our legs, making a booklet that was not
relevent to the tests as they really were at that time. Kinda doubt
that though.

It is hard to judge these things.

I once posted about something, and mentioned passing the test when I
was 12, in 1972, and I got email from someone practically denouncing
me, saying he knew the test was really difficult back then, which
means I couldn't have passed at such an early age.

So much depends on the individual. What was not difficult for you (or
myself for that matter, might be really hard for another. Another
problem is that young people happen to be pretty good at taking tests. I
think some of the older folk forget that.

It never seemed difficult to me back then. The code was harder, I
failed the code reception test the first month and had to retake it
the next month.

Sounds just like my experience. I had risen early to go to a
Hamfest that was offering tests, and drank too much coffee. Turned out
to be a bad idea to be caffeine buzzed and take the MOrse code test. I
almost passed. I kinda felt bad for the poor guy grading my test - he
looked at avery way he could to figure out how to work a passing grade
out of it.

I aced the written.

But the theory test required drawing a number of
things, and I did okay.

Oddly, it's in retrospect that I realize didn't particularly know what
I was doing, I didn't memorize answers and I was reading as many
technical things as I could get my hands on, but later I did realize
that I didn't know much back then.

Yeah, but it was fun learning, yes?

Yet, I would say the test here in Canada must have gotten simpler, if
for no other reason than that there was the restructuring in 1990
where the entry level license took away things that I was allowed to
do when I passed the test, such as a full kilowatt and building
anything I wanted.

Well, I don't know about Canada's tests, but it sounds like they
may have done something to make the test easier, but reduced privileges.
A little bet of a different matter.

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -