Klystron posted on Wed 24 Oct 2007 17:25

AF6AY wrote:

As an FYI on the tests up to mid-2007, I've counted the number of pool
questions from my printout of the pools available in Februrary 2007:

Did you exclude from that count the questions that were later
disqualified?

I only counted the applicable pool questions. Yes, I also
printed out the NCVEC website listing of question changes,
but only as a very general reference, not to be used
specifically for my 25 Feb 07 test. www.ncvec.org

When I took the tests, most of the questions about band
edges had to be dropped because of the rule change. A few others were
dropped due to errors or poor wording.

I took my test before an ARRL VEC team. The ARRL-supplied
test question sheets had already excluded changed questions
(and answers). Good security was practiced by the ARRL VEC
team leader and the other three in the team, all materials for
testing kept in a small padlocked carrying box. Scoring
templates were translucent plastic sheets, blue and imprinted
with the ARRL logo, if memory serves me correctly.

My figure of 8 or 10 pool questions to 1 test questions was very
rough and not intended for 4 significant digit precision. However, other
FCC test pools bring the average a bit closer to it, such as the GMDSS
test pool (600 in pool, 100 on test).

After doing the total count of questions on my printout, I used
a pocket calculator to derive the percentages. It has flexible
significant digit settings and I used my standard setting of two
significant digits in the fraction of percentages. I apologize if
that offends anyone. [HP-32S II, cost $60 in 2001 off-the-shelf,
just got an HP-35S, $60 still, the latest in the 35-year history
of scientific pocket calculators, direct from HP on-line shop]

GMDSS testing would be done in front of a COLEM since it is a
Commercial radio license group. Different from the VEC.

My First Class Radiotelephone (Commercial) Operator license
test was taken at an FCC Field Office in Chicago, IL, 51 1/2
years ago. There were no COLEMs or VECs then and testing
was not privatized. All commercial radiotelephone licenses
were changed to the General Radiotelephone Operator License
(GROL) much later and my First 'Phone was changed
automatically to that. I kept that GROL renewed also until it
became a lifetime license, no renewals required. I am not
interested in obtaining any other commercial license now.

Out of 120 questions, I missed 6 (counting the marks made by the
VEC team leader) and am sure that 5 of those were on certain
regulations like bandplan numbers and satellite operation. That was
satisfactory to me with 95 percent correct.

Beat you. I got 100 on all three tests (amateur elements 2, 3 and 4).

I concentrated only on passing my three required test elements.
I wasn't in 'competition' with anyone else but myself. The FCC
sets the limits on the pass versus fail and the FCC grants the
license. I passed. I mentioned my observed scoring only as an
afterthought. The percentage of questions passed didn't seem
to be logged by any in the VEC team. Scores aren't in the data-
base from the FCC.

I will admit that there was some rote memorization involved, especially
on the parts that I didn't know anything about (calculations involving
imaginary numbers, for example).

Complex number quantities are not an absolute necessity in
amateur radio...unless one wants to be successful in designing
certain parts of radio and electronics or doing a more in-depth
realization of what actually comprises impedance or admittance.
I learned complex number quantities from a third- or fourth-hand
used reference on mathematics given to me in 1959. [I still
have it and use it as a refresher on other math from time to
time] They are not hard to learn, just a bit strange to those who
haven't yet gone beyond scalar quantities. Both the HP-32 and
HP-35S will do complex number arithmetic as a built-in
function on the keyboard and the HP-35S has a much larger
program storage.

I wish you well on your GMDSS test before a COLEM.

73, Len AF6AY