Dwight Stewart wrote in message ...
"N2EY" wrote:

"Knowledge" in this context really means anything
that can be learned and known consciously by a person.

There are at least three different kinds of knowledge -
facts, concepts and skills.

Is there significant knowledge in using a hammer skillfully?

Yep, if you accept that skill is a type of knowledge. Besides the
skill of actually hammering, there's knowing what hammer to use for a
particular job, knowing how to hold the hammer and thing to be
hammered, and what safety precautions to take.

Facts are concrete pieces of information, and are
learned by pure memorization. "1 plus 1 equals 2
in base 10" is an arithmetic fact. A person can
know all sorts of facts with no understanding of
what they mean.

Concepts are understandings of how things work and
what they mean. Such as the concept of addition,
which requires understanding. Of course without
facts, very little can be done with pure concepts.

(snip) Most of what is on the written test is facts.
The Morse test is almost pure skill. Concepts get the
short end.

Why snip the skills definition?

I'm not sure I can fully agree with that since the written tests do
require at least rudimentary understanding of scientific concepts like radio
waves, RF exposure, atmospheric affects on radio waves, and so on (all found
in even college level science textbooks, including Ohm's Law).

Not really, Dwight.

Many of the written test questions are about the rules and regs, such
as band edges and power limits. Also symbol identification,
definitions, and other facts. One doesn't have to know what a kHz is
to know that the 40 meter band is 7000 to 7300 kHz. Nor does it
require an understanding of the operation of electronic components to
correctly identify which symbol is, say, a JFET.

More importantly, since the Q&A are all in the public domain, all that
is needed to get an answer correct is to identify which of the 4
answers is correct. How this is done by the testee and how much
understanding is involved is not a concern of the FCC or VEs as long
as there's no cheating involved. Rote memorization, word association,
and random guessing are all accepted ways of getting an answer
correct. Get enough answers correct and the license is issued.

For example, suppose a question asks for the length of a 40 meter
dipole made of wire and offers 4 answers. Someone could learn about
dipoles and get the correct answer. Or they could simply learn "40
meter dipole wire 66 feet" with absolutely no understanding of what a
dipole is other than that a 40 meter one is 66 feet long. In fact,
thinking about that one too much could get you in trouble because '40
meters' is actually about 131 feet.

I never saw much if anyhting about radio in any of the science
textbooks I had, grade school through college. I did see some stuff in
my engineering textbooks, though. But by then I had been a ham for 5
years.

73 de Jim, N2EY

"Scientists dream of doing great things. Engineers do them." (usually
attributed to Wehrner Von Braun)

WWHD

"N2EY" wrote:

Yep, if you accept that skill is a type of
knowledge. Besides the skill of actually
hammering, there's knowing what hammer to
use for a particular job, knowing how to
hold the hammer and thing to be hammered,
and what safety precautions to take.


Obviously building something with a hammer requires knowledge, but even a
two year old child can learn to hit a nail with a hammer - the skill.


Many of the written test questions are about
the rules and regs, such as band edges and
power limits. Also symbol identification,
definitions, and other facts. One doesn't
have to know what a kHz is to know that the
40 meter band is 7000 to 7300 kHz. Nor does
it require an understanding of the operation
of electronic components to correctly
identify which symbol is, say, a JFET.


All requiring far more knowledge than the skill of hitting a nail with a
hammer.


More importantly, since the Q&A are all
in the public domain, all that is needed
to get an answer correct is to identify
which of the 4 answers is correct. (snip)


Then you dispute the multiple choice method of testing, which means you
must also dispute this method of testing when employed by schools and
colleges throughout this country and around the world (and the studies once
used by those schools to determine this is a sufficient means of testing for
educational purposes).


How this is done by the testee and how much
understanding is involved is not a concern
of the FCC or VEs as long as there's no
cheating involved. Rote memorization, word
association, and random guessing are all
accepted ways of getting an answer correct.
Get enough answers correct and the license
is issued.


If the FCC is not concerned, why are you? Obviously, the FCC has
determined this method of testing is sufficient to meet the goals it has for
Amateur Radio license testing. Perhaps you're dissatisfied with this method
because you don't truly understand the goals of those license exams. Again,
the exams are an entrance exam to get into Amateur Radio, not a final exam
to determine ultimate skills and knowledge. In Amateur Radio, the primary
develop of skills and knowledge comes after those entrance exams through
actual experience.


I never saw much if anyhting about radio in
any of the science textbooks I had, grade
school through college. I did see some stuff
in my engineering textbooks, though. But by
then I had been a ham for 5 years.


You're out of date, Jim. Many college science textbook used throughout the
US cover these subjects (radio and electronics). For example;

The Sciences, An Integrated Approach, John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Chapter 5 (pg. 115), Electricity and Magnetism (electromagnetic force,
electric circuits, ampere, voltage, resistance, ohm's law).
Chapter 6 (pg. 127), the Nature of Waves (wavelength, frequency and
velocity).
Chapter 6 (pg. 139), the Electromagnetic Spectrum (radio waves,
induction, radio waves and the atmosphere, ducting).
Chapter 11 (pg. 241), Electrical Properties of Materials (conductors,
insulators, semiconductors, and superconductors).
Chapter 11 (pg. 240), Technology (diodes, semiconductors, transistors).

Even many high school science textbooks cover the basics. For example;

Physical Science, Holt/Harcourt Publishing.
Chapter 17 (pg. 420), Introduction to Electricity (electric current,
conductors, insulators, ac/dc, resistance, resistors, Ohm's Law, electric
circuits, series and parallel circuits).
Chapter 19 (pg. 480), Electronic Technology (semiconductors, diodes,
transistors, integrated circuits).
Chapter 20 (pg. 508), The Energy of Waves (amplitude, frequency,
wavelength).
Chapter 22 (pg. 568), The Electromagnetic Spectrum (radio waves, am/fm
modulation, induction, destructive and constructive interference, the
ionosphere).


Dwight Stewart (W5NET)

http://www.qsl.net/w5net/