Ralph Mowery wrote:
If you have not checked into it, the license should be easy for someone that
has an electronic background and any RF experiance at all. Just memorize
the exect questions and answers. You can find them many places on the
internet. You can go to arrl.org for one. Then go to qrz.com and take the
practice test to see how well you are doing. You may even want to go there
first and see how well you do without any perperation. Having been a ham
for over 35 years and into electrical and electronic work, I can run through
a test in less than 15 minuits and get around a 85% or higher. That is not
even looking at the study questions in many years. I think a 70% is
passing.

Ralph, a lot has changed in the last 35 years. The tests are not designed
to make sure that everyone who passes could build a transceiver from
an old AM radio, or recognize the design of one.

They are now based on the concept that many hams will start out with a
store bought rig and work up from that. In order to pass, you have to
show enough understanding of electricity, electronics and RF that you
don't endanger yourself, anyone else or cause any damage to the equipment.

You also have to show enough knowledge of ham bands and operating procedure
that you don't endanger anyone else, though you possibly could get some
people upset.

BTW, have you taken the test recently, over the years it has included new
things that hams did not have to know or care about. When I studied for
the extra exam (1996)*, it included tv stuff such as fields and frames.
Now that NTSC is dead, I wonder if it is still there and if it is, how
long it will be.

Geoff.

* just to be compelete, I never had time to take the 20wpm test before I
moved here, so I have an advanced class license. I live in one of the few
countries in the world that the VEC's were asked NOT to give tests in.


--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel N3OWJ/4X1GM