"Alun" wrote in message
...
I don't think it is practical to test everyone on everything. Tests are
written in such a way that the candidate doesn't know what will come up,
so
has to learn everything in the pool. There should be more questions in the
pool, though, covering topics that are presently left out.

Interestingly, WRC 2003 laid down a syllabus for the first time. However,
I
confess I have no idea whether current FCC tests comply with it or not.

Unlike in the US, the UK tests have extensive questions on operating
practice. One thing at least that comes out of that is that UK hams all
know the international phonetics by heart. US hams don't, because it's not
in the FCC question pools. It should be. There are also extensive
questions
on interference in the UK, including questions on band edges. If that were
the case in the US, I doubt if you would come across so many US hams
operating USB on 14.350 or the like (I hear them too, and much too often).
The UK question pools are not published, but I know these questions occur.

This is not meant to say that the UK tests are superior, it is just an
observation on a couple of things that ought to be in the FCC question
pools that aren't, and the corresponding broader areas in which the FCC
tests are weak. Yes, I suppose I should write some questions on these
subjects and submit them. It is one of the good points of the US system
that I could do that. It is perhaps also one of it's bad points, in that
questions submitted by volunteers may have a few holes in the first place
(gaps in coverage, not necessarily flaws in the questions).

73 de Alun, N3KIP (Ex-G8VUK, G0VUK)

PS: I am a 'know-it-all' EE, but I don't think anyone in my position would
take the tests without at least reading Part 97.


Alun, not everyone is as conscientious as you are about having checked out
the rules. Of those hams that I personally know, only a small percentage
have a copy of the Part 97 rules and an even smaller percentage bother to
keep up with making sure it is current.

Also you didn't have to quote the ENTIRE discussion to make a reply. I was
beginning to wonder if you had written anything as I scrolled down.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE