wrote:


Only Pro-Code Test Advocated trivialize the 5WPM Exam.

Am I a pro-code test advocate?

For the vast majority of people (say, those who are not severely mentally
retarded), the 5wpm is a trivial examination. It involves little more than a
mental table lookup... "Dadidadit..... ummm... that's a C'".

Of course, there are always exceptions, and that's why VE teams could do a
variety of things to aid people in passing their code examination (changing
the tone of the tape, giving people more time to write things down during
the test, etc. I'm sure Dee could tell us more on how VE teams can
accomodate folks).

Memorizing the table requires some effort... but in reality probably little
more effort than people put into 'memorizing' the question pools prior to
taking an examination.


And exactly how does the 5WPM Exam disqualify them from being a VE?

Did I state somewhere that a 5wpm examination disqualified them from being a
VE? I must have missed that, or typed in invisible ink. I can't see it in my
original posting.


I seem to recall a world famous DXer working out of band Frenchmen on
6 meters.

I wouldn't know who world-famous DXers are. Virtually all my contacts are
stateside. Never been much of a DX chaser myself.


I seem to recall an RF Commando telling others how to live their
amateur lives, all the while faking up a bunch of clubs and using an
out of CONUS PO Box to glom up a whole bunch of DX callsigns.

Who might that be? Can you give an example how these folks tell "others how
to live their amateur lives"?

Perhaps (for example purposes only) you mean some of these amateurs may have
filed comments with the FCC calling for a reduction in code testing to 5wpm
with a 'sunset clause' eliminating it altogether once the treaty requirement
was removed?

So, you don't like those types of amateurs telling you how to live your
amateur life, a-la removing the code test? Well, I suppose if you're a
die-hard 20wpm code tester, I can see how you'd be upset by that. Have no
fear though, Brian, you can continue to make those 20+wpm code contacts all
you want, even with the pesky little code test gone.


How many COLEM exams?

I've been to two. One for my General Radiotelephone and a 2nd for my GMDSS
Operator/Maintainer license (needed that for my ocean-going trawler based in
Washington, dontcha know). How about you?