[QCWA] FW: [Mobileer] Gordon West on Licensing

[Jeffrey D Angus]

William M. Pasternak wrote:

> Nothing has changed.  From the dawn of the hobby there have always
> been those who have made their living by profiting from it.  Its only that
> some people live under a mistaken belief that -- if its ham radio -- it is
> wrong to derive income from it.  Tell that to your favorite radio 
> store the
> next time you go in and see what the salesman has to say!

I wasn't wasn't complaining about Gordon making money. He is after all
a business. Having worked at LA Electronics, Signal One and Daiwa, I'd
be hardly one to complain about taking money from other amateurs.

However, there's three ways to prepare for a license exam.

(1) Buy a copy of of a technical book. Either Orr's or the ARRL's
     "Handbook" and LEARN how this stuff works. They both include
     sections on regulations and operating practices..
(2) Have a local Elmer take the time to show how things work and
     explain the rules and regulations to you.
(3) Buy a copy of the answer pool and memorize it.

I was pointing out the irony that Gordon has been defiled in the past for
providing a "rote memorization" method of passing a licensing exam.

Over the past 15 or so years, I've heard all the "old guys" at several
local clubs bitching about "Them damn newbies....How can a guy with
an extra class license NOT know how to hook up a Henry 2K?" And
so forth. Scattered comments about the availability of question pools.
"Memorization is not knowledge" etc.

Jeff
wa6fwi

-- 
"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." Benjamin Franklin
"A life lived in fear is a life half lived."
Tara Morice as Fran, from the movie "Strictly Ballroom"