[CW] Re: [Fists] Let's Face It!!

[Ken Brown]

First I would like to congratulate the seven year old Extra and welcome 
her to ham radio. I hope she has good coaching from her ham family and 
friends, so that she learns how to use that license, and becomes a 
skilled and active radio operator. She probably does have very good 
support from her father and other family, since she was able to pass the 
exams.

Having said that, while I do not want to belittle her accomplishment, I 
do have a few comments about the efficacy of the exams today. When I was 
seven years old I knew how to add, subtract, multiply and divide. I 
could probaby solve for x in fairly simple equations, that did not 
require squares or square roots. Would I have been able to figure out 
the length of a half wave dipole at a given frequency, if I remembered 
the formula? Probably. Would I have been able to figure out the resonant 
frequency given capitance and inductance? Probably not. Maybe these 
things just arent on the exams anymore. Or maybe there are just so few 
questions that require this kind of calculation that you can miss them 
and still pass the exam. I think it is more likely that people pass the 
exams by memorizing the questions and correct answer, and not by really 
understanding the principals. Maybe this would actually be okay for an 
entry level license. Especially if the examinee memorizes operating 
procedure and regulations. Things that can make the difference between a 
good operator and someone who produces a lot of QRM. Technical details 
may not be so important for the appliance operator these days.

To earn a General and especially an Extra class license I think real 
understanding of radio principals should be required. As long as the 
exact wording of all exam questions and answers is published, people 
will be able to pass the exams by memorization without real understanding.

DE N6KB

Thomas G Dolph wrote:

>I wondered about that seven or eight year old extra ham
>myself.  Maybe she's an exceptionally brilliant kid.
>
>No offense intended to the father, who no doubt is a
>good ham and a great guy.  But it's hard to see how a child
>of that age can understand algebra, etc.
>
>Before I took my advanced exam, I had studied the ARRl license manual,
>and I learned how to do the impedance
>calculations, and how to convert complex numbers, and 
>all that stuff.  My test paper had all the calculations supporting
>the multiple choice answers I gave.
>
>You know, those calculations would have given me plenty
>of trouble, if I hadn't learned the loop theorem and the junction
>theorem, and complex numbers, and impedance
>in my college physics classes.
>
>So I don't see how a seven year old could have that same amount of
>understanding.
>
>vy 73,
>Tom Dolph  KG9LZ
>Fists CW Club nr 5769
>"When You've Worked A FISTS, You've Worked A Friend"
>
>On Sun, 01 Feb 2004 07:48:36 -0700 Stanley <staniw@abq.com> writes:
>
>  
>
>>test. There is no requirement to have ANY knowledge at
>>all, just a good memory. There are NO Schematics to draw, no antennas 
>>to 
>>design by remembering the formulas, there is nothing
>>that requires you to REALLY know what in the hell you are doing, just 
>>a 
>>good memory and a note from your mother. I saw an
>>article in an e mail (Think it was the ARRL newsletter) that a seven 
>>or 
>>eight year old just became the youngest extra class ever.
>>WOW!!! That is exciting!! I wonder how many schematics and designs 
>>that 
>>little feller can do?? Would be interesting to know.
>>    
>>
>
>  
>
>>shovelling **** against the tide.
>>73's de Stan W5ZF #6183
>>QRP ARCI #5582
>>DXCC Honor Roll 350/350 all with less than 100 watts and wire antennas
>>    
>>
>
>
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>



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