[Boatanchors] Upgrade question

Bob Macklin macklinbob at msn.com
Sun Sep 14 10:41:22 EDT 2008


In my case I did not see the necessity to upgrade to Extra to have access to
a small area that I never saw much operating in except during contests.

All the "AM Windows" were in the General segments. There was plenty of CW
activity in the General CW segments.

When I first looked at the Extra question pool about 5 years ago I was
turned off by the satellite stuff and computer oriented stuff. My digital
interests are limited to RTTY and PSK. The computer does not make the noise
my old Model 15 or Mite teleprinters did.

But last Winter something gave me the challenge to just got take the test
and see what the result was. I knew I knew more about radio than many others
I knew that had Extra tickets.

Was it a couple years ago the FCC gave the phone people 80% of the 80/75M
band? I was sorry to see the Novice CW segment go. I told Sumner several
years ago that I thought it was a mistake to eliminate the Novice Class
license. I still think it's  mistake.

But the Tech Class has been dumbed down to pretty much what the old Novice
Class was. When I took the Tech concurrent with my Novice in 1957 I had to
pass the General written. But hat kind of knowledge is no longer required of
a tech. To me the new Tech Class is misleading. They should have just
dropped the CW requirement for Tech and kept the knowledge level as it was.
But what they did is what produced the migration from the CB band to the 2M
FM bands. Was it right or wrong. I think it was dumb.

But it probably did sell more RICEBOXES and even produced new members for
the ARRL.

What percentage of NO-CODE Techs upgrade to a higher level?

Bob Macklin
K5MYJ
Seattle, Wa,
"Real Radios Glow in the Dark"

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sheldon Daitch" <sdaitch at kuw.ibb.gov>
Cc: "Boatanchors list" <boatanchors at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, September 14, 2008 7:08 AM
Subject: Re: [Boatanchors] Upgrade question


> I made a a point or two higher on my Extra exam a few years ago, but as
> you, Bob,
> I got spurred as well.
>
> I'd had a General since, well, nothing to do with Gen Patton being a
> sergeant,
> but from the 1960s era, and just never had a real reason to upgrade. I
> wasn't active on
> HF, so the extra bandwidth did not excite me.
>
> A friend of mine from work had gotten his, and I figured if he could do
> it, so could I.
> That was the spur.
>
> I downloaded the ARRL Q&A pool, went through the pool doing the ones I
> could answer
> without doing a lot, then some study on the ones I didn't know, and  a
> passing grade
> over in Stafford Co VEC in December a few years back.   I think the Q&A
> pool has
> made the testing easier, easier to learn, but perhaps still requires
> some knowledge of
> the material, or a great memory.  But still easier than the days when I
> got my
> General years back.  (Or maybe I've just learned more!)
>
> 73
> Sheldon
> WA4MZZ
>
> Bob Macklin wrote:
> > In my case I tried the practice exams for a couple of days and concluded
I
> > already knew about 80% of the answers.
> >
> > After getting pushed a bit I took the Extra exam just to see how I could
do.
> > I got 80% correct the first time. The examiner asked if I wanted to try
> > again? LOL! 80% was good enough for me!
> >
> > Bob Macklin
> >
> >
> _______________________________________________
>



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