[KYHAM] interesting numbers

[Steve Ellington]

Confusing.
The FCC has "registered" Ham operators since the FCC was fist created.

Airwaves do not belong to "all citizens" any more than Texas belongs to
Mexico. Airwaves are like property. The right to use (occupy) part of them
belongs to the property owner (licensee).

The FCC is "unelected". So are ham operators. ARRL Officials are "elected" .
They are "elected" with the intent on representing the best interest of
amateurs which may or may not be what the majority wants.

Now what do I think the amateur exam should be like? Well here goes:

THE TEST:
Every prospective amateur should arrive at the testing sight with a small
tool kit consisting of soldering iron, solder, pliers etc.

The test administrator should first give the applicant a simple test on
operating procedures much like the old novice test.

Then the theory test should be given. It would be simple, multiple choice
test with questions about how a simple CW transmitter and Superhetrodyne
receiver function then some questions regarding electrical safety and signal
propagation. Actually a more simple test than given today. Maybe 25
questions.

Then the applicant would assemble a simple, one transistor, crystal
oscillator using battery power. The kit would consist of only a few parts
and a crystal. This would be included in a small license fee. Less than 20
minutes should be enough time to assemble the kit. There would be no
surprises here. The kit would be widely available to the public so anyone
could practice in advance. No excuses.

The applicant would then be required to connect a telegraph key and transmit
a CW signal across the room into a 40 meter ham band receiver at ANY speed
desired even 1 word per minute.

The administrator would then transmit back to the applicant, using the same
equipment, about 3 words at any speed, over and over again until the
applicant has it written down properly. The applicant would even be allowed
to have a code chart to translate with!

END OF TEST.



Steve
N4LQ

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <GARSTJOE@aol.com>
To: <N4LQ@igLou.com>; <wa4jqs@mikrotec.com>; <kyham@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, February 02, 2004 7:23 PM
Subject: Re: [KYHAM] interesting numbers


> Steve, I tend to agree about the "dumbing down" of the requirements, but I
do
> not think  removing the code requirements "dumbs" down the hobby.  I worry
> about a few un-elected ham operators wanting to tell everyone (ham and
non-ham
> citizens) what they can and cannot do when the airwaves belong equally to
all
> citizens.  If we are too dogmatic in our restrictions, the FCC might very
well
> decide "they" will take over registering Ham operators and then everything
> worked for will be lost.
>