"N2EY" wrote


http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/12/03/1/?nc=1

Note this:

"The General class question pool does not contain any diagrams or
symbols."


NTI (No Theory International) at work in the background.

If this is a surprise to anyone, you only need examine the 'gang of four'
who is responsible for the question pools. This has the fingerprints of
W5YI smeared all over it. He has stated publicly that he feels that since
people who acquire entry level ham tickets invariably purchase their
equipment assembled these days, and send them in for repairs when broken,
they no longer need to possess theknowledge needed to build their own
stations, nor the knowledge to determine if their repairs/adjustments result
in proper on-the-air signals. Because of this fact, he thinks that the
majority of questions regarding math and theory (knowledge mainly needed to
build/repair/adjust equipment) should be removed from qualification tests,
and simply replaced with questions on operating technique and regulations.
If he had his way, math and theory questions would only be part of Amateur
Extra examinations.

73, de Hans, K0HB