In article ,
Jerry Stuckle wrote:

I also remember when programmable calculators came out - the FCC started
by not letting them into the tests at all. They finally allowed them,
as long as the memories and programming were cleared first. (This was
in the days before volunteer examiners).

That's still the policy for the main VE group in my area.

When I went for Extra, I looked around my house for calculators. The
only one I had which worked, was an extremely complex HP with a
zillion built-in capabilities. I couldn't even convince *myself* that
I could completely clear it of all possibly-relevant formulas, let
alone believing that I could convince a VE... so, no go.

Instead, I pulled out a Pickett 10" slide rule, and took it along
instead. It got quite a bit of interest from the VEs - "Where in the
world did you dig that up?" (I have more than a couple - collect 'em
out of nostalgia and a love for the elegance).

The only mistake I made with it, was due to misreading a question and
calculating the sides of a delta loop as if they'd asked for the sides
of a quad. Typical eager-beaver test mistake... not reading the
question carefully. :-(