On Nov 1, 6:34?am, Steve Bonine wrote:
Dee Flint wrote:
Even if there is a question in the pool, it may not show up in an actual
test. Basically the pool needs to contain several questions of this type to
insure that one does show up on the actual test taken.

Remember that the exam is built by choosing a given number of questions
from each subelement. For example, there are four questions on the Tech
exam from subelement 1, which is FCC Rules and station license
responsibilities. When the pool was constructed one of the aspects was
a weighting of the various topics. There are, for example, only two
questions from subelement 7 (Operating in the field. Contests. Special
events. Satellite operation).

I don't envy the committee that formulated the pool. No matter what
they come up with, a lot of folks will criticize it. A fine example of
a thankless job.

Steve, I've got to agree with you 100% on that. :-)

I did pause a moment to reflect on a few years of lots of folks'
comments, on-line, off-line, in-print, in-person. There's some
relationship to "instant gratification" that is a catch-phrase in all
the complaints. As I sense it, all the "experienced experts" on
everything want the TEST to prove all successful applicants
become Instant Experts almost as good as the complainers. :-)

The predecessors of the FCC and the FCC itself continued to
use licensing (and tests for same) as a regulatory tool for their
lawful charter of all US civil radio. It was never, ever intended
to be any academic test good enough for award of a degree in
a subject...yet so many others blur the distinct difference of an
amateur radio license TEST verses expertise a la academia.

Back when the FCC 'personally' tested radio operators, it was
proclaimed a 'Real Test.' From expeience of many of my
contemporaries, that 'reality' didn't exist. There was no way
one could 'test' for radio equipment of 1956 to make anyone
'expert.' When the FCC revamped a lot of their work to include
privatization - which included Frequency Coordinaton of many
PLMRS users as well as amateur repeaters - it became a
'bad thing.' The TEST was no longer 'real' since all the
questions and right-wrong answers were public...which came
about through other political work, not the fact of privatization.

I cannot see where the Volunteer Examiner Coordinator
system is so 'bad.' It is composed of active fellow amateur
radio licensees and I doubt that any of them could be
considered dummies. That's better than having questions
and answers thunk up by a faceless few at the FCC, ones
whose primary task is radio regulation, not boosting amateur
radio nor trying to get more licensees. All in all, I think the
VEC QPC is doing a FINE job given their virtual free rein on
what to ask in every test element.

It is even better when one considers the first word in their
description: Voluntary. Those on the Committee have
guts as well as experience in volunteering for a sometimes
thankless task. I salute their work and dedication (with all
five fingers, properly) for keeping up that task for two
decades (give or take).

73, Len AF6AY