N2EY wrote:

today we lost a truly excitable boy - Warren Zevon. RIP.

Darn! 8^( I've heard his last album is pretty good.



- Mike KB3EIA -

(N2EY) wrote in message om...
(Brian) wrote in message . com...
(N2EY) wrote in message ...
In article ,
(Brian) writes:

(N2EY) wrote in message
.com...
The following isn't exactly a new idea, but some may not have seen it
yet...

Maybe the way out of the mess is for a Smith Chart test to replace
the code test.

So you still want the Amateur Radio Service to be the exclusive domain
of the Electrical Engineer's?

Nope. One does not have to be an EE in order to understand, and use, the Smith
Chart. Many hams who are not EEs have Smithc Chart knowledge and skill. Many
EEs do not.

Name ONE school that teaches Smith Charts that is not an Engineering school.

Just ONE!

Why?

Can't you?

Smith Chart use is not usually an enginnering school course.

Didn't say it was. Why does it have to be a course? Why can't it be
ancilliary training?

Did you use the Smith Chart while attending Engineering School?

It's
something those interested are expected to learn on their own,

Expected by whom?

So why suggest the FCC/VEC test it?

like
how to use a calculator today, or a slide rule in years gone by.

Or EZ-NEC?

I learned the Chart from the ARRL Antenna Book, not from EE school.

So EE schools don't even teach it, yet you promote it in the amateur
service?

btw, the plural of "Electrical Engineer" is "Electrical Engineers" not
"Electrical Engineer's". "Electrical Engineer's" is the possessive

So Electrical Engineers want to posess all of Amatuer Radio?

Ask vshah101, that's his mantra.

The argument is much older than Vipul, and you darned well know it.

I don't think that's what the FCC wants, but since the NCVEC can do
any damned thing they want, go ahead and put it to them.

NCVEC could not create a separate Smith Chart test without FCC approval.

Bull****!

Yes, that's what your posts are usually full of, Brian.

Part 97 specifically lists the tests for each class of license.

And what of the contents of those tests? Does the FCC mandate what
material is to be tested, or can the NCVEC slip in just about anything
they want, in any quantity they want?

Right now there are three written tests, all multiple choice. And one
code test. No Smith Chart test.

Then why must you promote the idea of "No Charts International?"

And
they could not deviate from multiple-choice format.

Bull****!

You really should read Part 97.

Not a problem. You should suggest the NCVEC read it.

It's obvious that irony is not one of your strong points, Brian.

It is obvious that NCVEC reality is not one of yours.

That's just plain wrong. NCVEC cannot add a Smith Chart test for the
reasons I listed. Read Part 97.

They can slide it in to any existing exam. No questions asked. With
the QP loaded with Smith Chart questions, they could deny access to
any of the 3 license classes.

Besides, NCVEC complains that the code test requires too much work
from the VEs and is too stressful on those being tested. I can imagine
what they'd say if they had to supervise and grade a Smith Chart test.

It would have to be multiple choice, remember???

And I can imagine how much you'd complain and argue if a Smith Chart
test were substituted for the code test.

How much?

In article , "Dee D. Flint"
writes:

Just to put those numbers in perspective, I'll list some other things that I
remember from 1973-1974. An engineer who had just graduated with a
Bachelor's degree from college was getting about $10,000 to $11,000 per
year. A nice 1200 sq ft house with full basement and decent sized yard
could be purchased in the suburbs around Seattle for under $30,000 and the
monthly payment was under $300 per month.

I graduated EE school in 1976 and those numbers are right in line with my
experience (1976 numbers about 15% higher due to inflation).

Some other datapoints:

- New car prices ranged from $3000 to $5000
- Gasoline was about 60 cents a gallon
- A year's tuition at an Ivy League university was $4500
- Ham rig prices were somewhat less than today's prices Maybe 60-75%.
- Inflation was double digit and interest rates were not far behind

73 de Jim, N2EY

"N2EY" wrote in message
...
In article , "Dee D.
Flint"
writes:

Just to put those numbers in perspective, I'll list some other things
that I
remember from 1973-1974. An engineer who had just graduated with a
Bachelor's degree from college was getting about $10,000 to $11,000 per
year. A nice 1200 sq ft house with full basement and decent sized yard
could be purchased in the suburbs around Seattle for under $30,000 and
the
monthly payment was under $300 per month.

I graduated EE school in 1976 and those numbers are right in line with my
experience (1976 numbers about 15% higher due to inflation).

Some other datapoints:

- New car prices ranged from $3000 to $5000
- Gasoline was about 60 cents a gallon
- A year's tuition at an Ivy League university was $4500
- Ham rig prices were somewhat less than today's prices Maybe 60-75%.
- Inflation was double digit and interest rates were not far behind

73 de Jim, N2EY

My first son was born in October 1974. The following year, 1975, I can't
remember the exact figure but my then-husband made right at or a little
under $3,000.00 and I think the only "assistance" (welfare) we were on then
was for Medicaid. I don't remember ever doing food stamps, cash, or
anything like that. But, I think I remember when I found out I was
pregnant, we immediately went to Social Services to see what we could do
about Health Insurance.

Anyway, so health issues aside (and other than pregnancy neither of us ever
went to the doctor), we, uh, well, subsisted on that income. Heh heh, we
sure didn't "live" on it, but we weren't in need; we had food on the table,
gas for the car to go to work, and rented an actual house. Granted, we went
without cooking gas all Summer (we cooked on a grill outside or ate a lot of
sandwiches), so we could save up for heating oil through the Winter. The
house rent, if I remember correctly, was $75.00/month. Two-story, 2-bdrm, 1
bath, kitchen, living and dining. Huge lot (I grew and froze all our
veggies in a 32' x 32' garden--with NO motorized tools mind ya), we had a
deer every Winter that I'd make stretch for meats (mostly ground to make it
last), and my husband ate fish (trout right out of the Battenkill River).
Yuk, I didn't like fish.

Gasoline for the auto, what was it? $0.28 or something near there? Gosh, I
can't remember all those prices. Baby food was, I think, $0.19 a jar
and--oh, disposable diapers were just coming onto the market and I sure as
all get-out didn't have money for them. LOL I went the cloth diaper route,
in fact I can't think of any of my friends using the disposable, except for
whatever ones they got in baby showers and, when those were gone, that was
it.

Anyway, life may have seemed simpler then, and maybe it was to some degree.
But, I'll take life today much quicker! I could not be shopping for a 2300
sq. ft. home back then!!

Kim W5TIT