From: Mike Coslo on Sat, Jan 20 2007 6:01 pm

" wrote in
From: Mike Coslo on Fri, Jan 19 2007 4:27 pm
wrote in news:1169250071.314393.175910
KC4UAI wrote:

...

In addition, imagine my surprise when I opened up that little
booklet and saw the "sample questions" Right there, Question first,
and answer "A" through "D". Then an answer section in the back of the
book! All this in 1956, long before Bash and the present day question
pool...

After all, how may ways are there to ask the same questions?

Hello Mike.

Sigh...it's an old, old story with humans...whatever
someone did in their (relative) youth was ALWAYS "more
difficult" than what anyone else does in the present time! :-)

Don't know if you read the other post I wrote on the subject in a
different thread, but I'll repeat it here.

In trying to figure out just where this canard came from, sfter my
investigation into why the "old tests were so much harder", I came to
the conclusion that they weren't more difficult.

So where the discrepancy?

My theory is that when these old timers took the test, they weren't
all that knowlegable. So those tests were harder for them. During their
post-test lifetime, they learned more, and became more experienced.

But they forgot that they learned all that stuff, and in the
crankiness that middle aged men can fall prey to, suddnely expect that
all the new hams should know aht they do now.

I also suspect it doesn't matter. They don't dislike the new hams
because they are dumb or less qualified, they dislike new things.

Absolutely...in my observation also. But, an addition:

Some really and truly do NOT like new anybodies. They
want to keep their little local "in-group" intact, nice
and comfortable, secure with everyone "in-tune" to one
another. [see the "No Lids, Kids, or Space Cadets"
type or Wince Ficus' "Slow Code" alter-ego]

For many middle-agers, their (sudden?) realization of
their own mortality will make new things uncomfortable.
They want, desire, and strive for the secure, the
comfortable old concepts that they managed to adapt to.
I would suppose that's rooted with the #1 human desire
of SURVIVAL (sex is only #2). Natural enough.

That age group and that striving for security through
keeping the OLD extends all throughout human groupings.
It's really a very basic lesson in psychology classes.
[I didn't learn it from my wife the retired social
worker but rather from two mandatory psych classes for
CA engineering majors a very long time ago]

Too many make out like "THE TEST" is some god-awful
ordeal or a Battle Between Good and Evil or some kind
of cataclysmic EVENT that shakes their being to
their core. For some who have been very sheltered
that might be true. :-)

I've taken all sorts of "tests" in my life and would
rate everyday WORK as being much more meaningful.
Produce results according to spec and one "passes"
(gets the paycheck regularly). Can't do the work?
Maybe not a "fail" exactly but it's a good time to
start collecting Want Ads or think about moving into
Sales. [Sales doesn't do all that work but they sure
talk about how much they do and how good they are...]


I don't really have any problems with levels of "ability" and goals
such as DX awards or contesting. I do have problems with superior hams.

Sigh...well, superior anybodies will happen. Those are
the "salesmen types" who are selling themselves, fueled
by their ego. Some are found in here and there were lots
of them in here before. :-) Usually they want to
CONTROL things, make order (usually their way), and
demand respect from their "inferiors." They can be
spotted right away. They won't learn and probably
can't understand why most folks just don't like them.

I was questioning the "necessary vetting" and the "time
in grade" concept for "advancement" to "higher classes."
For one thing, I can't see this whole business of ANY
class structure in a hobby activity. If someone NEEDS
rank-status-title, let them join a fraternal order that
has various grades of "poohbahs" or whatever, wear silly
uniforms, and do the "tradition" thing. :-)

The actual operation of a "radio" is usually very easy
and any average-intelligence human can learn it quickly.
An activity that has lots of jargon attached to it might
need some extra hours to memorize all the new terms and
how they are used, but the actual operation doesn't take
long at all. Comments about "years of service" has
always sounded bizarre and absurd to me in a hobby radio
activity. :-) Yes, telegraphy skill DOES require a
lot of practice but that is a psycho-motor skill really
unrelated to operating a radio...and certainly unrelated
to knowing HOW a radio works.

I've always said that, to me (and many others I've
worked with) radio and electronics is totally
fascinating. Ham radio is a good place to get
acquainted with that fascination possibility. That
hobby doesn't come close to encompassing all that is
in electronics, but it's a start. If an individual
LIKES the technology, they will naturally seek to
learn more about it. NOBODY has to fulfill some
kind of artificial "qualifications" test to learn nor
are they "inferior" if they didn't get those artificial
"qualifications" and be awarded a class-conscious
Title of "superiority." Yet there are "superior"
beings who strut around Telling others what they
should like and what not to like and all should
"respect" all those who push others around. Ech.
That's NOT what an enjoyable hobby is about...

Nice talkin' at ya Mike, have fun with the mobile
antenna project.

LA