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Re: [TowerTalk] Dumbing down?

To: <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Dumbing down?
From: "Jim McLaughlin" <dearborn9@sbcglobal.net>
Date: Sat, 23 Jul 2005 18:50:13 -0500
List-post: <mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
It is really amazing to me... Our moderator Steve said 'enough is enough
this stuff belongs somewhere else, other then towertalk. Well words to that
effect anyway. Look at all the posts that continue anyway. It's like "Yes
everybody should stop this thread"............. well actually
everybody.............. but me,  and here is my take on things. We really
should get back to bee's, soldering a pl-259 on the tower, true North and an
owl or two.

Jim  WA9FPT


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "K8RI on Tower talk" <k8ri-tower@charter.net>
To: <g3rzp@g3rzp.wanadoo.co.uk>; "John Geiger" <ne0p@lcisp.com>; "Bill
Aycock" <baycock@direcway.com>; <Towertalk@contesting.com>
Sent: Saturday, July 23, 2005 14:07 PM
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Dumbing down?


>
>
>
> >I have seen answers to the Extra Class that are just plain wrong. No ifs,
> >ands or buts.
> > That can be the trouble with a multiple choice exam, unless the people
> > setting it really know their >stuff................But a recent proposal
> > from some teachers in the UK is that no-one should be said to >fail
> > anything - just to have achieved 'deferred success'. Because if kids
> > 'fail', it discourages them. >Words fail me............
>
> They did that here in the states, maybe 10 years ago... or so under the
name
> of "Outcome Based Education".  The results were dismal, and the program
was
> one of pure frustration for most of the teachers.  The program may have
made
> some of the kids feel better in school, but the real world put those kids
in
> a heap of hurt.  They'll feel great about themselves until the first job
> interview.  Better to expose them to realism up front than build their
hopes
> only to have the props kicked out from under them.
>
> I pretty much view the license testing at least in a similar manner, but
> with mixed feelings.
> The multiple choice tests put out by both the FCC and FAA have a number of
> questions that to me, do not have a correct answer, or quite possibly they
> will have multiple answers that would be considered correct in the real
> world.  The official stance is to "just pick the one that is *most*
> correct".  That leaves the one taking the test guessing as to what the
> person who wrote the test expected.
>
> When I took the Extra it had about two questions on just about any subject
> you could think of in Amateur Radio, but there were no problems on it I
> couldn't work out in my head..  If they did that now days the test would
be
> hugh.  Still, the Extra is a "prestige" license.  You gain little except
to
> prove you could pass a comprehensive test.  It that is the case then it
> *should* be tough.
>
> Although this is drifitning OT a bit, I found the test to be quite easy
when
> I took it.  I'd like to see a good comprehensive section on antennas and
> propagation theory added.  If they did I know it'd send me back to the
> books. <:-)) If applicants had to pass a test on accepted theory they
might
> be a bit more skeptical and we'd see fewer "old wives tales" as far as
> antennas go. Besides, with a sound knowledge of antenna theory they
probably
> could get out better and use less power.
>
> Roger Halstead (K8RI and ARRL 40 year Life Member)
> N833R - World's oldest Debonair CD-2
> www.rogerhalstead.com
>
> > 73
> > Peter W7/G3RZP
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > ========================================
> > Message date : Jul 23 2005, 07:04 PM
> >>From : "John Geiger"
> > To : "Bill Aycock" , Towertalk@contesting.com
> > Copy to :
> > Subject : Re: [TowerTalk] Dumbing down?
> > And some think the extra class license is still too tough.
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Bill Aycock"
> > To:
> > Sent: Saturday, July 23, 2005 2:48 PM
> > Subject: [TowerTalk] Dumbing down?
> >
> >
> >> Speaking of basics- the following paragraph is from an Extra class, on
> >> another reflector:
> >>
> >> >Not So! And RF signal consists of an electric field and a magnetic
> >> >field. The magnetic field can be influenced by ferous materials
> >> >outside of the coax and can induce current in them. The copper or
> >> >aluminum shield cannot contain the magnetic field. This is why it
> >> >is recommended to route coax AWAY from conduit and water pipes
> >> >through the house. This is also why coiling coax is a no-no. You
> >> >concentrate the magnetic field and the coil becomes a choke.
> >> >Especially in VHF and up.
> >>
> >> ??
> >> Bill
> >>
> >> Bill Aycock - W4BSG
> >> Woodville, Alabama
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >>
> >> See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
> > Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with
any
> > questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> TowerTalk mailing list
> >> TowerTalk@contesting.com
> >> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> >>
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> > See: http://www.mscomputer.com for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
> > Weather Stations", and lot's more. Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with
any
> > questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > TowerTalk mailing list
> > TowerTalk@contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> >
> > -- 
> >
> > Whatever you Wanadoo:
> > http://www.wanadoo.co.uk/time/
> >
> > This email has been checked for most known viruses - find out more at:
> > http://www.wanadoo.co.uk/help/id/7098.htm
> > _______________________________________________
> >
> > See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
> > Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with
> > any questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > TowerTalk mailing list
> > TowerTalk@contesting.com
> > http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> >
> _______________________________________________
>
> See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless
Weather Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any
questions and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.
>
> _______________________________________________
> TowerTalk mailing list
> TowerTalk@contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk


_______________________________________________

See: http://www.mscomputer.com  for "Self Supporting Towers", "Wireless Weather 
Stations", and lot's more.  Call Toll Free, 1-800-333-9041 with any questions 
and ask for Sherman, W2FLA.

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