Hi, Jim...
Sure it's possible. Of course all they taught was how to pass the
test... not the theory behind each of the questions. Our local club has run
similar "crash course" classes but not for Extra (yet).
GOD HELP AMATEUR RADIO if we ever require new amateurs
to learn enough theory and advanced math to inherently know how
to answer all those questions!!! You can forget getting teenagers into
the hobby. You think our ranks are shrinking now... "you ain't seen
nothin' yet."
I don't think those amateurs went from "zero" to Extra in one day. They
upgraded, and nobody said how long they may have been licensed.
And after all... most hams who argue against "no code" simply want new hams
to demonstrate a significant desire and willingness to work to obtain their
ticket. I'd say they did that and I say, "More power to 'em," or to answer
your question directly, I vote "Great and Wonderful."
Sure, your Extra ticket still means something... that you cared enough and
put forth the effort to achieve the top-rated license class.
I happen to support the 5wpm change and I think I would support removing the
REQUIREMENT for CW altogether. Note I did NOT say outlawing CW, only
removing it as a requirement. I happen to like CW and I and others can
continue to use it as long as we like. But I can easily understand why
lowering the bar drives some hams ballistic. Someone opened the door to the
"Good Ol' Boys' Club," and simplified the initiation us ol' timers were
kind'a proud of. But I happen to believe it was important to the survival
of
The Club.
73... Ed, W5EJ
Extra Class (yes, 20WPM test)
Licensed 51 years ago - when you had to draw diagrams... and not just answer
multiple choice questions.
Volunteer Examiner - ARRL & W5YI
First Class Commercial license holder
Member ARRL "No-Code" Committee (1988 or whenever)
FISTS #8643
Life member, ARRL and QCWA
Member OOTC
Etc...
Etc...
Etc...
And probably would never have been licensed at age 14 if I had been required
to KNOW AND UNDERSTAND the theory or the math. I'm not an engineer and not
ashamed to admit that I memorized the questions and answers for the Novice,
Tech, Class B, Class A, and Extra exams.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Reid" <jimr.reid@verizon.net>
To: <ah6j@arrl.org>; <cw@mailman.qth.net>; <dx-list@yahoogroups.com>; "ken
cubilo electric" <kce@chartermi.net>; <fists@mailman.qth.net>; "George,
W5YR" <w5yr@att.net>; <jmax@attglobal.net>; <kh6wm@arrl.net>;
<kh7t@arrl.net>; <logic@mailman.qth.net>; "Maxwell, Jim (Dir, Pacific)"
<jmaxwell@arrl.org>; "Carl Moreschi" <cjm@qvssoftware.com>;
<rholling@fcc.gov>; <tentec@contesting.com>; <w8ji@contesting.com>;
<walt@hawaii.rr.com>
Sent: Friday, April 19, 2002 4:47 PM
Subject: [CW] One Day to Extra Class
> I am shocked at the following report from the ARRL!
> I am sending this to a fairly wide distribution with this
> question: is this where Amateur Radio really wants
> to be going? Or do you think the following is just
> great and wonderful??
>
> >From today's ARRL Letter:
>
> "New York's Long Island Mobile Amateur Radio Club--LIMARC
> --reports its first "one-day Extra" licensing upgrade class was
> such a success that it's scheduled additional sessions for later
> this spring. LIMARC recently attracted two dozen students to its
> first Extra class license study short course, and nearly all who
> attended walked away with their Extra tickets.
>
> "....the session involves seven hours of
> intensive study. Five instructors taught the nine Extra examination
> subelements, which include FCC rules, operating procedures, radio
> propagation, Amateur Radio practices, electrical principles, circuit
> components, practical circuits and antennas and feedlines.
>
> When the session ended, 20 of the 24 applicants had passed
> Element 4. "
>
> All in a "one-day" short course.
>
> Wow, I am impressed. Took me an entire semester in engineering
> school to learn how to solve all those impedance, complex
> plane, R+/- jX problems. And 20 of these guys learned how
> to do those, along with all that other stuff, and STILL the same
> day took and passed the Extra license exam????
>
> Maybe what those five instructors "taught" was the answers
> to the questions on the test to be given that day??? At least
> one enquiring mind would like to know! I believe what is
> being reported is not possible and still be legitimate, unless
> those 20 guys had way above genius IQ's. Or maybe, they
> all have "perfect recall" memories.
>
> Guess I was a real slow learning; I was years getting the education,
> experience and UNDERSTANDING under my belt before I went
> for the Extra. Oh yes, also had to pass the 20 wpm CW test
> that same day, but that isn't needed anymore. Maybe it was
> getting to 20 wpm CW that took me all that time, no, don't
> think so. Just took me awhile to learn/understand what the
> meaning of the stuff on the Extra Class license was all about.
>
> Yes, what does the Extra Class license mean anymore??
>
> Just a bit disappointed,
>
> 73, Jim KH7M
>
>
>
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