Some where around here I have a mid 1970s license manual. The last time I
looked at it, the Advance question pool was about 75 questions and the extra
had 90.
As a former technical person, I liked the old tests because they did not ask
me how long a VE or VEC had to forward paperwork to the FCC. They did not
ask something about Earth Stations. But I had to know how to read a meter,
calculate parallel/series resistance, what antennas do what. The same
information is in the pools today, just in a different format.
What they did do is cover the basics in the General, apply further technical
language in the Advanced and even further in the Extra. In all of them were
rules and regulations to assure the applicant knew where they could operate
and with what mode.
Prior to the 1980s code was the preferred method of emergency communications
because of reliability. Today that is fluid. There are much faster ways to
communicating written messages and instructions now in use. With it came
the less emphasis on code.
Now I consider anyone who holds the Extra as my equal. The fine points of
working on gear, understanding intercept points, adjacent channel
interference. over modulation/key clicks is not for everyone. The reason -
most of our time on the air is fellowship, comradeship and just having a
good time. It is when any of the various governmental agencies need
communication that we really are needed.
Learn the workings of what ever mode you like and become an expert, but most
of all be ready to help and cooperate in times of emergencies. That is our
primary justification of having frequencies. One other point, the number of
licensees has increased over the years. Who cares if they are 15 or 50.
Many people who near retirement are discovering the enjoyment of radio and
what you are allowed to accomplish. Eventually those youngsters will
discover the magic or Ham Radio.
73 Jim
W5JO
Tom, your discourse on the no code licensing was great. I have never
looked down at a n/c Extra as being inferior, except in jest, but I can
remember having one hell of a time getting my code speed up past 20wpm at
the same time I had the theory down pat. They never seemed in sync. I
never had to earn my living in the electronics business so the theory was
often Greek to me, still is. But understand that a lot of Extras that did
have to pass the 20 wpm requirement feel that the FCC or ARRL sold them
down the river by eliminating it. Lets face it, the ARRL is really
concerned that the Ham Radio hobby is going downhill and that means less
sales of product and magazines and they decided that n/c would give the
hobby a shot in the arm. They were wrong but it is too late to double
back. This hobby is indeed rounding the last turn and the finish line is
within sight. Deny this all you want but go to a hamfest and count the
young hams. You won't need to even take off your shoes. I usually go to
Dayton at least 3 out 5 years and this year the Hamvention attendance was
under 20,000. It used to take more than a day to go through the flea
market, it was less than 60% full this year and I'll bet that it is even
smaller next year. Another indicator of the state of this hobby is the
infamous QST magazine. There are issues that contain nothing interesting
to hams that have been in the hobby for any length of time. If you scan
the Sept issue you can learn how to make a straight key from a door hinge,
how to make a UPS that you can buy ready made for under $75 that works
better, revisit a extended double zepp that has been in the ARRL Handbook
for the last 20 years, a product review of a radio that nobody buys, and a
frequency counter. Then comes the final insult; the biggest advertiser in
the magazine offers junk for sale, a lot of which are direct copies of
other manufacturers' product that are higher priced at least partly
because they don't employ prison inmate labor.
All this verbiage are my opinions on the state of hobby. Yours may be
different, probably are.
Have a good day, see on the bands for as long as we have them.
Bob W6TR
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