[UK-CONTEST] UK/US licensing (Off Topic)

[Andrew]

Don Beattie wrote:

<big snip>

Don, all very useful background info....

> Personally I would simply take the view that if someone is keen enough on 
> amateur radio and already possesses the technical skills, it is not a lot to 
> ask for them to sit the practical, and then sequentially three exams. At the 
> HFC (sorry, convention) for example, I think all three are normally 
> available.

I agree, so why are all three exams (and practical) not normally
available at _every_ exam session instead of just at the HFC/Convention?
  Not everyone has the time or inclination (maybe due to distance) to go
to HFC to have the opportunity to sit all three exams at once.  If
people with the ability could do all three exams in one session, why
make them come back repeatedly for what they might consider trivial
exams.  I understand you want operating experience, practical experience
etc, but overseas amateurs who want a UK licence, according to Ed, only
need to sit the exams.  How do we know _they_ have any operating or
practical experience?

Equate the current system, if you like, to a race car driver (someone
with lots of ability) having to do a driving test split over three exams
on separate days, maybe weeks apart.  He, and anyone observing from the
outside, would quite rightly say it's crazy that he couldn't do all the
required elements on the same day.  Is that what outsiders are saying
about amateur radio in the UK?  I don't know, but it's worth thinking
about!  Is the current multi-session exam structure enough of a
demotivating factor that it is driving very well qualified technical
people away from amateur radio?  I hope not, but I suspect it has.

Vy 73,

Andrew AC6WI / GI0NWG