[TowerTalk] dumbing down...extra class test

[Buck - N4PGW]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: towertalk-bounces at contesting.com [mailto:towertalk-
> > As it turned out, the extra was harder than the first
> phone.
> > The exam has become somewhat more difficult with the
> passage
> > of time, not easier.
> 
> My uncle, who freely admits he is an appliance op who knows
> nothing at all about radio, failed the extra theory time and
> time again in the 60's and 70's. Without being active or
> working with electronics (he sold drugs until retiring) he
> went to a VE session three months ago and came out with an
> extra.
> 
> 7 year olds now pass the extra, as do many people who know
> absolutely nothing about radio.
> 
> Let's not pretend it is more difficult just because the
> question pool is larger or because people say it is.
> 

I'll leave out the reference to the girl as she is apparently a bright kid
tutored well in electronics from an early age, not some kid who decided to
read a book and take the exam.


As for the general population, none of the exams have to be easy to easily
be passed.  The extra is difficult, but today one can go to the internet and
get the pool of questions and answers.  Memorize a few questions and take
the test.  When we had to sweat sitting in front of Uncle Charlie, our only
books on the subject were theory and Part 97.  Wayne Greene (IIRC) would ask
questions from those who took the exam and created the only available Q/A
book with actual FCC exam questions in it.  Today, go to ARRL and get the
whole pool, or go to QRZ or several other sites and practice the test with
actual questions and answers until you memorize enough to pass the test.
People who do that learn very little theory or rules and regulations.

Since I don't remember the questions and answers to extra class exams from
years ago, I can't say which is harder or not.  My friend took the extra
once and passed it by accident, I took it four times in order to pass.  This
was from the same question pool.  

As I heard before, "There is no such thing as a hard question to which you
already know the answer."

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