ARRL Proposal to Give Technicians More Operating Privileges

I know this much: I could walk into a test session and pass all 3 tests without any study or refresher course at all. To make it more of a sporting course, no calculator, slide rule, or scratch paper either.

So what? The tests today aren't "difficult" if one knows the material. Neither were the tests "back in the day" "difficult" either. They were just basic stuff - and some folks back then passed by pure memorization too. See below for how I know.

@K0HB has it right: A “real ham” is a person who has passed the examination for the license class that they hold.
End of story."

73 de Jim, N2EY

Novice 1967, age 13, K3NYT's living room

Technician/Advanced, 1968, age 14 Philadelphia FCC office

Extra, 1970, age 16 Philadelphia FCC office

No formal training in electricity, electronics or radio until the fall of 1972.

53 years licensed, 50 of them an Extra.

 

This is a "Real Ham":

 

My son did not even study. He went and took the Technician test, and passed. (He was 18 years old at the time.)

I was astonished.

 

thats turkey wait no that is ham

 

Now come on now,,,,, it is after all well into the new millennium. The world is much more open and understanding than all that.
Almost everywhere today in this age you can be whatever or whoever you truly want....

 

Yes in past years we did have to put much more effort into preparing for the amateur exam, ham radio was a much more unique & technical hobby, that required a greater responsibility.
Hams not only had to expend more effort to gain their privileges, they also had much more to contribute back into ham radio, and more civic responsibility to give back into their local, regional and national communities.
The reward and privilege to operate a radio station also had greater value along with the greater responsibilities. Much more than it does today. It was not a consumer driven hobby but much more a lifestyle. The radio arts were cutting edge high tech technology. For the many that lived a lifestyle in the pursuit of technology, ham radio brought upon them many careers. Much progress into the advancement, innovation, growth of electronic industries. Huge contribution into many forms and disciplines that contributed to the many technologies that have made to the world a much smaller place and global communication at the individual level so commonplace that it is to be expected!
Anyone can communicate on a global level and everyone has no brainer mobile personal devices that allow for complete voice and digital exchange of ideas, commerce , imaging and other media so reliably with top tier reliability, it has watered down the uniqueness and advantage to being a radio operator.
The need, the demand, desirability just isn't what it once was. Many lay persons don't find the necessity of it within the Public domain or service.
The value of such is less now, so the price of dues have been lowered to that which the market will bear.
Sorry about the investment but that's progress!!!!
( Disclaimer,,, while much of this opinion may be recognizable, it is said with certain amount of sarcasm and not my true full opinion or total despair with the state of this brotherhood of radio enthusiasts!)

 

Being that you made several replies to those who labeled some as "real hams" and the fact that you yourself made mention of those labels and "real hams", I think you answered your first 2 questions already.

As far as refresher courses, one would think that since a licensed Ham has already taken and passed said exam(s) and quite possibly has 10, 20, 30, 50 or more years being licensed, that by now they learned and retained more than enough to pass a current exam.
There are only a miniscule amount of questions related to the "newer material" you mention.

 

I did not ask the first question out of my own curiosity. I asked it with the hope that it would foster some contemplative reflection on the stereotype. It is my observation that this stereotype is a moving target. What you might find as the criteria by which you could label someone a "real ham" could be--and probably is--different than the criteria by which W0IJJ labels someone a "real ham" (and thus, conversely, who would be considered a "not real ham").

I asked the second question to shine some light at who might be segregating hams into "real" and "not real." Perhaps in bringing this into discussion, it creates an opportunity to discourse about the motivation that drives anyone to classify hams as real or not.

I would venture that a ham operator who was licensed fifty years ago may only have stayed on 75 Meters AM, and still runs all tube gear. It could very well be that this example ham operator would need to study newer material to learn about exposure rules, newer electronics, new modes, and whatever else has evolved since the 1960s.

My take on this is that the original postulation implied that some number of hams could not pass a test, today, even if they passed it a dozen years ago, or however many years ago. If that is what was implied, I challenge the height of the bar being set by which we can judge a ham as being "real" or not.

73

 

I did not say it like that I was meaning a "true" ham not a real one being a "true" requires you to actually know what your doing, I mentioned this because in my area people are just memorizing questions and passing with no actual basic knowledge so they start using breaker and 10 codes when there not supposed too

 

Do you guys actually have any rules that ban "breaker" or 10 codes? I'm not aware of anything in the licence on this side of the pond that defines the terminology that we can use. I do agree that the 10 codes make me cringe, but I will commonly call "break break" between overs on a net to make clear my wish to join.

Martin (G8FXC)

 

Breaker codes arent allowed 10 codes can be used if they dont obscure the meaning of a message q codes are the codes most encouraged but usaully 10 codes and breaker codes shouldnt be used

 

I guess I don't know what "breaker codes" are, or why they would be illegal.

 

Please provide a cite, link, or source for that statement. Thanks.

 

Remember, this is just an opinion, and only that. As for myself, I would not look down on any one given class of operators. I use to be very opinionated about A lot of things in my life, but after further thought and time I have changed my mindset. Just remember, that the individuals that obtains a certain class of license had passed the provided FCC TEST. As far as Code verses No Code this was totally the FCC's decision to eliminate Code. And maybe some Lobbing from the ARRL and Other's. "Some" Ham operators (AND TOTALLY NOT ALL) Disagree with No Code Operations. The understanding that I have taken from it is, they had to learn Code while others have not. I totally understand. Learning Code is not an easy thing to do. And maybe in their eyes this wasn't fair to them. And maybe rightfully so.
But just A reminder that (NO CODE OPERATORS) are not a subhuman specie trying to overtake the Ham Nation. Just regular people wanting to enjoy a hobby like everyone else. As for myself, I do not know Code. So if I have to Apologize for not knowing Code I'll do so right now. I've only been a Ham Operator for just about 5 years now. I am 63 years young and wished I had found this hobby a long time ago, I just love it, I've met a lot of great people in the Amateur Radio Community. But in my case (And this is totally not an excuse) I have sever hearing loss due to working around Heavy Equipment just about all my life, and not wearing the proper hearing protection. (Totally my own Fault) as for Code I would of loved to have learn it. I think it is very interesting and it would be a lot of fun to transmit and copy, but in truth, in my case. I know this could never happen now, especially with my hearing loss. So I hope anyone who reads this will not be upset or offended with my post . I mean no one disrespect and hope all will enjoy the hobby that we all grown to love. So with that being said. Stay Safe, Stay Warm, Protect your Families. And may the Lord shine his light on all of us.

GOD Bless
73 / K1WIL

 

When I lived in Canada, I took the Basic "blind" (no study) and passed Honours. I always operated VE3UOT (University of Toronto ham radio club) barefoot, so I didn't need the Advanced. Sat for the Advanced in Quebec and earned that as well anyway, though I never used it. Also passed the 5 wpm perfect copy as it was offered to me (why not?)

The Canadian system is a good start. How about this: roll all the exams into one 100 question exam. Get 80% on the test (as in Canada), and you're an Extra. Get 70%, and be a General. Get 50%, and start out as a Tech. Write the test again if you want more privileges.

Personally, I would mandate 80%/70% pass thresholds and whittle down the two license classes to General and Extra. I don't think that the QPC and the ARRL would like to set the bar that high from the beginning, but I don't see why it's a good idea to give out more privileges if it's easy already to start out as a General anyway. Heck, it's not a stretch to just start out as an Extra if you're good at memorizing. I went from Tech to Extra in a summer, back in 1995. The worst part was learning to repetitively punch numbers into a scientific calculator for the Advanced. Not a biggie for a 15 year old kid to spend a summer with the Gordon West books (remember them?)

Let's just encourage people to memorize and memorize some more, rather than give away what's already easy to get.

73, Jordan AB2T (ex-VA3AIT, VA2AIT)