In article , "Phil Kane"
writes:

On 11 Jul 2003 10:59:42 -0700, N2EY wrote:

As for technical contributions, the writtens cover a wide variety of
subjects at a very basic level. Meaning you have to know a little bit
about a lot of things to pass, but knowing a lot about a few things
doesn't help you.

The person who is really interested in, say, antenna systems, is
forced to learn all sorts of stuff about other subjects to pass the
written tests - stuff that he/she may never use and isn't interested
in. Stuff which is not needed for the proper and legal operation of an
amateur station. Sounds like a hoop-jump.

I for one have no problem requiring an applicant for an amateur
license to be well-rounded in radio and electronics, both theory and
operations including regulations.

Nor do I, Phil.

Seems to me that a person who is "well rounded" in amateur radio will have at
least some skill in Morse code, though.

There was lots of stuff that I was "forced" to learn in all three of
my professions (which I sometimes refer to as shoeshine boy, baggage
handler, and bus washer) but even though I may never use it in my
specialty, it was necessary to learn it in order to be a "well-rounded"
individual who can easily follow and evaluate what specialists in those
other fields say rather than just smiling, nodding my head, and not having
a clue.

Same here. But amateur radio is an avocation, not a profession.

Applying it to ham radio, the operator who may be a good traffic
handler but doesn't have a clue about what OET 65 requires of all
ham operators (OK folks, look it up) is going to be behind the
eight-ball if s/he's not in compliance. Ditto for the one who is an
antenna maven but doesn't have a clue about digital communication
protocols and emission masks.

Only if the person wants to do those things.

Without the "generalist" background I'd be just another narrow geek.

Exactly! I'm sure you realize that I was in "devil's advocate" mode. Just
applying the anticodetest rhetoric to the writtens.

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane
"Highball the scanner"

73 de Jim, N2EY

"No defects found...."

Bill Sohl wrote:


The tests are an entry gate

That's a crock and you should know it. The entry level tests are indeed an entry
gate, as the name indicates. Or that's how it was set up and was intended to be. But
you whiners
who want everything handed to you on a platter wouldn't let qualifications remain
meaningful, so an overburdened, underfunded FCC was happy to start the big dumbdown
which will continue until there's nothing left to destroy but what little is then
left of our allocations. THEN we won't be much of a problem to the FCC, and they know
it.


...not the final exam.

The Final Exam comes much later.


That has always been the case with ARS.

You continue to show how little you actually know about the ARS.

"Dick Carroll" wrote in message
...


Bill Sohl wrote:


The tests are an entry gate

That's a crock and you should know it. The entry level tests are indeed an
entry
gate, as the name indicates. Or that's how it was set up and was intended
to be. But
you whiners
who want everything handed to you on a platter wouldn't let qualifications
remain
meaningful, so an overburdened, underfunded FCC was happy to start the big
dumbdown
which will continue until there's nothing left to destroy but what little
is then
left of our allocations. THEN we won't be much of a problem to the FCC,
and they know
it.


...not the final exam.

The Final Exam comes much later.

Guess my Part 97 document doesn't include the section on
ham radio final exams. Please copy us all on where to find it Dick.

That has always been the case with ARS.

You continue to show how little you actually know about the ARS.

Strange, even my 1957 ARRL handbook doesn't mention
anything about how and where to take a ham radio final exam.

Cheers,
Bill K2UNK

Bill Sohl wrote:


The Final Exam comes much later.

Guess my Part 97 document doesn't include the section on
ham radio final exams. Please copy us all on where to find it Dick.

Some time around the time when you begin to push up the daisys, Bill.

Dick Carroll wrote in message ...
Bill Sohl wrote:


The Final Exam comes much later.

Guess my Part 97 document doesn't include the section on
ham radio final exams. Please copy us all on where to find it Dick.

Some time around the time when you begin to push up the daisys, Bill.

Now we've got DICK trying to invoke the actuarial tables.

Do we need Dann to weigh in on this?