You're right Advanced was harder, Extra was just a bunch of rules, very
little theory.


Maybe Riley H. should take a look at the people who ran your Extra
Class examination. If it is as you said, then they didn't do it right.



Ed WB6SAT

"Ed G." wrote in message
. ..


You're right Advanced was harder, Extra was just a bunch of rules, very
little theory.


Maybe Riley H. should take a look at the people who ran your Extra
Class examination. If it is as you said, then they didn't do it right.



Ed WB6SAT



Talk to the Friendly Candy Company, they gave it.

--
Clif

"Helmut" wrote in message
...
......
what are you guys going to do, if you hear a station from lets say VK, GB,
DL, HB9, and many others, among them rare DX countries? First thing to ask
wether or not they did pass the CW Test? and then not continuing the QSO??
Would this be polite? hamlike? How would your reaction be if some DX ham
offends you like that?


The point is not that wanting qualified operators to have CW or any other
radio-related skill is done for any reason of elitism, it is that it USED
to take much effort to EARN a license. Now you can get the answers to
memorize for a few (far too few) questions and "earn" a license with only a
few days of "study". Those of us who took the exams at the FCC offices
without any chance of helpful hints, winks or nudges by those giving the
exam do not like seeing all our efforts wasted. I had a lot of trouble and
spent many, many hours studying to pass the 20 WPM test. I don't even like
CW operation very much. But I was glad I spent the time because it really
meant something to pass the tests. Now, I realize that it will have been a
WASTED EFFORT if this new plan goes through since I would have had extra
privileges anyway.

10-4 good buddy, I guess I might as well sell my linears at the nearest
truck stop.
---- Brian

Maybe Riley H. should take a look at the people who ran your
Extra Class examination. If it is as you said, then they didn't do
right.


Talk to the Friendly Candy Company, they gave it.


Help me out here, Clif. The FCC hasn't tested in many years, and I
can't find any Extra Class holders under your name in the FCC database???


Ed WB6SAT

The point is not that wanting qualified operators to have CW or any
other radio-related skill is done for any reason of elitism, it is
that it USED to take much effort to EARN a license. portion snipped
But I was glad I spent the time because it really meant something to
pass the tests. Now, I realize that it will have been a WASTED
EFFORT if this new plan goes through since I would have had extra
privileges anyway.


Brian, I understand your sentiment as I partly feel the same way, but
from what you have said above, it does appear that you place perhaps a bit
more value in your accomplishment in getting the license, and maybe a bit
too little in just enjoying the hobby?

Ed WB6SAT

Brian and Ed,

it is never wasted time, to learn and study, we are doing this our life
long. When brian where studying his 20wpm code, this was a bonehard job, and
he got his ticket. Now (maybe since many years) you are still enjoying
hamradio and you had many years of fun with it. To call this WASTED EFFORT,
you should have been waiting till you get the same ticket codefree. You
would have missed a lot of fun throughout the years.

Don't mourn about the reached, look out to have fun on the bands.

And, to answer some of the concernes about rottening down the holy HF-Band
in a CB-manner: Here in Europe, almost all the countries did go the way the
WRC agreed on. And there are zumteen thousand of Radio Amateurs, like in VK,
now reanimating the bands, a little humble for the beginning, maybe, but I
never heard, what you call CB-manners. Maybe this is a problem over there in
the US. We are going to help these new HF-Hams to step onto the train. And
we welcome them as if they were passing the same test as we did.

Greetings from the heart of Europe

Helmut
OE8SOQ
"Ed G." schrieb im Newsbeitrag
. ..


The point is not that wanting qualified operators to have CW or any
other radio-related skill is done for any reason of elitism, it is
that it USED to take much effort to EARN a license. portion snipped
But I was glad I spent the time because it really meant something to
pass the tests. Now, I realize that it will have been a WASTED
EFFORT if this new plan goes through since I would have had extra
privileges anyway.


Brian, I understand your sentiment as I partly feel the same way, but
from what you have said above, it does appear that you place perhaps a bit
more value in your accomplishment in getting the license, and maybe a bit
too little in just enjoying the hobby?

Ed WB6SAT

http://www.nocode.org/



"Ed G." wrote in message
. ..


It's all part of the "dumbing down of America" that has been going on
for the last 20-30 years.

Seems to me it started back farther than that.... probably in the late
60's when the "new math" was being pushed by pointy headed liberal
educators.



Ed WB6SAT

"Ed G." wrote in message
. ..

Maybe Riley H. should take a look at the people who ran your
Extra Class examination. If it is as you said, then they didn't do
right.


Talk to the Friendly Candy Company, they gave it.


Help me out here, Clif. The FCC hasn't tested in many years, and I
can't find any Extra Class holders under your name in the FCC database???


Ed WB6SAT


You're right, I never passed the code. Something about tinny headphones and
a noisy room. Except for Novice all my tests were given by the FCC in their
office downtown.

--
Clif Holland, KA5IPF

Bob:

Please keep in mind that, in general, the ham HF frequencies are much
friendly (and saner) than the newsgroups.

I've only been licensed a little over two years (I didn't "stop off" at
Tech). When studying for 4 exams, I posted a some questions to several of
the ham newsgroups -- mostly seeking advice on how to learn Code. There were
quite a few rants and raves. I was accused of trolling; I was told that
since I would pass easy tests, I would never be a REAL ham; I was told to go
back to the chicken band (despite the fact that I have never been on CB);
etc. etc.

I became very scared. If hams were this nasty, did I really want to invest
the time and money in this new hobby? Luckily a few kind souls were
supportive and friendly -- enough so that I went ahead and passed all the
elements the first time (which does prove they are too easy grin).

Once I got on the air almost everyone was kind, supportive, friendly,
helpful (add your own positive adjectives here). So, Bob, ignore the rants
here. I'm sure you will find that the vast majority will welcome you to HF.
Well, perhaps not on 75 meters. grin

Paul AB0SI





"Bob" wrote in message
...

Amen Bill,

There is one point that has not been addressed.

There will be a group of new hams on the HF bands, myself included,
how are you going to welcome them? Are you going to help them become
good legal operators or are you going to label them CB plussers, and
ignore, tout them?

Think about it. Here will be a pool of individuals who have expressed
a intrest in the hobby, treat them well and instruct them, you have to
have new blood to carry the tourch. They might even see the advantages
of CW and learn it!

I learned it in the Navy, but only use it when necessary for effective
communications.

Bob

KE4ZRU

Ex. Airborne Communications Officer
Ex. Staff Communications Officer

"Brian Bailey" wrote in message
...

"Helmut" wrote in message
...
.....
what are you guys going to do, if you hear a station from lets say VK,
GB,
DL, HB9, and many others, among them rare DX countries? First thing to
ask
wether or not they did pass the CW Test? and then not continuing the
QSO??
Would this be polite? hamlike? How would your reaction be if some DX ham
offends you like that?


The point is not that wanting qualified operators to have CW or any other
radio-related skill is done for any reason of elitism, it is that it USED
to take much effort to EARN a license. Now you can get the answers to
memorize for a few (far too few) questions and "earn" a license with only
a
few days of "study". Those of us who took the exams at the FCC offices
without any chance of helpful hints, winks or nudges by those giving the
exam do not like seeing all our efforts wasted. I had a lot of trouble
and
spent many, many hours studying to pass the 20 WPM test. I don't even
like
CW operation very much. But I was glad I spent the time because it really
meant something to pass the tests. Now, I realize that it will have been
a
WASTED EFFORT if this new plan goes through since I would have had extra
privileges anyway.

10-4 good buddy, I guess I might as well sell my linears at the nearest
truck stop.
---- Brian




No Brian it is not a wasted effort on your part. You did it the right way.
You didn't whine and bitch and moan until the testing was dumbed down to the
lowest denominator.

Unfortunatly this country is showing the rest of the world how NOT to do
things. If this sort of attitude persists we will cease to be a power on
this planet. And I don't mean military power.

I too had considered tossing it all away. But I won't. I am too dedicated
to the service to do that.

I will 'attempt' to show and if needed, to correct those that want to drag
the service downward to the level of CB.

I think this may actually help us CW types out. I expect a lot of folks
will be dragging out the keys to re-enter what they know was ham radio.

Dan/W4NTI