Jim:

I think you can "know all the answers" to the exam, and yet be a total
loss of how to apply it all, and how it all "really works"...
Years ago when I was a teenager, it was at clubs and activities I picked
up the "hands on", plus--even in the small town I lived in there were 3
hams! Now-a-days they are few and far between...

And, now with everyone hiding from terrorists, afraid your neighbor is a
child-molester, and too busy having to make a buck (wife too these days)
the new comers miss a whole lot--in the city I live in, can walk-about
all day long and not have one other citizen speak a greeting--if I don't
speak first... things have changed, I am afraid it is "adapt-or-die"
frown

Warmest regards,
John
"Jim Hampton" wrote in message
...

"Cmd Buzz Corey" wrote in message
...
Dan/W4NTI wrote:
wrote in message
ups.com...

KC8GXW wrote:

But you still have to pay the VE fee, and have earned that
Tech in the first place. Not a giveaway or a free upgrade.

73 de Jim, N2EY

I was just being sarcastic because I have been told I have a
give
away tech license!

Well, whoever told you that was full of beans and didn't know
what s/he was talking about. Probably just sour grapes.

73 de Jim, N2EY


I said that. And I mean it. The tests today are a joke. Why you
ask?
Because the questions and answers are right there in front of the
person.
Sure he has to study a lot of questions. But there they are on the
test. A
give away.

And lets not even talk about the CW situation.

It's NOT numbers we need, it people that respect the traditions of
ham
radio and want to continue them. Its people that love ham radio
and
don't
want to use to to order a pizza.

Call me old fashioned and out of touch. It won't be the first
time.

Dan/W4NTI



Is there really any need for much technical knowledge to obtain a ham
license anymore? Why a need for technical knowlege when setting up
and
operating a station today is simply plug-an-play? How many hams
constuct
any equipment they use on the air any more? The most tech knowledge
that
might be required is maybe how to build and put up and adjust an
antenna. Perhaps the test should focus more on rules, regulations and
proper operating procedures. The most technical that hams get today
is
knowing how many frequencies they can store in the radios memory.

As you say Dan, with the joke they use for testing today, no
technical
knowledge is required anyway, just memorize the answers to the
questions
and off you go. So maybe if the tests were geared more to regs and
operating procedures, then even with the memoriziation some of it
might
soak in and maybe there would less cb type operating on the ham
bands.

It is pretty bad when as I heard not long ago on a 2 meter reperter,
"I
just got my license, can someone tell me what frequencies I can
operate?" Cheeese.

Even wogie wussman passed the test, that in itself speaks volumns
about
how easy the they are.


Hi, gang

Well, I am at a loss to reply to one post. The gentleman asked about
the
necessity of needing an rf bridge to measure the impedance of his
antenna.
He asked if he could simply use an ohm meter.

He is a general. I think. Maybe an extra ...

My honest belief is that folks should understand reactance and
resistance to
obtain a general class license. We aren't talking brain surgery here.

My concern is not over cw as it is really an old mode of transmission;
however, that should not excuse folks from learning at least the
basics of
theory.

I'm still contemplating a further post on a Hammond Organ site. One
guy
wants to replace an impedance transformer and a tube amp with a solid
state
amp. He seems concerned with "reflected power". My guess is that he
is a
newly minted general or extra class licensee. I did reply that I'd
suggest
only replacing the pre-amp and leave the impedance matching
transformer. It
will be easier. I just don't know how to explain about emitter
followers or
igfets (or mosfets, whatever). If he is licensed, it should be a
no-brainer
at audio frequencies (only to around 6 kHz at that!), but his concern
about
"reflected power" really leaves me brain-boggled. Of course, he might
have
several miles of feedline between the transformer and pre-amp, but I
sort of
doubt that.

As to frequencies, anyone can transmit on any frequency. As to what
frequencies the *may* legally operate on, that is another question -
and one
that individual should know. Or, at least have the reference
materials
around so he/she doesn't have to ask. It would be like going into an
operating room for an operation and hearing the doctor ask "what is a
scalpel?".

Gaaaaaah! Which way to the exit?



73 from Rochester, NY
Jim AA2QA