" wrote:

"If he took the exam he must know some hams... ya think? It's not as if
he pulled
it out of a Cracker-Jack box. (Well, not quite) "

Yes, Ace you're very astute.

Damn straight.

Good luck.

dxAce
Michigan
USA

Maybe each State's Department of Motor Vehicles should do away with
requiring people to get Drivers Licenses too.Judging from the way some
people around here drive,running red lights and stop signs and failing
to yield the right of way and speeding and doing everything they are not
suppose to do,,, they might as well.Operating a motor vehicle on public
roads is not a Right,it is a Privaledge.It should be the same way with
Ham Radio Operators too.
cuhulin

wrote:
Maybe each State's Department of Motor Vehicles should do away with
requiring people to get Drivers Licenses too.Judging from the way some
people around here drive,running red lights and stop signs and failing
to yield the right of way and speeding and doing everything they are not
suppose to do,,, they might as well.Operating a motor vehicle on public
roads is not a Right,it is a Privaledge.It should be the same way with
Ham Radio Operators too.
cuhulin

The question isn't whether a test should be applied, but what questions
should be asked in the test. Or said another way what questions if
answered correctly will give some indication that the test taker
understands concepts like safe, efficient and courteous operation of
the equipment.

If we were to test prospective hams on their ability to safely set up a
rig and antenna for transmission and combine that with written
questions about radio theory that would provide some level of assurance
the guy wouldn't fry himself or cause interference to neighbors. If we
also required prospective hams to be observed in actual operation of
the radio we could test somewhat for their ability to conduct courteous
and efficient communication in the most commonly used mode - voice.

Requiring that a test taker be able to translate dits and dahs into
letters is only proof that the prospective ham has some command of a
little used language - morse code. It does nothing to show that the
prospective ham can operate a station effectively, safely and
courteously. It is akin to requiring that prospective drivers also be
able to use a buggy whip.

If I get my one finger huntin n peckin in high gear on this hear cute
little wireless battery powered keyboard,I can easily (and most times I
do) type more than five words per minute.I know,I know,it isn't the same
as learning Morse Code,but if I want to talk to Ham Radio Operators on a
Ham Radio,I wont gripe about learning some Morse Code.
cuhulin

Yep. And putting aside the whole debate over whether or not the code
is an anachronism, I can't imagine that learning Morse would be *that*
arduous a task, especially if you're only talkin' about 5 WPM. The
code is relatively straightforward. Standard Roman alphabet as we use
in the English language. Then you've got your numbers and minimal
punctuation. No special characters to speak of.

http://www.babbage.demon.co.uk/morseabc.html

junius


wrote:
If I get my one finger huntin n peckin in high gear on this hear cute
little wireless battery powered keyboard,I can easily (and most times I
do) type more than five words per minute.I know,I know,it isn't the same
as learning Morse Code,but if I want to talk to Ham Radio Operators on a
Ham Radio,I wont gripe about learning some Morse Code.
cuhulin

junius wrote:
Yep. And putting aside the whole debate over whether or not the code
is an anachronism, I can't imagine that learning Morse would be *that*
arduous a task, especially if you're only talkin' about 5 WPM. The
code is relatively straightforward. Standard Roman alphabet as we use
in the English language. Then you've got your numbers and minimal
punctuation. No special characters to speak of.

you are simply lacking in igmaination but then most people don't care
much about the realities of disablities


http://www.babbage.demon.co.uk/morseabc.html

junius


wrote:
If I get my one finger huntin n peckin in high gear on this hear cute
little wireless battery powered keyboard,I can easily (and most times I
do) type more than five words per minute.I know,I know,it isn't the same
as learning Morse Code,but if I want to talk to Ham Radio Operators on a
Ham Radio,I wont gripe about learning some Morse Code.
cuhulin

an old friend wrote:
junius wrote:
Yep. And putting aside the whole debate over whether or not the code
is an anachronism, I can't imagine that learning Morse would be *that*
arduous a task, especially if you're only talkin' about 5 WPM. The
code is relatively straightforward. Standard Roman alphabet as we use
in the English language. Then you've got your numbers and minimal
punctuation. No special characters to speak of.

you are simply lacking in igmaination but then most people don't care
much about the realities of disablities


Admittedly, when writing my previous post, the "realities of
disabilities" were not foremost in mind. Whether or not most people
"care" about such realities is another issue altogether...

In any case, it seems that some thought has been given to accomodating
individuals with various disabilities:

Excellent resources he http://www.handiham.org/index.php?menu=1

Below is an exerpt from http://www.ncvec.org

ACCOMMODATING AHANDICAPPED PERSONMany handicapped persons accept and
benefit from thepersonal challenge of passing the examination in spite
of theirhardships. For handicapped persons who have difficulty
inproving that they can decipher messages sent in the Morsecode, the
VEs make exceptionally accommodative arrange-ments. To assist such
persons, the VEs will:• adjust the tone in frequency and volume to
suit the examinee.• administer the examination at a place convenient
and com-fortable to the examinee, even at bedside.• for a deaf
person, they will send the dots and dashes to avibrating surface or
flashing light.• write the examinee’s dictation.• where
warranted, they will pause in sending the messageafter each sentence,
each phrase, each word, or in extremecases they will pause the exam
message character-by-character to allow the examinee additional time to
absorb, tointerpret or even to speak out what was sent.• or they will
even allow the examinee to send the message,rather than receive
it.Should you have any questions, please contact your localvolunteer
examiner team, or contact one of the 14 volunteerexaminer coordinator
(VEC) organizations. For contact infor-mation for VECs, or to contact
the FCC, call 888-225-5322(weekdays), or write to FCC, 1270 Fairfield
Road, Gettysburg PA17325-7245. Fax 717-338-2696. Also see the FCC web
at:http//www.fcc.gov/wtb/amateur/.


Below is from
http://www.handiham.org/wiki/index.p...ng&redirect=no

Testing
From HandihamWiki
Accomodative Testing

What the ARRL VEC says

Special Testing

Reprinted with permission from the ARRL VE Manual, 8th Edition Chapter
7

Editor’s note: Changes are expected in Part 97, the rules governing
the Amateur Radio Service in the United States. Changes have already
been undertaken in other countries around the world. For the most
complete and latest information, see www.handiham.org.

A candidate who requires special testing procedures because of a
physical disability must be accommodated (Section 97.509[h]). The rules
stipulate that the VE team may require a Doctor’s Statement
indicating the nature of any disability before determining which, if
any, accommodations must be used.

If accommodations are permitted, the VE team should indicate this on
the Test Session Report form. Including the names of non-VE’s who
will read or copy the candidate’s answers is recommended. The
Doctor’s Statement should be submitted to the VEC with the
candidate’s test booklets and papers, which we’ll retain
indefinitely in our session records.

Accommodations and Morse Code Exemptions

All accommodations are available for 5 WPM. VE’s are allowed great
flexibility in accommodating handicapped or disabled candidates. Many
current accommodative procedures, which were initially announced by the
FCC on June 15, 1990, at the National VEC Conference in Gettysburg,
Pennsylvania, were formalized through the adoption of PR Docket No.
90-356 on February 14, 1991, which is the Amendment of the Amateur
Radio Service Rules to Make the Service More Accessible to Persons with
Handicaps.

The accommodative procedures VE’s must make available to handicapped
or disabled examinees may be used if the candidate has a visually
identifiable handicap or if the candidate presents you with a
Doctor’s Statement indicating the nature of the claimed
handicap/disability, as provided for in Section 97.509 of the FCC
Rules. The Doctor’s Statement may suggest ways in which the examinee
may be accommodated to overcome the particular handicap.

Accommodations

Accommodative procedures must be used when a handicapped applicant
requires them. The accommodations may include administering the
examination at a place and time convenient and comfortable to the
examinee, even at bedside. Other procedures can include:

� Reading or writing for candidates who can’t do so themselves.
Even illiteracy is considered a reading handicap. Other reading
handicaps can be experienced by those who are very young (and may not
yet be old enough to read or understand certain words or sentence
structure) or the elderly whose eyesight may be failing. Enlarging
materials to two or three times their normal size will sometimes be
effective. Writing handicaps may also affect the young or elderly.

� Varying the volume, audio frequency or speed (more on this to
follow) of Morse code examination texts will often accommodate those
with minimal hearing impairments. For those with more severe hearing
impairments, flashing lights or a vibrating surface (tactile pad ===


http://www.handiham.org/pdf/tactile.pdf


===
, feeling the surface of a speaker, etc) are often used in lieu of
hearing.

� Pausing the examination message, where warranted, may be a
successful accommodative procedure to overcome candidates’ ability to
write or respond quickly. The pauses may be included after each
sentence or phrase, after each word or even after each character, to
allow the examinee the time to write, absorb and/or interpret what was
sent. The decision as to the level of pausing warranted is determined
by the VE team in conjunction with input from the candidate or the
candidate’s Doctor’s Statement. The level of accommodation should
be the least necessary to overcome the candidate’s handicap.

� A sending test may be substituted for a receiving test for
handicapped candidates where the examinee’s particular handicap
precludes a receiving test. In the case of the character-by-character
examination, you may administer a standard five-minute QSO format with
a 10-question fill-in-the-blank (this exam could take close to three
times as long) or you may administer a character-receiving (or sending)
examination that includes all the characters of the alphabet, all
numbers -9, the period, comma, question mark, slant mark (/) and
prosigns, and for a character-by-character examination, a grade of 70%
or more correct characters can be considered passing.

If you require text to use in a sending test, let the ARRL VEC know.
The applicant may use a key, keyer, or other similar device to send the
required text. In most cases, the above flexibility will allow
handicapped candidates to pass the Morse code examination on their own.


If the candidate doesn’t have a readily identifiable
handicap/disability or if the candidate doesn’t provide a Doctor’s
Statement describing the handicap/disability he/she suffers from, you
are not to offer the more flexible accommodations in administering the
Morse code examination. There’s no difference in the paperwork or in
the qualifications of any applicant who passes the Morse code
examination using accommodative procedures. No special notations are
required on any document.

It’s entirely possible that even when using the most extreme
accommodative procedures, a candidate may not be able to pass the Morse
code examination. In having put forth the extra effort, there should be
satisfaction in knowing that everyone tried their best.

Morse Code Exemptions


Effective April 15, 2000, the 13 and 20 WPM Morse code exam
requirements were eliminated. There has never been a means to be
exempted from the written exam or 5 WPM Morse exam requirements.

Procedures for Testing Candidates with Physical Disabilities

In addition to the accommodative procedures discussed above, the
following information is provided by the Courage Handiham System to
assist you in providing examinations to people with disabilities. The
main thing to remember is to adapt the test procedure to the methods
the candidate uses for normal day to day activity. The more independent
the candidate can be in the testing process, the more valid the test
results. Many people with disabilities have their own methods of
dealing with day to day activities such as writing letters and checks.
Asking the candidate how he or she normally deals with these activities
will help you provide a more professional testing session. If you have
a question about testing the physically disabled and if that question
is not answered here, please call the ARRL/VEC. If we don’t have the
answer when you call, we’ll discuss your question with the staff of
the Courage Handiham System and get an answer as soon as possible.

Visually Impaired Candidates:

The major modification usually needed for testing blind and low-vision
candidates is that the tests are given orally. Read the exam questions
and multiple-choice selections to the candidate and then record the
candidate’s response on the answer sheet. Try to allow the candidate
the same opportunity sighted people enjoy: process of elimination;
reading the questions and remaining answers again; narrowing down the
possibilities, skipping a question and returning later; and guessing.
This will require a much longer time than most exams so plan
accordingly. If you use someone other than a VE or trusted Ham to be
the reader, be sure the reader is familiar with the correct
pronunciation of amateur radio terms. The ARRL/VEC has a supply of
written-element examinations written in Braille; check with the
ARRL/VEC for availability. It is the experience of Handiham staff that
it is more efficient and effective to read the test to an applicant,
rather than to arrange for the Braille materials, unless there are
special circumstances that require it.

When testing a visually impaired candidate for proficiency in Morse
code, have him or her recite what’s copied letter-by-letter,
word-for-word or by stopping the tape at intervals. Some candidates may
choose to type their copy using a computer or Brailling device. If a
Brailling device is used the applicant must read the copy to the VE and
the VE should retain a transcribed copy with the Braille sheet. A power
Brailler is very noisy so hold the exam away from other candidates. A
manual Brailler requires the user to punch each individual “bump�
so character by character or word by word pausing may be necessary.

Cerebral Palsy:

Cerebral palsy is a disability with extreme variations ranging from
quadriplegia (paralysis of all limbs) and no speech communication to a
slight limp. Persons who are unable to speak or have a slowed speech
often need to find other means by which to dictate information to the
VE’s. The use of devices, such as word boards, large cards with the
individual multiple-choice letters printed on them so they can be
pointed at by the candidate and a keyboard that can be activated by
head wand or mouth stick are common alternatives to oral communication.


Multiple Sclerosis (MS):

Like cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis has many variations depending
on which part of the body is affected. The ability to read or write
varies, depending on the extent of disability. Blurred or double vision
is often present. The primary difficulty for most MS candidates is
fatigue. Because of medication and fatigue, the time of the day when
the person is most alert is the best time for him or her to be tested.
For this reason, home testing or special arrangements are sometimes
appropriate for people with MS.

Muscular Dystrophy:

People with muscular dystrophy experience muscle weakness and fatigue.
They’re generally able to read and write their own exams.
Occasionally Morse code exams may need to be given orally, as is done
for sight-impaired candidates, if the candidate isn’t physically able
to write fast enough. This isn’t usually needed, however, unless the
candidate has serious physical limitations. People with muscular
dystrophy may find home testing or special arrangements by VE teams
necessary, depending on the level of muscular weakness.

Arthritis:

Arthritis can make it difficult for people to sit in one position for
long periods so VE’s need to keep in mind that they need to allow
breaks so that the candidate may stretch or move around. This should be
done at a convenient time between exam elements. Candidates with
arthritic discomfort may not be able to copy the code by hand on paper
and may ask to take the exam orally.

Hearing Impairments:

These candidates won’t require special assistance in taking the
written exams (unless also have a vision loss). Because hearing
impairments can vary from absolute deafness to only a limited degree of
tonal deafness, it may be difficult to administer the Morse code
examination with candidates who have a hearing impairment. To
administer the code examination to candidates with limited hearing
impairment, vary the volume and/or tone frequency to those they can
hear. If special-frequency tapes are needed (for any tone frequency
other than 720-750 Hz [ARRL/VEC tapes are generated at 720 Hz]), the
Team Liaison should request them--indicating the specified
frequency--when registering the session. If amplification isn’t
feasible, the use of a transducer (usually supplied by the candidate)
that allows the candidate to feel the code is a possible alternative (a
large woofer speaker with a lot of bass response has worked in the
past). A flashing light, or a computerized equivalent, can be used if
the applicant has practiced the technique.

Heart and Lung Conditions:

People with serious heart or lung conditions may find travel to exam
sites too strenuous. Although they probably won’t have other special
requirements, arranging to hold the exam session in the home is often
necessary.

Spinal Cord Injuries:

People who have spinal cord injuries usually experience some degree of
paralysis. For the candidate able to use his or her hands effectively
enough to write, no modification is necessary, other than the site
being accessible to wheelchair applicants. For a quadriplegic candidate
(with no use of hands or feet) unable to write, it’s necessary for
him or her to read the exam (it doesn’t need to be read to them) and
let him or her dictate the answers. Likewise, the Morse code exam can
be given orally or can be typed on a keyboard with the use of a head
wand or mouth stick.

Stroke:

People who have suffered one or more strokes may require someone to
write the test answers for them because they may suffer from partial
paralysis. If aphasia (loss or impairment of the ability to use words)
is a problem, VE’s may need to have the candidate say and physically
point at the answer for a particular question. If their speech is
impaired, the candidate may indicate the Morse code characters by
pointing to letters on an alphabet board, to indicate that they
understand the text.

Epilepsy:

Some epileptic seizure activity can be triggered through anxiety and
nervousness. Therefore, keeping a relaxed and calm environment during
the test session, without undue waiting to take the exams, is
important. If candidates adjust their medication, through consultation
with their physician, they can control anxiety and/or nervousness.
Testing epileptic candidates in their homes to keep down stress is
sometimes necessary.

Each candidate’s situation is different and these are only general
guidelines. This is not a total list and there are many other
conditions that may call for adaptive testing. In all cases, keeping
the test session as non-stressful as possible will result in the best
performance by the candidate, and will make the examination process
easier for everyone.

Bob Weinstock - Hammin' it Up!
http://pr.gallaudet.edu/otg/BackIssues.asp?ID=1737

When people who are radio enthusiasts and who know Bob Weinstock see
his telltale red Toyota pickup truck with the license plate W3RQ, they
wonder how a deaf person can possibly be an amateur radio operator. The
fact is that Weinstock has been licensed since he was 13 years old, and
holds the Extra class license, which allows him full access to all
amateur frequencies and operating modes.

“I learned Morse Code in Boy Scouts, and my older brother got his ham
license soon afterward, so naturally I followed in his footsteps,�
said Weinstock.

Weinstock said that most of the earliest radio pioneers were amateur
radio operators. Even today, hams are at the forefront of virtually
every technological innovation, and are involved in many communication
emergencies. When a tornado struck La Plata, Md., last spring, ham
operators went on the air and provided a communication link for
emergency personnel. They also provided communications during the
September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the
Pentagon, and during hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural
disasters when telephone and commercial communication channels are
disrupted.

Amateur radio operators come from all walks of life. The late Barry
Goldwater, a Republican senator from Arizona and 1964 presidential
candidate, and the late King Hussein of Jordan were both hams. Other
hams, still active today, include Walter Cronkite, retired CBS News
anchor; Patty Loveless, country music singer; Joseph Taylor, a
Princeton University professor who won the Nobel Prize in physics in
1993; and many of today’s NASA astronauts and mission specialists.

All U.S. amateur radio operators hold licenses issued by the Federal
Communications Commission. They earn licenses by passing Morse Code
tests and multiple-choice examinations in electronics theory and FCC
laws and regulations. Currently, there are three classes of license:
Technician, General, and Extra.

When Weinstock earned his Extra class license, he had to demonstrate
his ability to copy Morse Code at 20 words per minute. “Morse code is
actually quite easy for a deaf person; the dots and dashes are just
like the pure tones in a hearing test,� he explained. He has won
several Morse Code competitions at amateur radio gatherings through the
years. Although he is not currently “on the air,� he maintains his
ability to copy Morse Code at high rates of speed. “I use a cable
connected from my radio directly to my hearing aid, or put my hand on
the receiver speaker to help me copy,� said Weinstock.

Amateur radio operators communicate in many ways, including Morse Code,
voice, and digital modes such as radioteletype and packet radio.
“Many people know that Robert Weitbrecht, a deaf physicist, invented
the modem that made our vast TTY network possible,� said Weinstock.
“What they may not know is that Dr. Weitbrecht was an avid ham. He
came up with the idea while using amateur radioteletype, or RTTY.�
Today, ham radio operators even bounce signals off the moon, design and
launch satellites into space, and talk with astronauts on the space
shuttle and international space station.

A systems trainer with Information Technology Services and part-time
English instructor, Weinstock is a 1977 and 1983 graduate of Gallaudet,
but a loyal member of the Class of ‘76. When he leaves campus each
evening by the MSSD gate at Brentwood Parkway on his drive home to
Takoma Park, he notes that Telegraph Hill Road is the site of the first
telegraph line in America, between Washington, D.C., and Baltimore, Md.

There are over 500,000 amateur radio operators in the United States,
and many more worldwide. In this country, many hams are members of the
American Radio Relay League, the national association for amateur
radio, headquartered in Newington, Conn., two miles from the American
School for the Deaf in West Hartford. Weinstock served on the ARRL
Board of Directors in the late 1980s.

For more information about amateur radio, go to the ARRL web site at
http://www.arrl.org.

"John S." wrote:

wrote:
Maybe each State's Department of Motor Vehicles should do away with
requiring people to get Drivers Licenses too.Judging from the way some
people around here drive,running red lights and stop signs and failing
to yield the right of way and speeding and doing everything they are not
suppose to do,,, they might as well.Operating a motor vehicle on public
roads is not a Right,it is a Privaledge.It should be the same way with
Ham Radio Operators too.
cuhulin

Requiring that a test taker be able to translate dits and dahs into
letters is only proof that the prospective ham has some command of a
little used language - morse code. It does nothing to show that the
prospective ham can operate a station effectively, safely and
courteously. It is akin to requiring that prospective drivers also be
able to use a buggy whip.

Same old tired excuse thrown out by those who are too lazy and unwilling to
learn.

dxAce
Michigan
USA

dxAce wrote:
"John S." wrote:

cut
Requiring that a test taker be able to translate dits and dahs into
letters is only proof that the prospective ham has some command of a
little used language - morse code. It does nothing to show that the
prospective ham can operate a station effectively, safely and
courteously. It is akin to requiring that prospective drivers also be
able to use a buggy whip.

Same old tired excuse thrown out by those who are too lazy and unwilling to
learn.

nah your post was the same tired chestnut of a hypocrtie that is more
in frat boy stuff than radio

dxAce
Michigan
USA

an old friend wrote:
dxAce wrote:
"John S." wrote:

cut
Requiring that a test taker be able to translate dits and dahs into
letters is only proof that the prospective ham has some command of a
little used language - morse code. It does nothing to show that the
prospective ham can operate a station effectively, safely and
courteously. It is akin to requiring that prospective drivers also be
able to use a buggy whip.

Same old tired excuse thrown out by those who are too lazy and unwilling to
learn.

nah your post was the same tired chestnut of a hypocrtie

What in the world is a "chestnut of a hypocrtie"

that is more
in frat boy stuff than radio

And what is "frat boy stuff".

Typical DXACE nonsense....