RadioBanter - View Single Post

September 14th 03, 02:19 PM

In article , ospam
(Larry Roll K3LT) writes:

In article ,
(N2EY) writes:

Heck yes. In fact it went something like this:

First, ya had to have a General or Advanced for at least two years
before they'd even let ya try the Extra.

Then ya had to pass the receive test with at least 100 correct
consecutive legible characters. No going back and fixing things after
the code stopped, either, after the last dit it was PENCILS DOWN or ya
flunked right there.

If ya passed the receive, they let ya try sending with their straight
key or *your* speed key. You sent until the examiner was satisfied.

Only then did they let you try the written. Mess up at any point -
even one character or question - and it was "go home and study some
more and don't come back for at least 30 days". No CSCE, no partial
credit, nada, do it all first try at one sitting or it doesn't count
at all.

Dinosaur? Who ME?

Naw.

73 de Jim, N2EY

Jim:

Ah, yes, the good old days.

With all due respect, Larry - were you there?

Did you have to take a sending test?

Did you have to pass all of the elements to upgrade at the same time?

Did you have to wait 2 years to even try the Extra?

Challenging licensing requirements and
uncompromising testing procedures.

They've been "compromising" forever. Back before WW2 the exam was all blue book
essays. Before 1960 there was diagram drawing. The tests I took in 1967-70 were
"dumbed down" compared to those because my tests were all multiple choice.

Of course, all that is waaaaay too
PoliticKally IncorrecKt today, since someone with a particular ethnic
origin, skin color, religion, "gender," or a hangnail might not be able
to pass the first time or two. This certainly won't do in these
enlightened times.

None of that had anything to do with the license test changes.

Incentive Licensing came about in LBJ's time

Dick Bash did his stuff (and got away with it) when Nixon and Ford were in
office

The change to the VE system happened under Reagan

We got medical waivers because a "king" wanted a favor from George Bush 1.

We also got a nocodeham license because of GB 1.

Etc.

After all, it might "exclude" someone who is, in
reality, a nascent technical genius who just needs the ability to talk
on the HF phone bands in order to find the inspiration to create the
next fabulous new invention which will revolutionize electronic
communication for the rest of all time!

Or something like that.

Don't hold yer breath waiting for it, tho.

73 de Jim, N2EY