[Elecraft] Sad day for amateur radio

[EricJ]

I was playing off Craig Rairdin's comment that "...the fastest code test I
passed was 13 WPM for my General in 1974, so there are probably some 20 WPM
Extras out there who can't stand to be in the room with me either". I'm sure
he was kidding as I was. I forgot to pepper my post with sideways winky
faces so it would be obvious. 

Code has been an artificial barrier to entry for a long time. I fought every
attempt to reduce or eliminate code. In the end, the joke was on me.
Reducing it didn't hurt ham radio, and eliminating it will most likely help.
Not to swell our ranks, but to bring in quality people who will advance the
hobby, but have always thought ham radio was irrelevant. And those newcomers
who are bright enough will recognize for themselves when Morse Code makes
sense and they will use it.

Frankly, I think the written tests have been FAR more irrelevant than the
code test. I doubt I could pass even a General written test today without
study. And "study" would amount to memorizing a lot of things I have never
used in 48 years, and no doubt wouldn't use for the rest of my time as a
ham.
 
BTW, 30 years ago I bought a Victor pocket calculator the size of a brick
that would only add and subtract for $135. I can't stand being in the same
room with people with free calculators on their tiny free cell phones....
;^)
 
Eric
KE6US

  _____  

From: N2EY at aol.com [mailto:N2EY at aol.com] 
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2005 3:34 AM
To: eric_csuf at hotmail.com; craigr at laridian.com; elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Sad day for amateur radio


In a message dated 7/21/05 1:30:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
eric_csuf at hotmail.com writes:




those of us who took our 13 wpm AND 20 wpm code tests in front of a
grumpy FCC Inspector waiting for retirement instead of a collegial VE buddy
can't stand to be in the same room with ANY of you guys! 





Not true!

In the summer of 1968, at the age of 14, I passed the General and Advanced
written tests as well as 13 wpm receiving and sending.

In the summer of 1970, at the age of 16, I passed the Extra written test as
well as 20 wpm receiving and sending. I took the test at the first session
after the 2 year
waiting period for Extra had elapsed.

Both tests were at the FCC office at 2nd and Chestnut in Philadelphia, in
front of FCC examiner Joe Welch (locally known as Joe Squelch for his
no-nonsense demeanor). Sending tests were done with a straight key,
receiving with a legal pad and #2 pencil. For the 20 wpm code I was the 
only person taking the test.

The fact that some hams didn't have to meet the requirements I did is 
not their "fault". FCC makes the rules - blame FCC if there's a problem,
not those who met the new requirements rather than the old ones. I
don't like many of the rules changes of the past 20-25 years, but it's the
FCC that made them, not the newer hams.

btw, from those days to the present, I have always been able to pass
the current license exams. I take an online practice exam every few months
just to stay in shape, as it were. Nothing to it. 

--

8 years ago I paid a lot of money for a 200 MHz 32 mb P1 Dell PC. Today you
can get a lot more computer from the same outfit for a lot less money.
Should I be mad at those who didn't pay what I did in 1997?

73 de Jim, N2EY