"No Diagrams Or Symbols"...
 

Check This Out:


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."

Hans' proposal sounds better and better...

73 de Jim, N2EY

"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

"N2EY" wrote

Note this:

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

Breaking news.....

......a member of the QPC informs me thusly....

"I'm sure QPC Chairman W4WW will chime in on this, but just be aware that
the committee has been continuing the posture established in 1987 by FCC
that the General pool has no graphics. ...... So, as with all General
pools since 1987, this one again has no graphics."

"KØHB" wrote in message link.net...
"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.

Incrementalism, too.

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.

But the General isn't an entry-level license.

And people say there's no dumbing-down going on.

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.

The current study manual has at least two pages on how to adjust VOX and anti-VOX.

Betcha it doesn't have diddly-squat about how to adjust a bug...

If he had his way, math and theory questions would only be part of Amateur
Extra examinations.

"Don't bother...they're here..."

73 de Jim, N2EY

"N2EY" wrote


And people say there's no dumbing-down going on.


As I noted in another post, Jim, this turns out to be old news. There
haven't been diagrams on the General examination for the past 15 years.

73, de Hans, K0HB

"KØHB" wrote:

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. (snip)


While I cannot speak for someone else, I would reword that to say that
simple diagrams and a few questions in a license test is not going to
prepare someone to build or repair the complex radio equipment used by most
Amateurs today. To build such equipment, one would almost need an
engineering degree and a labortory full of equipment. Anything beyond the
most basic repairs would require considerable experience and a significant
investment in equipment. So, in my opinion, instead of trying to meet that,
the tests today serve as a basic introduction to electronics to both allow
those basic repairs and encourage some to seek real electronics training
elsewhere.


Dwight Stewart (W5NET)

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

the tests today serve as a basic introduction to electronics to both allow
those basic repairs and encourage some to seek real electronics training
elsewhere.


Dwight Stewart (W5NET)

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


BS, the test today do nothing of the sort, all these stupid test do anymore is
test someones ability to Memorize a Bunch of Q and As.

"Dwight Stewart" wrote

So, in my opinion, instead of trying to meet that,
the tests today serve as a basic introduction to electronics to both allow
those basic repairs and encourage some to seek real electronics training
elsewhere.

I'd agree with that in general principle. But it strikes me that the
ability to recognize the symbols for various electronic components in a
simple schmatic and to be able to navigate an elementary block diagram would
be essential to even the most elementary troubleshooting and repair tasks
that we'd expect a General class amateur to be able to accomplish.

73, de Hans, K0HB

"KØHB" wrote:

I'd agree with that in general principle.
But it strikes me that the ability to
recognize the symbols for various
electronic components in a simple
schmatic and to be able to navigate
an elementary block diagram would
be essential to even the most
elementary troubleshooting and repair
tasks that we'd expect a General class
amateur to be able to accomplish.


How many symbols are there now, Hans? A hundred or more? How much can we
include in the license tests before they become massive in size and
overwhelming in nature? We have to draw a line somewhere on what to include
and I'm satisfied with where that line is drawn now. By the way, the
Technician question pool I studied (July 97 ~ June 01 pool) did include some
simple block diagrams (transmitter and receiver), basic symbols (resisters,
capacitors, and so on), and even a couple of simple schematics. One
certainly couldn't build anything with that, but it was a good introduction.


Dwight Stewart (W5NET)

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

"Dwight Stewart" wrote

How many symbols are there now, Hans? A hundred or more? How much can we
include in the license tests before they become massive in size and
overwhelming in nature?

I wouldn't venture a guess off the top of my head how many symbols there
are, but I'm not suggesting hundreds of questions on the test devoted to
this. Ten or 15 questions in the pool, with maybe a couple actually in any
given exam. Would that be too much for you to memorize ..... er, I mean
learn?

73, de Hans, K0HB

That is the handy work of the likes of NCI, ARRL, and W5YI. The new test is
a joke.
This is also why I e-mailed the ARRL VEC and told him to remove me from the
VE list.

It's truly a sad thing to see a great hobby like Amateur Radio degraded to
what it is today. :'-(

72, 73
Dan, N8IE

"N2EY" wrote in message
...
Check This Out:


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."

Hans' proposal sounds better and better...

73 de Jim, N2EY


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
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That is the handy work of the likes of NCI, ARRL, and W5YI. The new test is
a joke.

Its what I have been saying all along. And the sad thing is its going to get
worse.
WELCOME TO THE NEW CBHAM SERVICE

"KØHB" wrote in message link.net...
"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

Take note that that is the situation here in Canada.

When things were restructured back in 1990, not only was the code
test separated out, but the written test became simpler. And
that test did not allow for the building of transmitters. You had
to take the advanced test to do that.

I have no idea if that idea came from hams or the DOC. Certainly
there was the suggestion that since few were building, the test
did not need to deal too much with technical stuff. Of course,
the simpler test, and more important the rule that outright bans
a homemade transmitter's use with that Basic license, institutionalizes
the concept that it's a hobby of communication, not technical matters.

When I was licensed in 1972, it was still called the "Amateur Experimental
Service" here in Canada.

Michael VE2BVW

"KØHB" wrote:

I wouldn't venture a guess off the top of my
head how many symbols there are, but I'm
not suggesting hundreds of questions on the
test devoted to this. Ten or 15 questions in
the pool, with maybe a couple actually in any
given exam. Would that be too much for
you to memorize ..... er, I mean learn?


No, smart aleck. As I said in the last message, which you edited out of
your quote, the Technician question pool I studied (July 97 ~ June 01 pool)
covered simple block diagrams, symbols, and schematics. I suspect the
current question pool does too. So perhaps you should make an effort to
actually see what is on the current pools and exams before talking about
what you want to see added. If you did so, perhaps you wouldn't be
blathering about adding what is already there. Or is all that too much for
you to understand?


Dwight Stewart (W5NET)

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

Michael Black wrote:

Take note that that is the situation here in Canada.

When things were restructured back in 1990, not only was the code
test separated out, but the written test became simpler. And
that test did not allow for the building of transmitters. You had
to take the advanced test to do that.

I have no idea if that idea came from hams or the DOC. Certainly
there was the suggestion that since few were building, the test
did not need to deal too much with technical stuff. Of course,
the simpler test, and more important the rule that outright bans
a homemade transmitter's use with that Basic license, institutionalizes
the concept that it's a hobby of communication, not technical matters.

When I was licensed in 1972, it was still called the "Amateur Experimental
Service" here in Canada.

Michael VE2BVW

I seem to recall seeing a notice on either the RAC's or IC's websites that
they would be removing the code requirement for anything lower than 6m. Do
you know anything about that? It almost seems like a priviledge to get onto
the low frequency bands with the 5wpm requirements.

On another note, do you know of any good morse resources? I'd like to learn
Morse (I got my license in 1999 and didn't take the morse test).

As far as the test goes, I took Electronics Engineering Technology in
college and I thought the advanced exam was quite easy, but I may be
biased.
--
Donovan Hill
VA7LNX (Basic, Advanced)

"WA8ULX" wrote

BS, the test today do nothing of the sort, all these stupid test do
anymore is
test someones ability to Memorize a Bunch of Q and As.

I have realised that it's actually possible to know _less_ than nothing
about a subject - I am talking about people who deal with electronics at the
level of superstition. Give these people a goat and they wouldn't know what
to do with it.

73, de Hans, K0HB