[Lowfer] Alternate Morse code test

[Lyle Koehler]

Regarding the "dumbing down" of the ham license exams:

When I took the Conditional test in 1951 and the General test in 1960, I
believe I was asked to draw one circuit diagram -- a crystal oscillator. I
don't know whether what I drew was correct or not, but I got a passing score
on the test. Most of the questions were multiple choice, and I remember the
same brain buster on both of the exams I took: What should be done to
prevent spurious oscillations resulting from inadequate screen bypassing?
One of the multiple-choice answers was "Adequately bypass the screen". Duh!

At that time, the question pools were not published, so you couldn't simply
memorize the answers. However, the ARRL and others put out license manuals
that were derived by "exit polling" people who had just taken the exams. The
questions in the manuals didn't match the test questions word for word, but
they were pretty darned close. And I'm guessing that there were less than
100 total questions in the General class question pool back then. Now there
are 400 or 500 questions in both the Tech and General pools, and you have to
take both tests to get a General. Back in 1960, the Tech and General written
tests were the same.

If in fact there is a lower percentage of questions on circuit theory and
construction in the present tests, that makes sense. A very small fraction
of hams build their own transceivers now, and most of that is from kits.
Imagine a written driver's license exam in which you are required to draw a
diagram of a 4-cycle engine, or calculate the kinetic energy stored in a
2000 lb vehicle traveling at 65 mph. Would knowing that make you a better
driver?

I believe part of this "dumbing down" myth is a matter of perspective. When
I was a kid walking to the one-room country school, the snow was often up to
my butt. It's not that the winters were more severe then; just that my butt
was a lot closer to the ground. If the tests seem easier now than they were
50 years ago, they damned well should after 50 years of ham experience!
Frankly, I don't find today's tests all that easy. I recently took the Extra
class exam on-line just to see if I could still pass. I did, but with far
less than a perfect score. And I'm an electrical engineer who has held an
Extra for 43 years! Many of the technologies covered in the present exam
didn't exist 40 or 50 years ago. If the objective of the license exams is to
exclude people from the hobby, the current written exams are certainly
adequate for the job.

For many years I wouldn't even consider getting on 20m SSB because it was
too much of a zoo. However, I'm on there almost daily now. Of course there
can be QRM at times -- it's the most popular band, and a lot of people are
trying to use it. 20m doesn't seem nearly as bad as it did a few years ago;
if anything the percentage of outright jerks and lids has decreased. And all
that has happened AFTER we let those indolent, scumbag 5 WPM space cadets
have access to the band!

I don't know what's worse -- 10-4 good buddy, or all this whining!

Lyle, K0LR