On Sat, 27 Oct 2007 01:13:50 EDT, AF6AY wrote:

Could anyone but the FCC discuss
things about the FCC amateur radio test questions before
privatization? I ask because I was unaware that there was any
possibility of suggesting anything about that before privatization.

In real life the FCC exams were mode up by engineers who were
knowledgeable in the fields being tested. I myself wrote several
questions on television standards and measurements for the
Radiotelephone First Class License revision in 1972. The questions
on the amateur exams were composed by staff engineers who were active
amateurs.

Yes, there was a provision for input from the "outside" by writing a
letter to the Examinations and Licensing Branch of the Field
Operations Bureau with the suggestions. This was not a "secret"
process, either, because lots of such letters were received and
reviewed by the committee that was responsible for examination
revisions. Some suggestions were accepted, others were rejected.

My gripe with privatization is that these are functions that should be
done by the FCC, not by others. Dumping them on someone else is not
the proper way to solve the problems that existed.
--

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane

From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon

e-mail: k2asp [at] arrl [dot] net