Technician privileges

[kb7gjy]

If they do combine/change licenses, here is my prediction.

Techs and Generals will hold the same privileges.
Advanced will still be advanced they wont be upgraded to extra and wont be downgraded to the T/G level
Extra will still be top tier.

Why? Be cause I have not upgraded to extra. If I upgraded to extra they would just make everyone extra. Every time I have upgraded From Novice to tech (Renamed to Tech Plus) then to General the FCC has changed things and if I would have just waited it would have been handed to me. I have worked on radios and like others said there are areas that I am not as strong at so I seek information from other sources to gain information.

So thank me or hate me, I seem to be the roadblock to everyone being handed an Extra class license. LOL

Honestly, how many Extras that tested in the 60's 70's and even 80's could go take the extra test test now and pass it? Just adding in the digital questions would throw a wrench into the mix, the same if the put some of the questions from "back in my day" about vac tubes at the new testers. I'm not talking about the people that memorize questions and answers, I mean people that know the theory etc.

 

[bill4long]

I'll chime in with my $0.02. (Ham of 39 years. Tech, General and Advanced in 1981. Extra in 2010. ) IMO, the current license structure is fine the way it is, except I would grandfather Advanced to Extra, and have three classes. I don't see the point to it any more given that the Advanced test of yesteryear was more difficult than the current Extra test. By far. Tech is so easy to pass now that I think a drunk chimp could do it. General is quite easy as well these days. No excuse not to get one if you want HF phone privileges beyond 10m.

There are several online sites that make learning/memorizing answers a fairly simple matter for all classes. Heck, the ARRL publishes all the questions in the pool. The FCC does not expect anyone to be a cold expert. The purpose of the tests is to demonstrate exposure to the material; an exposure "sticky" enough that one can at least hold on to it enough to pass the test. Exposure.

I don't understand the whiners. If you want the privileges that General affords, do a little online study/practice and go pass the General test. Problem solved. I don't think the FCC is going to radically change the license classes. They may give Techs some HF phone in additional to 10m. Hold your breath if you want. Or stop whining and get a General license now.

 

[AB5WX]

I've been wondering when this might go into effect as well. I don't really care to share my opinion on it, but the last I'd seen was a post on the ARRL website.

 

[alcahuete]

But the license are dumb down when a 10 year old child with little or no radio background can take and pass the tech and general and not understand the privilege's that come with each license proves it is dumb down.

A 10 year old could pass a test in quantum physics if the question pool with answers is published. It doesn't matter how difficult the test, when the questions and answers are published, all you have to is memorize. Has nothing to do with being dumbed down.

 

[buddrousa]

Not the question pool they used in the 70's yes it is dumb down i have seen both.

 

[belvdr]

Not the question pool they used in the 70's yes it is dumb down i have seen both.

I think the point @alcahuete is making is that anyone can pass any test, regardless of difficulty, if the questions and answers are known ahead of time.

 

[buddrousa]

Then they need to take the test and stop crying about it. It is a privilege and not a right.

 

[alcahuete]

Not the question pool they used in the 70's yes it is dumb down i have seen both.

You completely missed the point. It doesn't matter what the question pool is, when it is published with the answers. If all you have to do is memorize to pass the test, the difficulty of the questions and answers make no difference.

I have never done needlepoint in my life, for example. But if you gave me a 50 question test on needlepoint from a pool with published questions and answers, I guarantee you 100% that I could pass.

 

[belvdr]

Then they need to take the test and stop crying about it. It is a privilege and not a right.

I don't think anyone is arguing that it's a right.

 

[k6cpo]

I think the solution is a single license class with all the privileges. Of course, this would have to be accompanied by an appropriate exam; all three exams combined into a single 100-120 question exam that covers ALL aspects of amateur radio.

 

[tweiss3]

I think the solution is a single license class with all the privileges. Of course, this would have to be accompanied by an appropriate exam; all three exams combined into a single 100-120 question exam that covers ALL aspects of amateur radio.

That would be fine if they made it open book. No answer key of course, but maybe a complete reference manual is provided the examinees. Though that would kill the entry level techs that just want to start easy and get on a the air with their local club .

100-120 questions may be asking much, that's going to be a long day of testing and grading for VEs.

 

[buddrousa]

I agree you either know what you are doing or do without.

 

[kb7gjy]

Why the different class licenses? Because that is to test knowledge.
But honestly it tests of;

1. Knowledge of the subject matter.
2. The ability to memorize questions and answers.
3. A Combination of 1 and 2.
4. Just lucky

I taught a tech class. Took my time teaching, answering questions. Mind you I'm a General (4 star hi hi). I had 1 student that went from zero to extra in one sitting. Several that got to general. most got Tech.

This wasn't a weekend class. this was 9 evening classes a week apart. I wanted to teach a class where they LEARNED the material, not teaching to pass the test.

37 students. 1 Fail.

The one failure was a little girl was 7 years old and attended about half the classes.

That's the difference, Could I teach a class to memorize questions? No, I personally couldn't. I would much rather teach and spend my time helping people understand radio and how it works.

How much did I charge for my class? Zero. Nada. Zip

The second day of class I had hams sitting in the class because they heard how I taught. Many said, "Wow, I learned so much. You made things make sense. This is what should be on the tests".

Do I have the answers? No.

 

[alcahuete]

Why the different class licenses? Because that is to test knowledge.

Knowledge of what exactly? Don't get me wrong, some of the questions are very good, particularly the ones about operation, rules, etc., and that's EXACTLY what I think the test should be. But...

How about this goodie on the Extra exam? What is the function of a DX QSL Manager?
Seriously?

Which of the following best describes the term "self-spotting" in connection with HF contest operating?
What is the Cabrillo format?
Which of the following contacts may be confirmed through the U.S. QSL bureau system?

I could go on and on, and that's not even getting into the Electronics and Antenna/Propagation sections, which are chock full of absolutely useless questions that nobody cares about, and are completely irrelevant for 99.9% of the people who take the tests.

We need a single test with common sense questions. Test on rules and regulations, operating practices, frequency authorizations, and very basic electronics and propagation theory.

 

[kb7gjy]

Knowledge of what exactly? Don't get me wrong, some of the questions are very good, particularly the ones about operation, rules, etc., and that's EXACTLY what I think the test should be. But...

How about this goodie on the Extra exam? What is the function of a DX QSL Manager?
Seriously?

Which of the following best describes the term "self-spotting" in connection with HF contest operating?
What is the Cabrillo format?
Which of the following contacts may be confirmed through the U.S. QSL bureau system?

I could go on and on, and that's not even getting into the Electronics and Antenna/Propagation sections, which are chock full of absolutely useless questions that nobody cares about, and are completely irrelevant for 99.9% of the people who take the tests.

We need a single test with common sense questions. Test on rules and regulations, operating practices, frequency authorizations, and very basic electronics and propagation theory.

I know techs that can put a repeater system together and even link them. I know extras that shouldn't replace a battery on a handheld.

My point was, the test should be to test knowledge, not ability to memorize a test. as I said prior, take some of the extras that tested in years past and give them a test. I would guess, being generous 50% might pass.

 

[alcahuete]

My point was, the test should be to test knowledge, not ability to memorize a test.

I understood your point entirely. My point is that there is so much utterly useless crap on the tests, that it only makes sense to memorize it and move on.

Since much of the material is completely useless, what good does testing useless stuff over multiple tests accomplish?

 

[buddrousa]

It is not useless unless all the old hams die and the the hams with no knowledge have to buy CC Repeaters due to not having any idea of what they are doing or how to stop interference from the radios they use.

 

[belvdr]

It is not useless unless all the old hams die and the the hams with no knowledge have to buy CC Repeaters due to not having any idea of what they are doing or how to stop interference from the radios they use.

So you think all the questions in the exams are relevant to the class they are applied to?

 

[AK9R]

...except I would grandfather Advanced to Extra, and have three classes.

Don't forget the existing Novice licensees who have never taken a test equivalent of today's Technician test. There are still 8,448 valid Novice licenses. I guess the holders of those licenses keep renewing them otherwise they would have expired by now.

As for the question pools being published, it's not just the ARRL who publishes them. They are available for download from the NCVEC website (NCVEC - Amateur Question Pools).

 

[buddrousa]

So you think all the questions in the exams are relevant to the class they are applied to?

Do you have a HAM LICENESE? I do.