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#1
May 9th 04, 02:45 PM
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Subject: Let's debate: Should Amateur Radio be made a free for all?
From: Alun Date: 5/9/2004 8:12 AM Central Standard Time Message-id: I applied to be a counselor for the radio merit badge in boy scouts a couple of months ago, but haven't heard anything back yet. The troop leader is more interested in finding someone for the computer badge. From what I read in the papaers, it's getting harder and harder for the Scouts to find leaders who want to be leaders and not molesters.... PS: The requirement for a CW QSO has been dropped from the badge, which makes it more practical for me to do it! Examiners have always had it at thier discretion to send random letters and check for character count. In the long run, I bet more folks have passed the test because it WAS a "QSO" since they could go back and fill in missing letters....ITS N T T AT ARD TO FI L IN THE BL NKS ON E YOU BACK U AN LOOK AT W T YOU WR TE DO N. 73 Steve, K4YZ |
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#3
May 9th 04, 03:12 PM
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Subject: Let's debate: Should Amateur Radio be made a free for all?
From: Alun Date: 5/9/2004 9:06 AM Central Standard Time Message-id: I think maybe you are a bit confused, so I guess I need to explain a little more. The radio merit badge used to require the boys to participate in 2 CW QSOs and 1 phone QSO. Now that requirement is just for 1 QSO in any mode. Some phone ops used to teach the badge and do CW QSOs by computer, which had the added advantage that the boys could see what was being said, whilst others used to get a CW op to participate (the counselor tests the boys, but anyone can provide the instruction/demos). Ahhhhhhh....I see...You were speaking of the REAL "Merit Badges"....! Yes, you were correct, of course...I stand corrected. The QSO requirement is only one from a long list, and can be satisfied by boys with a ham licence if they submit 5 QSL cards from 3 call districts. The boys who are not hams (obviously the vast majority) just have to sit in on a QSO instead. One of the other requirements is to draw a frequency chart, and there are very specific rules about what it has to show. The funny thing is, the example in the book doesn't comply. It was done by the ARRL, but I don't think it was created specially for the purpose. I think it was just something that already existed that they let the boy scouts use. One of the questions I am contemplating is whether I should give credit for copying it, or whether they should have to do it properly? The FCC has a real nice chart available from GPO and is all inclusive from a few KHz up to, I beleive, 300GHz. It might go higher. 73 Steve, K4YZ |
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#4
May 9th 04, 03:15 PM
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(Steve Robeson K4CAP) wrote in
: Subject: Let's debate: Should Amateur Radio be made a free for all? From: Alun Date: 5/9/2004 9:06 AM Central Standard Time Message-id: I think maybe you are a bit confused, so I guess I need to explain a little more. The radio merit badge used to require the boys to participate in 2 CW QSOs and 1 phone QSO. Now that requirement is just for 1 QSO in any mode. Some phone ops used to teach the badge and do CW QSOs by computer, which had the added advantage that the boys could see what was being said, whilst others used to get a CW op to participate (the counselor tests the boys, but anyone can provide the instruction/demos). Ahhhhhhh....I see...You were speaking of the REAL "Merit Badges"....! Yes, you were correct, of course...I stand corrected. The QSO requirement is only one from a long list, and can be satisfied by boys with a ham licence if they submit 5 QSL cards from 3 call districts. The boys who are not hams (obviously the vast majority) just have to sit in on a QSO instead. One of the other requirements is to draw a frequency chart, and there are very specific rules about what it has to show. The funny thing is, the example in the book doesn't comply. It was done by the ARRL, but I don't think it was created specially for the purpose. I think it was just something that already existed that they let the boy scouts use. One of the questions I am contemplating is whether I should give credit for copying it, or whether they should have to do it properly? The FCC has a real nice chart available from GPO and is all inclusive from a few KHz up to, I beleive, 300GHz. It might go higher. 73 Steve, K4YZ That's a good point. I understand that Icom has one you can download, although I don't know if it meets the requirements. I'm sure the FCC chart meets all possible requirements, though. |
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#5
May 9th 04, 06:16 PM
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Alun wrote in message . ..
(Steve Robeson K4CAP) wrote in : The FCC has a real nice chart available from GPO and is all inclusive from a few KHz up to, I beleive, 300GHz. It might go higher. 73 Steve, K4YZ That's a good point. I understand that Icom has one you can download, although I don't know if it meets the requirements. I'm sure the FCC chart meets all possible requirements, though. I wonder if it shows the MARS frequencies separate from the Amateur frequencies? After all, " "MARS IS "Amateur Radio". " |
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#6
May 9th 04, 05:29 PM
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"Alun" wrote in message ... (Steve Robeson K4CAP) wrote in : Subject: Let's debate: Should Amateur Radio be made a free for all? From: Alun Date: 5/9/2004 8:12 AM Central Standard Time Message-id: I applied to be a counselor for the radio merit badge in boy scouts a couple of months ago, but haven't heard anything back yet. The troop leader is more interested in finding someone for the computer badge. From what I read in the papaers, it's getting harder and harder for the Scouts to find leaders who want to be leaders and not molesters.... PS: The requirement for a CW QSO has been dropped from the badge, which makes it more practical for me to do it! Examiners have always had it at thier discretion to send random letters and check for character count. In the long run, I bet more folks have passed the test because it WAS a "QSO" since they could go back and fill in missing letters....ITS N T T AT ARD TO FI L IN THE BL NKS ON E YOU BACK U AN LOOK AT W T YOU WR TE DO N. 73 Steve, K4YZ I think maybe you are a bit confused, so I guess I need to explain a little more. The radio merit badge used to require the boys to participate in 2 CW QSOs and 1 phone QSO. Now that requirement is just for 1 QSO in any mode. Some phone ops used to teach the badge and do CW QSOs by computer, which had the added advantage that the boys could see what was being said, whilst others used to get a CW op to participate (the counselor tests the boys, but anyone can provide the instruction/demos). The QSO requirement is only one from a long list, and can be satisfied by boys with a ham licence if they submit 5 QSL cards from 3 call districts. The boys who are not hams (obviously the vast majority) just have to sit in on a QSO instead. One of the other requirements is to draw a frequency chart, and there are very specific rules about what it has to show. The funny thing is, the example in the book doesn't comply. It was done by the ARRL, but I don't think it was created specially for the purpose. I think it was just something that already existed that they let the boy scouts use. One of the questions I am contemplating is whether I should give credit for copying it, or whether they should have to do it properly? 73 de Alun, N3KIP I'd say make them do the chart by the rules of the merit badge. There's very little to be learned just by copying a pre-existing chart. Of course they should be allowed to use the ARRL one (and others) as an information resource. In the real world of work, one frequently has to reformat information to meet customer formatting requirements. Dee D. Flint, N8UZE |
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#7
May 9th 04, 06:19 PM
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"Dee D. Flint" wrote in
: "Alun" wrote in message ... (Steve Robeson K4CAP) wrote in : Subject: Let's debate: Should Amateur Radio be made a free for all? From: Alun Date: 5/9/2004 8:12 AM Central Standard Time Message-id: I applied to be a counselor for the radio merit badge in boy scouts a couple of months ago, but haven't heard anything back yet. The troop leader is more interested in finding someone for the computer badge. From what I read in the papaers, it's getting harder and harder for the Scouts to find leaders who want to be leaders and not molesters.... PS: The requirement for a CW QSO has been dropped from the badge, which makes it more practical for me to do it! Examiners have always had it at thier discretion to send random letters and check for character count. In the long run, I bet more folks have passed the test because it WAS a "QSO" since they could go back and fill in missing letters....ITS N T T AT ARD TO FI L IN THE BL NKS ON E YOU BACK U AN LOOK AT W T YOU WR TE DO N. 73 Steve, K4YZ I think maybe you are a bit confused, so I guess I need to explain a little more. The radio merit badge used to require the boys to participate in 2 CW QSOs and 1 phone QSO. Now that requirement is just for 1 QSO in any mode. Some phone ops used to teach the badge and do CW QSOs by computer, which had the added advantage that the boys could see what was being said, whilst others used to get a CW op to participate (the counselor tests the boys, but anyone can provide the instruction/demos). The QSO requirement is only one from a long list, and can be satisfied by boys with a ham licence if they submit 5 QSL cards from 3 call districts. The boys who are not hams (obviously the vast majority) just have to sit in on a QSO instead. One of the other requirements is to draw a frequency chart, and there are very specific rules about what it has to show. The funny thing is, the example in the book doesn't comply. It was done by the ARRL, but I don't think it was created specially for the purpose. I think it was just something that already existed that they let the boy scouts use. One of the questions I am contemplating is whether I should give credit for copying it, or whether they should have to do it properly? 73 de Alun, N3KIP I'd say make them do the chart by the rules of the merit badge. There's very little to be learned just by copying a pre-existing chart. Of course they should be allowed to use the ARRL one (and others) as an information resource. In the real world of work, one frequently has to reformat information to meet customer formatting requirements. Dee D. Flint, N8UZE That's pretty much what I was thinking. I just wanted to see if others would agree. The league's chart in the scout merit badge book covers a slightly wrong frequency range, and it doesn't really show the required 8 services. At least, it sort of does, but it mixes some services together while separating some users that are part of the same service. I was wondering if I was being too pedantic, but I tend to think that maybe it is best to ignore that chart and show them one that is more correct. I imagine the FCC chart is super correct There again, were the scouts really meaning to imply the proper definition of a 'service' in their requirements? Maybe they had something vaguer in mind? |
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#8
May 10th 04, 03:21 AM
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Steve Robeson K4CAP wrote:
Subject: Let's debate: Should Amateur Radio be made a free for all? From: Alun Date: 5/9/2004 8:12 AM Central Standard Time Message-id: I applied to be a counselor for the radio merit badge in boy scouts a couple of months ago, but haven't heard anything back yet. The troop leader is more interested in finding someone for the computer badge. From what I read in the papaers, it's getting harder and harder for the Scouts to find leaders who want to be leaders and not molesters.... It's an unfortunate situation. I've worked with kids before, and have gone through the pertinent background checks. In most respects, it's no big deal. It is getting harder to find people that will voluntarily go through such things anymore though. Think of it. You could be a perfectly normal person, but one dumb clerical error could not only keep you from coaching your kid or being a merit badge counselor, but ruin your entire life! Its not likely to happen, but..... It's harder to get people to help period! - Mike KB3EIA - |
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#9
May 10th 04, 03:49 AM
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Subject: Let's debate: Should Amateur Radio be made a free for all?
From: Mike Coslo Date: 5/9/2004 9:21 PM Central Standard Time Message-id: Steve Robeson K4CAP wrote: From what I read in the papaers, it's getting harder and harder for the Scouts to find leaders who want to be leaders and not molesters.... It's an unfortunate situation. I've worked with kids before, and have gone through the pertinent background checks. In most respects, it's no big deal. Yep. CAP instituted it's background check program over 15 years ago and it's worked well. It is getting harder to find people that will voluntarily go through such things anymore though. All they have to do for us is go to the local SO or PD and get the prints done. Here in Franklin County, TN, the local SO will do it for free. Think of it. You could be a perfectly normal person, but one dumb clerical error could not only keep you from coaching your kid or being a merit badge counselor, but ruin your entire life! Its not likely to happen, but..... My concern is what people today call "child abuse"... We see "abuse" in the ER all the time that is nothing of the sort...It's estranged parents arguing over who's the better parent or trying to use Junior as a pawn in thier on-going domestic disputes...Most of the time the "charges" are on the person who thought to bring charges second... The BIG problem is getting that crap cleared off...Even if no actual charges are substantiated, there's always a record of "allegations" that are out there...The "innocent until proven guilty" thing sounds good as the disclaimer on an episode of "COPS", but unfortunately is not necessarrily a fact of life. It's harder to get people to help period! Yep. "Everybody" wants "Somebody" to "do it", but "Nobody" has the time to do it. 73 Steve, K4YZ |
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