[Elecraft] Memorizing the Question Pool

[WILLIS COOKE]

Memorizing the question pool sounds familiar to me.  When I sat for the General I only had a license manual to study from.  I memorized the questions and answers verbatim.  I sat for the test, answered the questions, drew the diagrams and received my General 8 weeks later.  This was when I was 15 years old and starting my Junior year in high school, over 53 years ago in September of 1956.

Memorizing enough to pass is not a new thing.  I don't know when it started, but not recently.  I didn't know much when I got my General and it had full amateur privileges in those days.  But, I learned and so will the new hams that are being licensed in today's system.

Interestingly, after passing my Extra 20 years later, I sat for the Electrical Engineering Professional Engineer's License Exam.  It was open book, all essay type problems.  I found the help I needed more from the Radio Amateur's Handbook than from the other books that I brought.

I am also proud to say that my friend Neil passed his General last summer without a code test.  He passed his Extra Saturday without a code test.  We had a nice QSO on Sunday with weak signals and not so good conditions at about 20 wpm.  Morse Code is so much more fun when you use it because you want to instead of because you have to take a test.

Ham Radio was good in the 50s, CB didn't ruin it in the 60s and 70s and it will still be good in the future.  It depends on our attitude, not what the FCC does about testing.

Willis 'Cookie' Cooke 
K5EWJ