Over 160 new and upgraded hams in 3 weeks; very few fails; six to nine VEs monitoring each session. Many got their licenses or upgrades in the ULS the same day or less than 24 hours. Excellent! Mike W5MDB W5YI Volunteer Examiner
God forbid that all of the Amateur Bands become 11 meters on STEROIDS & it just might with the FCC already being a pack Pride of Toothless Lions.It is my choice to disagree with this form of testing & you may agree or disagree just like I think some CW should be required & I don't even do CW but I did pass the CW Test with Straight Copy.It's all a matter of Opinions & we all have one. Clayton W4KVW
But this conversation is being held in reference to testing in the USA Only so I guess how anything is spelled there really does not matter for now. {:>) LOL Clayton W4KVW
Well, not to poke holes but carrying a gun is covered under the constitution, but having a ham license isn't. Kinda of a big difference.
I'm a VE coordinator for a club in El Paso. We alternate with the other club in town on VE testing. When we have a session, after the exam candidates are shown around the club. Helps with club membership. We show them the radio room, and if they're an upgrade many times we walk them in, sit them in front of the mic and let them make their first HF contacts with their /AG call sign. I can admit that you can do much on line education, however you DON'T typically take the exam at home with your books, study materials and notes on the desk. I guess the FCC could be convinced to allow Sylvan, Laser grade, or other testing centers to give FCC exams, they have the computer resources, computers, testing fixtures and could be done without VE's however the price of testing would go up appropriately. Many relationships between VE's and candidates are start at many VE sessions where Elmers are often created a little hard to do over a computer. I've watched some of the videos about remote testing on facebook. I can assure you if it were that easy, with no equipment required we'd ALL be doing it. Until such time as that changes I don't think the club VE will be headed to the Smithsonian Museum in the immediate future. I have 14 folks that are foaming at the bit to test, AND this will be accomplished this Saturday in a safe, efficient way. Testing will be done social distancing and in two sessions, held outside to minimize the risk.
So the ARRL and many other Hams are always talking about how Ham Radio is dying, yet the more seasoned Hams that can (and should), want things to stay the same. This is why we as a society have moved on, and the denial of acceptance of "New" ways of communicating (among Hams), is why I read that ALL Ham Radio Repeaters have been banned. I can't validate this one way or the other. I am confused, that if Ham Radio Operators don't want the hobby to DIE, then some VEC's that are not willing to bend when the wind blows are gonna break off. No reason to have a bad attitude about change, it is going to happen, either with or without all of us. I may only have a Technician Class Ticket, but I am damn proud of it. I am now unable to drive, have no feeling in both feet from above the ankles down. I have double vision and trouble recalling things. So since I can not apparently do "Remote Testing", it would seem I am doomed to just be lucky I have what I do. I have accepted it, no big deal to me now. I would love to upgrade, the issue is as I said recalling. I can read (with difficulty, but I have the PC read it for me a lot). All of which is great, but being able to upgrade my ticket is something I won't be able to do as a result. So I was going to ask a question about something else, but I can't remember what for, sorry. Be Safe, 73's KC0NVI
Do you know how many Brits emigrated to USA in the last year alone? How many Brits sat exams in USA in the last 10yrs? How many sat a ham exam? You can't answer those questions without looking it up, can you? ROFLMAO I rest my case. Off the subject. I always smile every time l hear someone say "sodder". I fail to understand how "solder" (sold...er) came to be pronounced as sodder. I for one would struggle in an English class in USA, even though l was an A+ student in English in UK.
Nor do you with fully-remote amateur radio license exams, as we look for those on the full room sweep & have examinees remove them - if they didn't already follow our instructions to clear their area before joining the video conference. Also, good luck having not having your exam invalidated when we see your eyeballs looking away from the screen repeatedly! Please don't throw me into that briar patch of "the Founding Fathers only meant muskets... and also, parchment, quills, & ink".
It seems that "a minority" of the old guys are very "limited" in their thinking. They are not going to change. All those exams are available to do online your side of the pond. Only a matter of time before they are all available in UK. BTW, l am in UK. Therefore some will say my opinion does not apply. But we watch from across the pond as the same argument is happening across here now that we have also started the online exams. So will wish you the best of luck with the next exam. The vast majority of hams will never ask if you got your ticket online. If they do...... Spin the dial. Take care Jim
You are 100% correct that they don't have their books and study materials with them - but they DO still take their exams at home, online! There are lock-down browsers (browsers that keep you locked to the testing site and do not allow any other control of your computer until the exam completes), cameras, and the list goes on. If you do not feel that an exam can be given safely/effectively/without cheating while someone is at home, via the Internet, you have a lot to learn (no pun intended). It's been going on for a long time, but especially extensively the last couple of months after schools and colleges switched to remote learning. I know this first hand. These ham exams are given in a very strict manner and your implication that cheating is taking place and that people are illegitimately passing the exam is disappointing. Be a positive, supportive ham. We have been in new territory lately, as we all know, and embracing the chance to continue to add to the ham hobby without looking completely stuck in the 20th century is a good thing that we should all be celebrating.
"Britain and America are two nations divided by a common language." Usually attributed to G.B. Shaw, but the actual source seems to be unknown. So am I to assume that there are no "silent "L"s in the UK version of English? We have a slew of them over here. Regards, -Bruce
Well just so you know my dads family came to America from England.I saw & read our family tree but either way none of us get a choice where the tree branches come from.We can choose our friends but not our kin.I understand there are still many with my family name there & according to the family tree one may have been an EARL but I was not there so I really don't know? LOL {:>) Clayton W4KVW
Yes l also have many relatives across the pond in the states & Canada. Millions of Americans originated from Europe. Many to start a new life, some to escape the old life. I came across an application for citizenship from around 100yrs ago made by Captain Stanley Lord (from the Californian). Perhaps he wanted to escape the shame of not going to Titanic's aid. But he never did emigrate. He died in England in 1962 still trying to clear his name.
Actually, England "English" is more related to USA English than it is other parts of the UK. EG: English say "yes", Americans say "yes", l say "Aye". English say "child", Americans say " child" l say...... That's right, l am Scottish lol.
