[Elecraft] FCC exams

[Dick Roth--KA1OZ]

Going up to the Custom House in the oldest part of Boston was always
faced with great trepidation.  The FCC examiners were men of very few
words.  They just passed out the written exams and turned on the
terrifying Code Machine and didn't say much else!

I had to visit the place three times to pass my 2nd Phone (now GROL)
exam because I couldn't make it past Question 70 before having to excuse
myself to visit the Men's Room.  Naturally, that was that...no re-entry.
It finally dawned on me not to drink anything from the night before and
to forgo my morning coffee.  Hopefully, I've learned how to grasp the
obvious more quickly since then.

-- 
73 de Dick, ka1oz

Elecraft K3/100(K) #859
G5RV Doublet
Titan-DX Vertical


On Wed, 2012-08-29 at 08:59 -0700, Ron D'Eau Claire wrote:
> My experiences were just the reverse, in the San Francisco, Los Angeles and
> San Diego FCC offices. The staff was extremely helpful and friendly while
> taking all three Amateur and five Commercial license tests over a period of
> years. My last test was taken in San Francisco the early 1990's after I had
> let my Commercial Radiotelegraph license lapse too long and had to re-sit
> the exam. I was told that was the last test administered by the FCC in San
> Francisco. 
> 
> Later I went to a private testing company for my GMDSS Operator's and
> Maintainer's licenses.
> 
> All of the tests were handled well with no issues, both in the written and
> CW receiving and sending, which involved a judgment call by the examiner.
> (Applicants for both commercial and Ham licenses had to demonstrate their
> ability to send on a straight key to the satisfaction of the FCC Examiner as
> well as receive CW at the required speed.) 
> 
> Of course, I was there and ready before the start time too. 
> 
> 73, Ron AC7AC
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> 
> I have heard such statements as that about the FCC testing and the way it
> was done. I have also heard how easy it was to get a license back then not
> like today where you have to have photo proof (3) pieces in hand to even
> take the test. Not like when the FCC gave them a DL and old license was
> given to someone to take the tests for them friends, brother-in-law or a
> paid for the task. It was a common event because on a lack of identification
> that we have in testing now.
> 
> Just another good reason that it's been done away with to have stopped that
> abuse.
> 
> 
> 73,
> Fred/N0AZZ
> 
> 
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