Clint wrote:

When they drop the morse code test requirement, it's
fairly clear to me they just won't "drop" it all by
itself with a stroke of an administrative pen; I imagine it
will accompany other changes in the license structure...
what do you think will also change in the licensing
system when the drop the morse code test?

This is the biggest reason that I believe it will take quite a while to
remove the Morse test. There will probably be a lot of changes that
need to be discussed and made, if the licensing structure is to make any
sense.

My earlier prediction was 4 years in a "guess the drop time" contest we
started earlier in the year.

I would guess that we will have either two or three classes, as we do now:

The technician license will probably be very similar to what it is now.
I don't know that any significant changes will be made.

The HF licenses are a much murkier area.

If there were to be only two license classes, my wish would be that the
testing regimen would be more or less what the Extra is now.

But there may be some resistance to that, and it is understandable.
There is no reason not to have an entry level HF license similar to the
General.

I tend toward two license classes, but don't have any strong feelings
against three.

Testing......

The multiple guess format is probably here to stay. I don't think it is
as bad as some say. Reading the answers in a textbook or reading them in
multiple choice format is all the same to me. It took me a week of
fairly steady study to get ready for the exam. The way they get you to
learn is to have a lot of questions, and only test on a few.

And as a fairly new Extra, I can say that those answers don't always
show up in the same abcd order as they do in the question pools. So you
really do have to know an answer.

I would like to see the tests a little more in depth (note I don't say
harder) with more operation questions. Perhaps even a post-test booklet
with good operating procedures. I really needed this after passing my
general. I had some small HF experience from contesting with the club,
but contesting etiquette and everyday etiquette are two very different
things.

My biggest hope is that we take the time to make a good system, and not
come up with some Byzantine mess.

- Mike KB3EIA -