I posted this on another popular CB website but got no response. There is a different crowd here and I suspect it will be different.
I'll start by saying that my intention is not to offend any of the old school crowd but to open up the discussion about getting new, young members to become HAM radio operators. I am not one but have been using a CB radio since the seventies. From what I experienced in a online practice exam, there's no hope in h*ll thats going to happen for me or any 20 something. Here is a sample of some the questions I encountered;
-In a vacuum tube, the element that is furthest away from the plate is the (tube theory ... really?)
-What do many amateurs use to help form good Morse code characters? (Morse code ... really?)
-In a digital system, the modem is connected to the
-If household voltages are consistently high or low at your location, this can be corrected by the use of: (a UPS answer was nowhere to be found)
-Key-clicks, heard from a Morse code transmitter at a distant receiver, are the result of: (more Morse code?)
-In a bipolar transistor, the _____________compares closest to the plate of a triode vacuum tube. (tube questions again ... really?)
-In a typical CW transmitter, the ___________ is the primary source of direct current. (more Morse code?)
When I encounter questions about tube specifics or CW issues, it is the equivalent of asking me about how to use a chaff cutter or a breast plough. It is important and interesting to know of the history of Amateur Radio and its roots, but are these worthy exam questions?
If one wanted to join the police force today, would they be required to be proficient in the use of a horse-drawn patrol wagon? If I was to buy a new HAM rig today, how many tubes am I going to find in a ICOM IC-7800? Sure it has CW but ... My comments are made from the point of view of someone on the outside looking in ... do we bother to go in or do we just walk on by?
I'll start by saying that my intention is not to offend any of the old school crowd but to open up the discussion about getting new, young members to become HAM radio operators. I am not one but have been using a CB radio since the seventies. From what I experienced in a online practice exam, there's no hope in h*ll thats going to happen for me or any 20 something. Here is a sample of some the questions I encountered;
-In a vacuum tube, the element that is furthest away from the plate is the (tube theory ... really?)
-What do many amateurs use to help form good Morse code characters? (Morse code ... really?)
-In a digital system, the modem is connected to the
-If household voltages are consistently high or low at your location, this can be corrected by the use of: (a UPS answer was nowhere to be found)
-Key-clicks, heard from a Morse code transmitter at a distant receiver, are the result of: (more Morse code?)
-In a bipolar transistor, the _____________compares closest to the plate of a triode vacuum tube. (tube questions again ... really?)
-In a typical CW transmitter, the ___________ is the primary source of direct current. (more Morse code?)
When I encounter questions about tube specifics or CW issues, it is the equivalent of asking me about how to use a chaff cutter or a breast plough. It is important and interesting to know of the history of Amateur Radio and its roots, but are these worthy exam questions?
If one wanted to join the police force today, would they be required to be proficient in the use of a horse-drawn patrol wagon? If I was to buy a new HAM rig today, how many tubes am I going to find in a ICOM IC-7800? Sure it has CW but ... My comments are made from the point of view of someone on the outside looking in ... do we bother to go in or do we just walk on by?