Brazil has first ham aproved by online exam

Brazil has first ham aproved by online exam

This Monday, Brazillian hams and fans got some superb news: the first ham radio candidate aproved by remotely-invigilated exam got their COER (amateur radio operator certificate) in C class.

Last week, the National Telecomunications Regulator, ANATEL, announced new guidelines to make this possible. LABRE, the Brazillian Amateur Radio League, asked ANATEL to open online exams because the agency has closed all other exams.

See more at:
https://qtcecra.blogspot.com/2020/06/primeiro-aprovado-exame-online.html

http://labre.org.br/anatel-publica-instrucoes-para-provas-online-para-coer/


http://www.southgatearc.org/news/2020/june/brazil-has-first-ham-aproved-by-online-exam.htm

 

Fantastic !

It is widely known that the concept is being explored here in VK and may not be far off here !

The main issue with on-line assessments issues are "question and answer"-creep (i.e. "escape" of questions and answers via keystroke recorders and screen recorders). Its been an issue that I have worked on for 20-years in the Academic sector without direct supervision providing resolution ...

But ...

When the question banks are sufficiently large (i.e. approximately 4-500 Q's per license-class bank) enough AND question-banks are in the open (for scrutiny and learning guidance) then "question creep" becomes a pointless argument !

When there are some "written elements" (i.e. fill in text that requires an assessor to evaluate) as "validators" this also mitigates some of the rote learning concerns.

CCNA and MCSE assessments discovered this fact years ago (although they are not perfect).

Direct supervision via exams being conducted in one place under supervision or via web cameras observing clients is still required - in my informed opinion.

As for those who rote-learn questions or those with eidetic memories (as is the case with CCNA, MCSE etc.) this can never be mitigated - even with "closed written" assessments. It is people with such abilities that release questions that are proctored into the wild anyway !

Yet having practical "explanatory" elements based on "write brief explanations" also sorts this out and fast !

Again - well done Brazil !

73

Steve I
VK3VM / VK3SIR
Licence Assessor for VK Licences

 

Meanwhile here in the UK...


Remotely-invigilated exam numbers released
On Friday, May 1, the RSGB released the figures for UK remotely-invigilated amateur radio Foundation exams

The Society said 116 Foundation exams had been run, of these 109 candidates had passed giving a pass rate of 94%.

This pass rate is very encouraging, the minutes of the RSGB Examinations and Syllabus Review Group (ESRG) meeting held on February 1 had recorded a Foundation pass rate of only 79% for the first five months of the new syllabus up to the end of January.

About 380 exams are scheduled to take place in May and so far 187 exams have been planned for June. The high demand for Foundation exams suggests early booking may be advisable.

 

Do not be fools, please, lots of questions for passing exams in Brazil are so dumb, idiotic, or weirdly written, that, at least for a foreigner, it is trickier to figure out what Anatel wants than to apply logic or try to calculate. The greater achievement, if and when online tests are fully implemented, in all brazilian states, is that prospective radio-amateurs in Brazil won't have to wait six months for next and ultimate session of the year, won't have to take a plane, drive for twelve hours, book an hotel.
Let's remember, no A1A tests at the time, but what were we expecting?
Oliver PU2OZT

 

Oliver,

I am aware that there are differing standards across nations. A huge problem with conducting any assessment is compiling good appropriate resources and tools that can form the basis of valid assessments.

Each nation has its own laws and regulations - so questions on these areas must come from local knowledge and should come under advisement from local HAMs.

Yet with the "technical" aspects there is greater guidance (and standardisation) available. As a suggestion perhaps the IARU's Education Committee(s) could coordinate the production of large, valid guide question banks - based off CEPT, FCC and OFCOM standards (with these regulators perhaps offering the most universally accepted set of standards/syllabi) to guide regulatory Authorities and improve standards universally?

That is how you ensure consistency across nations - through standards and guidance. In most dominions assessment tools are developed and compiled by government bureaucrats. The chances are that if you provide the bureaucrats with assistance materials from a highly reputable source (i.e. Bureaucrats always are "very busy", underpaid and tend generally to do the minimum) - royalty free for Amateur Assessment Use - and then you have a a greater chance of consistent (hence improved) technical standards across the planet.

That's my penny's worth on the subject.... Yes its idealistic BUT it can have the potential to synchronise assessment across borders !

73

Steve I
VK3VM / VK3SIR

 

Until finally, Brazil is a country of continental extension, and many people from the most remote corners of the country wanted to become Amateur, but had no access to the evidence, because it only happened in the capita. Now, at the effective request of LABRE, we can count on this facility! 73!

 

Thank you guys... I'm very happy to see QTC da ECRA in both Southgate and QRZ... Oliver, I'm 100% with you. I think it's time to deal with the exams... Sadly, a huge part of hams in Brazil wants to get rid of them. Even know about amateur radio is... 73

 

Alo Roberto, alo Roberto Carlos...

The device used by the young lady to speak to Roberto Carlos isn't working because...
1- the VHF channel selected is restricted to PCC operations,
2- the BFO is "off",
3- the antenna not being previously homologated by Anatel will be overloaded,
4- Bartho the cat doesn't care.

 

Parabens !
Obrigado
G3SEA/KH6

 

This is for sure a big step on the way of modernization of amateur radio services in Brazil.
At this primary point, only amateur radio "entry level" licenses - "C" or "B" - can be done via internet.
73 de Renner PY7RP

 

Recife might has gained some privileges. More south, B-Class is unreachable, no cw testing at the moment. Hence, I keep transmitting A1A on Class-A and Class-B portions awaiting an Anatel-VE to KN-test me. QRV most of the time, cats, interference, etc... allowing.

 

What the heck?!

QRM??

 

Roberto Carlos fangirls sure know the Brazilian movie "Em ritmo de aventura", 1968. Device pictured from screen is a Direction Finder US-made, not a VHF which with a girl was "talking" to her hero. ahhhhh

 

I'm going with #4. Cats are evil.

 

Me parece formidable que algunos países actúen acorde a los tiempos en que vivimos, en otros continúa la actitud retrógrada de poner palos en la rueda para limitar la actividad, y manejarla de forma elitista desde hace décadas, aplaudo la decisión. LU1YHF.