"Bill Sohl" wrote in message ink.net...
"N2EY" wrote in message
om...
"Bill Sohl" wrote in message
nk.net...

The Q&As aren't going away. Better to focus effort on expanding the
Q&A pool for things like formiula calculations such that memorizing
the formula...not the answer is the better way to learn.

I think most of us agree that it would be best if FCC took back the
testing process and no longer made the Q&A pool public information.

First, even if the FCC took back the process, the questions would
end up in the public domain via internet sharing, etc.

I'm agreeing with ya, Bill!

But it's clear that's not going to happen in any foreseeable future,
for a long list of reasons. (Most of which come down to "money", as
in "FCC isn't going to spend it on tests for hams").

That's second.

I say it's first. Which should FCC spend $$ on - Riley or examiners? I say
Riley.

It just isn't going to happen because there hasn't
been any case made as to why it should.

Sure there has. It's self-evident that "secret" tests are
"better", all else being equal. Are they better enough to
get FCC to change? Of course not!

You and others
complain, but there just isn't any examples of gross abuse
or widespread problems. Are there occasional abuses, yes, but
clearly insufficient numbers to warrant even a concern on the
FCC's part.

Not talking about abuse at all. I'm talking about the effectiveness
of different test methods.

There's also the issue that after 20 years of VECs, FCC would have
to be convinced that the system is failing, *and* that the only way
to fix it was to give the process back to FCC. Ain't gonna happen.

Agree 100%

That's not a complaint.

And there's nothing to stop Son Of Bash from doing what the original
did 30 years ago.

As I said above...even easier today with the internet.

Yup. Probably be a whole bunch of little Bashes doing it in far less time.

On top of all this, suppose that by some miracle FCC *did* take back
testing and test generation. Or maybe farm it out to a commercial
testing firm. What do you think a test would cost? I recall that
back in the '60s, when FCC imposed test fees on hams, the fee was
$9. Which doesn't sound like much until you adjust for inflation. So
it would probably be in the $50-100 range (or more) today. Not the kind
of thing to help our growth - particularly among young people!

Agree again.

Yet no matter how often these facts are brought up, there are calls
to end VE testing. Ain't likely to happen, folks, and even if it did you
might not be real happy with the result.

Agree yet again.

"Be careful what you ask for - you might just get it".

73 de Jim, N2EY