[Boatanchors] Cereal box license

[rbethman]

Ray,

I couldn't agree more!

Bob - N0DGN

RAY FRIESS wrote:
> It is kind of a broad brush approach.  However, in many cases it is true.
> It used to be that a person actually had to know theory.  When I got 
> my license in the 60s, part of the exam included actually DRAWING 
> schematics of power supplies and other things.  So, you HAD to know 
> what you were talking about.
>  
> Over about the last ten to 15 years, that changed.  The FCC decided 
> you really didn't need to KNOW that stuff or demonstrate any 
> electronics knowledge.  With the advent of the all multiple choice 
> exam, even for the code test, you had a good chance of passing the 
> exam by guessing at almost everything, or knowing only a MINIMAL 
> amount of theory.
>  
> So, when a ham now days says he can't test a piece of equipment, I 
> take him at his word .. and also look at his call sign to see if it 
> was issued within the last 20 years.   The ham is usually being honest 
> if he says he can't check it out because he can't.  He wasn't required 
> to learn that much in order to get his license.
>  
> This is not to cast aspersions on the character of todays hams.  Most 
> are great guys..   They just know little or nothing about how their 
> radios operate other than you turn on the power switch and push the 
> mic button.
>