Jim Hampton wrote:
"stewart" wrote in message
om...

"KØHB" wrote in message

link.net...

"stewart" wrote

There is virtually no difference between the current General and
Technician written exams.


That's funny... there are 11 questions in the Technician question pool
on TOWER SAFETY... and there are 0 questions in the General question
pool.


Perhaps everyone believes that if you have a license you actually
know something.

Apparently, recent Technicians know MORE than recent Generals, in
regards to your litmus test issue of TOWER SAFETY.



Uh, don't look now, but each new recent General has to first take the
enty level Technician examination. Since tower safety is a basic
requirement for any class operator it is tested on the basic test.
Wouldn't make a whole lot of sense to ask the same questions on both
tests, so the General examination does not repeat the same material.
Kinda puts the lie to your assertion about "virtually no difference"
though, doesn't it!


With all kind regards,

de Hans, K0HB

Still fighting the LOSING battle with non-logic, I see.

Man! Don't you fools have ANYTHING better to do with your lives?

Don't look now, but there's only a few of you left... progress WILL be

made.

- Stewart
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MURS-OPEN


Hello, Stewart

Ok, let me pose a simple question for you. Assume you have a base and a
mobile MURS station. Both have very good antennas and you have a minimum 10
mile solid range of communications. You are talking to your wife. She is 7
miles away from you. 11 miles away, another mobile MURS station comes over
a hill and is now in your range. He has a base station 8 miles further away
that you can't hear. He is using the same channel that you and your wife
are using. He is running a 5/8 wave on his car. Oh, and he is using a
modified 50 watt 2 meter rig (both at his base and in his car).

Do the math. He can be on the opposite side of you from your wife in the
mobile. His electric field is 5 times your wife's (and likely at least
twice yours). Can we spell "capture effect"? Without extensive f layer
propogation that exists on 11 meters at times, these problems won't become
apparent until there are more MURS users and even then, most of the problem
will be in urban areas .... but .... meanwhile, you won't be able to
communicate with your wife (most likely).

My suspicion is that this is the first time that one has heard of the
capture effect. Remember, nothing makes for a solid and simple argument
like ignorance of the details.


I darn well think that amateurs should be tested in at least basic rules and
safety for an entry level class license. I tend to get nervous when I see
questions about SWR and coax lengths from amateur extra class licenses.

I'm not sure what can be done about that one, Jim. When the increasing
Morse code speed requirements were in place, the prospective Extra was
likely on the air and learning more about things as he or she went. It
was simply a slowing of the process that enabled knowledge gain and
practical experience in the interim. Now with 5wpm and testing, those
brakes aren't there.

I became an Extra "too quickly" and I know of others that got it much
more too quickly than me! 8^)

I've wanted to propose a waiting period between General and Extra, (2
years) but I seem to be the only person that thinks that is a good idea.



As far as the old timers wasting their time, there is one older guy around
here whose repeaters won't go down easily. One is windmill powered; the
other is solar powered. Then there are a *ton* of others in his system.
All interconnected and cover 10 meters to 1.2 GHz.

Most excellent!

Hey Jim, Are you going to be at the Rochester Hamfest this Saturday?
i'm thinking of making it there on Saturday, then swinging down to catch
the Butler fest on Sunday.

- Mike KB3EIA