Dick Carroll wrote in message ...
N2EY wrote:

In article k.net, "Bill
Sohl" writes:


We'll just have to
agree to disagree on that because I ain't gonna waste any more
time arguing hypotheticals when those arguments aren't
even being made to the FCC.


But they are being made to FCC, as shown above. What reasonable, rational
arguments can we make to counter the above logic?


Jim, you're talking to a post.

I don't think so at all, Dick. K2UNK is one of the most interesting
folks to discuss things with here.

Bill and I are simply having a discussion. We disagree with each other
but there is mutual respect and civility on both sides. He's not
convinced by my arguments and I'm not convinced by his reassurances,
but I'm quite sure he read what I had to say and considered it
carefully.

Frankly, I hope Bill is right and I'm wrong on this, and that we don't
ever have to contend with folks wanting to drastically reduce written
testing.

NCI thinks they've got what they want
now and their heads are firmly buried in the sand to any issue beyond
killing off the code test.

That's the whole purpose of that organization - and we're promised
that it will simply cease to function in the USA if/when there's no
more code test.

When Bill or Carl or Ed or Jon write something here, I take it to be
their own personal view, not that of NCI (in the case of Bill or Carl)
or ARRL (in the case of Ed or Jon) *unless* they specifically state
"NCI policy is..."

Nothing will dull their premature euphoria.

The fat lady ain't sung yet.

So now we'll see if the adage "be careful what you ask for" will apply.

Who knows? My concern, however, is still the same:

What reasonable, rational arguments can we make to counter the above
logic (against more-than-the-barest-minimum-written-tests)?

Because I still think that sooner, rather than later, that issue will
come up. And we better be ready for it.

Everyone should read that KL7CC paper on the AL7FS website. Note what
it says about the writtens. Heck, the author is one of the top guys at
NCVEC, helping make their policy, and he says in public that he
couldn't pass the current *written* exam for the Extra without some
serious book study!

--

Who of us here was a ham before November 22, 1968? Let's see - there's
N2EY, W0EX, K2UNK, W3RV, K0HB, W4NTI, AA2QA. Apologies to anyone I
missed.

Back then, all it took for full privs was 13 wpm code and a ~50
question written test. Has 35 years of incentive licensing made hams
"more technical"? If not, why do we need all those written tests?

What say, folks?

73 de Jim, N2EY