"JB" wrote:

You can't keep all the nuts out but you could make a big dent
in the problem [with a cose test].

This is an old argument. It is the 'weeder' argument. A code test will
weed out all the bad apples. It hasn't worked in the 50+ years I've
been a ham. There have always been ham whackos.

In the 60's I listened to a daily net called WCARS (West Coast Amateur
Radio Service- called Westcars) on 40M SSB in CA. They suffered daily
harassment, carriers, unidentified obscenities ect. 75 meters SSB was
bad then also. The IDed offenders were all code tested hams, likely
the unidentified nuts also.

A VE team around here got busted selling licenses.

There has always been some cheating on tests.

In the 50's you could get a Tech license by mail. Your buddy ham could
give you the code test and any adult could proctor your exam. I don't
have to tell you there were some no-code open-book Techs licensed.

And I think Bash came out in the 70's. That's where they were stealing
the FCC exam questions and answers and publishing them in a book.
(Questions-answers are SOP now but not then.

Maybe you can think of some test or hoop besides CW to discourage the people
that act out like morons because they lack self-control.

Sure. A psychology test...