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February 25th 05, 11:46 AM

wrote in news:1109271864.160442.290220
@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:

Alun L. Palmer wrote:
"bb" wrote in news:1109208496.863217.225020
@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com:

wrote:
Jim, , wrote on Tues, Feb 22 2005 1:47 am
Alun L. Palmer wrote:
wrote in news:1109009984.323422.143080
@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com:

5wpm isn't very fast, but why is it required to operate phone?

A couple of reasons:

For the same reason hams have to pass written *theory* tests to
use *manufactured* rigs with no critical tuneup adjustments.

1. The FCC decided it needed to test radio amateurs as part of
their task of regulating all U.S. civil radio.

And that testing includes both written and code testing. FCC has
decided
that both are necessary for HF/MF license privileges. Of course that
could have been changed any time after mid-July of 2003, but so far FCC
has decided not to.

2. The VEC Question Pool Committee decides WHAT
the questions are; FCC only specifies a total number and
the percentage correct for passing.

INCORRECT!

*ALL* questions in the written exam pools have to be approved by FCC,
both for inclusion and removal. While the questions, answers and
distractors are
created by the QPC, they must be approved by FCC.

3. Any other reason is meaningless... ;-)

The plain, simple fact of the matter is that the same arguments used
against the code test can be used - and are being used - against
almost all of what is in the written test.

The USA VEC decided to return the Morse Code exam to 13-15WPM rate
despite FCC regulations to the contrary.

INCORRECT!

The use of Farnsowrth-spaced Morse is simply a recommended practice,
not a requirement. If someone wants non-Farnsworth Morse for Element 1,
the VEs will accomodate them.

Not exactly. It's Farnsworth method with an overall speed of 5wpm.
That gives the brain longer to decode each character, and the hgiher
speed of the individual characters still doesn't force you to read the
character as a whole. It's still possible to read the individual dots
and dashes.

It may be possible for *some* individuals to count dits and dahs at
13-16 wpm character speed, but for most people who have been evaluated
it is easier to hear the letter or number as a unit of sound. The
exaggerated spacing between the letters/numbers allows more recognition
time, and particularly more time to write or type the letter/number.
Hence Farnsworth spacing usually makes it *easier* to pass the test.

Bearing all that in mind, I have no problem with it.

Nor I.

What did annoy me was that the NCVEC did eliminate the multi-choice
option in direct response to the abolition of the 13 and 20wpm tests,
so the 5wpm test is now harder than it was before, for no other reason
than to make it harder.

IIRC, FCC outlawed multiple choice code tests. While NCVEC may have
commented against them, FCC makes the rules.

Multiple-choice was eliminated because FCC decided it didn't really
test the skill as required. There was a *lot* of comment against the
multiple choice code test.

Perhaps a compromise could be used. Suppose the code test were replaced
with a test of - say - skill in solving transmission-line problems with
the Smith Chart...

73 de Jim, N2EY

There already are Smith Chart questions in the pool