Check This Out:


http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/12/03/1/?nc=1

Note this:

"The General class question pool does not contain any diagrams or symbols."

Hans' proposal sounds better and better...

73 de Jim, N2EY

"N2EY" wrote


http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/12/03/1/?nc=1

Note this:

"The General class question pool does not contain any diagrams or
symbols."


NTI (No Theory International) at work in the background.

If this is a surprise to anyone, you only need examine the 'gang of four'
who is responsible for the question pools. This has the fingerprints of
W5YI smeared all over it. He has stated publicly that he feels that since
people who acquire entry level ham tickets invariably purchase their
equipment assembled these days, and send them in for repairs when broken,
they no longer need to possess theknowledge needed to build their own
stations, nor the knowledge to determine if their repairs/adjustments result
in proper on-the-air signals. Because of this fact, he thinks that the
majority of questions regarding math and theory (knowledge mainly needed to
build/repair/adjust equipment) should be removed from qualification tests,
and simply replaced with questions on operating technique and regulations.
If he had his way, math and theory questions would only be part of Amateur
Extra examinations.

73, de Hans, K0HB

"N2EY" wrote

Note this:

"The General class question pool does not contain any diagrams or
symbols."

Breaking news.....

......a member of the QPC informs me thusly....

"I'm sure QPC Chairman W4WW will chime in on this, but just be aware that
the committee has been continuing the posture established in 1987 by FCC
that the General pool has no graphics. ...... So, as with all General
pools since 1987, this one again has no graphics."

"KØHB" wrote in message link.net...
"N2EY" wrote


http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2003/12/03/1/?nc=1

Note this:

"The General class question pool does not contain any diagrams or
symbols."


NTI (No Theory International) at work in the background.

Incrementalism, too.

If this is a surprise to anyone, you only need examine the 'gang of four'
who is responsible for the question pools. This has the fingerprints of
W5YI smeared all over it. He has stated publicly that he feels that since
people who acquire entry level ham tickets invariably purchase their
equipment assembled these days, and send them in for repairs when broken,
they no longer need to possess theknowledge needed to build their own
stations, nor the knowledge to determine if their repairs/adjustments result
in proper on-the-air signals.

But the General isn't an entry-level license.

And people say there's no dumbing-down going on.

Because of this fact, he thinks that the
majority of questions regarding math and theory (knowledge mainly needed to
build/repair/adjust equipment) should be removed from qualification tests,
and simply replaced with questions on operating technique and regulations.

The current study manual has at least two pages on how to adjust VOX and anti-VOX.

Betcha it doesn't have diddly-squat about how to adjust a bug...

If he had his way, math and theory questions would only be part of Amateur
Extra examinations.

"Don't bother...they're here..."

73 de Jim, N2EY

"N2EY" wrote


And people say there's no dumbing-down going on.


As I noted in another post, Jim, this turns out to be old news. There
haven't been diagrams on the General examination for the past 15 years.

73, de Hans, K0HB

"KØHB" wrote:

This has the fingerprints of W5YI smeared
all over it. He has stated publicly that he feels
that since people who acquire entry level
ham tickets invariably purchase their
equipment assembled these days, and send
them in for repairs when broken, they no
longer need to possess theknowledge needed
to build their own stations, nor the knowledge
to determine if their repairs/adjustments result
in proper on-the-air signals. (snip)


While I cannot speak for someone else, I would reword that to say that
simple diagrams and a few questions in a license test is not going to
prepare someone to build or repair the complex radio equipment used by most
Amateurs today. To build such equipment, one would almost need an
engineering degree and a labortory full of equipment. Anything beyond the
most basic repairs would require considerable experience and a significant
investment in equipment. So, in my opinion, instead of trying to meet that,
the tests today serve as a basic introduction to electronics to both allow
those basic repairs and encourage some to seek real electronics training
elsewhere.


Dwight Stewart (W5NET)

http://www.qsl.net/w5net/

the tests today serve as a basic introduction to electronics to both allow
those basic repairs and encourage some to seek real electronics training
elsewhere.


Dwight Stewart (W5NET)

http://www.qsl.net/w5net/


BS, the test today do nothing of the sort, all these stupid test do anymore is
test someones ability to Memorize a Bunch of Q and As.

"Dwight Stewart" wrote

So, in my opinion, instead of trying to meet that,
the tests today serve as a basic introduction to electronics to both allow
those basic repairs and encourage some to seek real electronics training
elsewhere.

I'd agree with that in general principle. But it strikes me that the
ability to recognize the symbols for various electronic components in a
simple schmatic and to be able to navigate an elementary block diagram would
be essential to even the most elementary troubleshooting and repair tasks
that we'd expect a General class amateur to be able to accomplish.

73, de Hans, K0HB

"KØHB" wrote:

I'd agree with that in general principle.
But it strikes me that the ability to
recognize the symbols for various
electronic components in a simple
schmatic and to be able to navigate
an elementary block diagram would
be essential to even the most
elementary troubleshooting and repair
tasks that we'd expect a General class
amateur to be able to accomplish.


How many symbols are there now, Hans? A hundred or more? How much can we
include in the license tests before they become massive in size and
overwhelming in nature? We have to draw a line somewhere on what to include
and I'm satisfied with where that line is drawn now. By the way, the
Technician question pool I studied (July 97 ~ June 01 pool) did include some
simple block diagrams (transmitter and receiver), basic symbols (resisters,
capacitors, and so on), and even a couple of simple schematics. One
certainly couldn't build anything with that, but it was a good introduction.


Dwight Stewart (W5NET)

http://www.qsl.net/w5net/

"Dwight Stewart" wrote

How many symbols are there now, Hans? A hundred or more? How much can we
include in the license tests before they become massive in size and
overwhelming in nature?

I wouldn't venture a guess off the top of my head how many symbols there
are, but I'm not suggesting hundreds of questions on the test devoted to
this. Ten or 15 questions in the pool, with maybe a couple actually in any
given exam. Would that be too much for you to memorize ..... er, I mean
learn?

73, de Hans, K0HB