From: on Sep 3, 1:55 pm

John Smith wrote:
On Wed, 31 Aug 2005 13:23:26 -0700, N2EY wrote:

Because I can. And because I won't ask others to pass a test
that I can't pass myself.
That is awfully big of you, however, keep it mind that amateur radio (the rf bands) should be open to ALL AMERICANS...

They are open to all who can pass the required tests. In fact
a nonresident noncitizen can get an FCC amateur radio license.

Don't forget cute little 6-year-olds who passed their WRITTENS.

I happen to have been favored by my creator. If I understand
where I
stand on IQ charts, roughly 5% of people are my equal or
betters...

All an IQ test shows is how well you take IQ tests. There
are many different kinds of intelligence, and trying to
describe them with a single number is ludicrous.

OK, so now we all know that Jimmie didn't score high on a
Stanford-Binet IQ test! :-)

If I
took a test which fully tested my abilities, then required the same of
others--I could end up rather lonely...

The amateur radio tests I've taken, and others I've seen, are
nowhere near a full test of my abilities. I don't know about
yours...

Tsk, tsk, tsk. The Federal Communications Commission is NOT
chartered as an "academic institution" for testing anyone to
their "full test of abilities." Never was, not in 71 years.

A license test is for the Commission's purpose...to determine
if, TO THE COMMISSION, an applicant is considered worthy of a
license grant.


I think the test should be one which at least 95% of ALL
amercians can pass--more or less like a drivers license...

Why?

And when you say "95% of all [Americans]" - does that include
those under the age of, say, 5 years? How about those with
severe developmental delays and deficits? Does it include those
Americans with dementia or Alzheimer's disease? How about those
who are illiterate or barely literate, those for whom English is
a foreign language, and those with all sorts of other problems
and limitations?

Or do you mean 95% of all healthy, educated, "average" Americans over
the age of, say, 10 years?

The present written tests are simple enough for two SIX YEAR OLDS
to pass their license tests under the watchful eye of kindly,
grandfatherly-looking VEs. Imagine, two SIX YEAR OLDS with perfect
understanding of all regulations and the MATURITY to act
responsibly on their own!

More important, how much are you willing to water down the written
tests to reach that goal?

Why have YOU already accepted and passed "watered-down" written
tests sufficient that some kindly VEs could pass two SIX YEAR
OLDS so that they could - legally - operate radios all by them-
selves?

But, on that matter, you challenge any challenger on their
"expertise" of knowing SIX YEAR OLDS' capability. However,
YOU have NEVER stated YOUR "qualifications" in regard to grading
SIX YEAR OLDS on their "maturity" to be responsible, federally-
licensed radio amateurs. You could do us all a great service by
revealing your "expertise" in rating childrens' "maturity."