HR2.0: Episode 97 - How To Teach a 1-Day Technician Class, by KB6NU (Dayton Hamvention)

The difference is studying the test and studying the material. I am also someone who studied his my own. And I agree the Tech exam is pretty easy. But studying the test only teaches a small percentage of what it takes to be a competent and knowledgeable ham. It also fails to equip a ham to be a competent Elmer or teacher to beginning hams. "I can only answer what was on the test" is a poor answer to a newbie's question when that is all a ham knows.

 

Is that the new operator's fault? I don't like HIAD, my classes were 8 or more weeks long. But it is what it is, and why not try to help them out? I harbor more ill feelings toward the pushers of HIAD classes than those that take the class. I never charged any money for teaching, so I sure won't be losing any money by helping out on the air.

 

Someone once said - " a journey of one thousand miles begins with a single step. "
And ... " Each new hour holds new chances for new beginnings.
The horizon leans forward offering you new space to place new steps of change. "

 

Teaching the answers only evolved from teaching the tests with all the answers. It was found that by eliminating the incorrect answers in practice tests, students did better than if they were misled by other choices. The technique was meant to assist students in understanding the material being taught in 6-8 week classes. It was not, in the beginning, meant to be a speed drill for a one or two day class.

 

It is selling FALSE HOPE and is HYPE. IMO.

If you convince someone they should buy a thin booklet and come to a short class, you are misleading them, IMO , on what being a ham is, AND WHAT IS EXPECTED of them OTA.

HYPE or HOPE?

A: False HOPE. AND HYPE. Your opinion may differ from mine.

 

Am I opposed to the existence of the question pool? Not totally. Properly used, it is an excellent way to find out your areas of weakness for further study. Unfortunately, it's existence has spawned the "abuse" we are discussing in this thread. Fortunately, unless a ham is a wunderkind, those who studied the test only are pretty easy to spot.

 

I taught tech classes for about 6 years. 8+ week classes, and we talked on the radio, built antennas, even did a 'fox hunt' in one class. I used no videos, and all my students passed their test the first go. One even took his General and got that.

Times changed, and the number of people interested in devoting a couple months of their life to learn a craft to talk on a radio dwindled. My last class had several days of total no shows. Some had only one student show up and I would still hold a full class. For lack of interest, all of us teaching 6+ week tech classes just finally gave up. Shortly after came HIAD classes, which became popular.

I taught because I liked it. If I get the chance to do it again, I will. Even if it is on a repeater talking to someone about dipoles and operating procedures. I can't imagine someone being so rude and condescending as to do otherwise, or worse by berating them. If I hear anyone berating someone on the air in such a manner, I will step in and side with the new person. I have done it in the past.

 

Chip, I am sure we agree on the fact that the new style of teaching is lacking. I expect nothing out of a new ham except a little respect, and that is where we may differ. With that, and an open mind, that 'clueless' person can become a 'seasoned' ham with our help. The fast track classes are the only ones popular. If someone even wanted to attend a 6 - 8 week class, where would they do it?

In today's world, if a friend wanted me to help him get a license, I would show him how to blast the test so he could get his license, which would take about 3 days. Then we would go play radio, and I would teach. If there were a long class, I would point him that way, but there isn't. We have what we have.

 

Yes he does sell the books because they cost money to make. He has them printed by a professional printer, bounded, etc. And the PDF file version is free, since those don't cost for printing.

There is nothing wrong with making a profit.

Gordon West charges for the W5YI books also. ARRL charges for their books too. I spent $17 on a Field Day T-shirt from ARRL for 2017. I guess they should give those away for free also?

 

Studying material is not equal to mastery. I think we all agree. Mastery comes from doing.

With question pools permitting passing without mastery, mastery moves to the back end.

Each of us needs to ask what we provide to assist others in mastery.

Each of us has something to bring to the table.

The question is whether one desires to participate in the growth of others.

Every time you're having a conversation on a repeater, on HF, or even chatting here, for that matter - others are listening, reading, etc.

You teach by simply being and doing. Think about what you want your lesson to be, and be mindful of the impact it makes.

Scott N7JI

(P.S. - most hams are, by nature, very willing to teach others)

 

Thus you AGREE, it seems, that this alleged 'news' is actually an advertisement...which was my original point.

I would like to see comments from those who took the shorty TECH course espoused by KB6NU and are now actively on the air. I have to say I INFREQUENTLY hear KB6NU on the air and I am very active.

The measure of success is radio-activity and examples of the mission points of Part 97. Not a piece of paper with a bunch of letters and a number that gives you the option of pressing a button on a tiny black box in case Armageddon starts .

Part 97 articulates a POOL and SKILLS. Let's see how these shorty courses have led to that.

For example, let's assume that there are, say, 5000 hams who like to claim this KB6NU 'shorty' Tech path. Can you give us some examples where such KB6NU-trained hams, as espoused by Part 97, ended up 'enhancing the radio art'?

How have they 'enhanced the radio art'?Who are they? What have they done? Has KB6NU himself enhanced the radio art? Has he called out examples where hams have 'enhanced the radio art'? This is an INTEGRAL mission of Part 97. KB6NU examples?

 

Everyone has a right to become a Amateur operator. We all learn as we go. Even if we study the information ham radio is a learning process. Therefore for you that think people don't deserve to be licensed think again if we all had to know everything first there would be no hams on any bands! 73

 

Part 97 is certainly an invitation to learn. but it is ALSO a responsibility to MISSION.

Booklet manual and shorty course approaches are designed for passing a test with the least amount of effort, not articulating (in any detail) the Part 97 mission points.

I don't know why we (US hams) aren't more honest with each other: the boon in new hams is mostly the result of public safety professionals being 'encouraged' (read: 'told') to get ham licenses as a backup. Is that a problem? I have mixed feelings on that-- I work with public safety pros daily and have great respect for them and their efforts. They are a fun bunch; a dedicated bunch. But they are instant and fleeting hams, for the most part, whose on the air record is minutes a year, if that. I wish I could Elmer them all, for the fun, the esxperience, and the growth of skills and the art.

So this 'abbreviated' path to getting a ham ticket is really not what Part 97 requires as --mission. Its a stub that let's you turn on an HT if the public safety network goes down.

Or worse--for preppers its the way to communicate when eating your MRE's by the energy of solar panels while surrounded by whining zombies when the grid goes down and North Korea invades DC....(NOT!)

 

Two points:

1. There are few if any social media sites where people don't judge and/or virtue signal. The Internet and amateur radio have different DNA.
   
2. Learn the difference between amateur radio social media and REAL amateur radio. Real stinkers on here turn out to be very nice on the air.

Congrats on your coming up 1 year anniversary as a ham.

 

See you were nearly a "Tech for Life" until the code test went away. This would explain your comment as I remember General Class hams used to badger the heck out of Technicians, "When you gonna upgrade?" "When are you gonna learn CW?" Hope you're enjoying AR today and you're right, we never stop learning.