[Yaesu] Re: [Kenwood] Operator's manuals today

[Peter A Markavage]

On Mon, 1 Mar 2004 14:03:10 -0800 (PST) John Geiger <johngeig@yahoo.com>
writes:
> Has anyone else noticed a change in the level that
> Operator's manuals are written at today?  I have
> recently picked up a few older pieces of equipment
> here and there, and the manuals from 15-20 years ago
> are a world of difference from todays.  

## Like the Heathkit manuals; connect the 2 inch blue wire from AB2 to
DC4.
 
> The older manuals would first thank you for purchasing
> the equipment, and had circuit descriptions, block
> diagrams, alignment procedures sometimes, and were
> generally written at a high level.

##Many of the "older" manuals were for equipment that was a  lot less
complex then some of today' equipment. They could combine operating and
service related information into the one manual so it was useful for both
the operator and the person who might be doing service work on the
equipment. It also cut down the necessity of writing, printing, and
stocking a separate service manual.
> 
> Todays manuals look like they are written for the
> under 70 IQ crowd.  They have cartoon figures.  They
> usually have a "your first QSO" section which really
> insults your intelligence.  It is written like we
> wouldn't know how to turn on a radio, tune in a
> frequency, and push the mic button without being
> guided through it step by step.  There are no circuit
> descriptions, alignment procedures, or block diagrams
> anymore.

"under 70 IQ crowd." "There are no circuit descriptions, alignment
procedures, or block diagrams anymore." 

##It's an Operating manual. You don't need any of this information. Maybe
"smart" technically oriented people just have trouble reading basic
operating and setup procedures.

> Now part of this might be cost, in that the
> manufacturers want to cheapen the cost of manuals and
> save all of that stuff for the service manual, but I
> also wonder if this is saying something about the
> competency of hams today versus in years past.  If it
> has changed that much, the last thing we need to do is
> make the licensing procedures any easier.

##With the technical and hardware complexity of many of today's
equipment, there are probably less and less people inclined to dive in to
repair their equipment nor do they have the necessary test equipment to
do it properly. All the technical information should only be retained in
the service manual and the operating manual should be nothing more than
operating procedures, setups, front and rear control functionality, and
other nontechnical information that hopefully will justify why you spent
what you did for the equipment.

"I also wonder if this is saying something about the competency of hams
today versus in years past."  

##Maybe they just want you to buy the service manual if you desire to
increase your technical knowledge of the equipment. 

"the last thing we need to do is make the licensing procedures any
easier"

## Let's start a petition to the FCC: Only "smart" (70 IQ >) people with
a high degree of technical knowledge can only apply for an amateur
license. This should keep the amateur ranks growing especially with our
school kids.

Pete, WA2CWA

> Just an interesting observation.
> 
> 73s John NE0P
>