VK5AJL wrote:There are those out there in radio land who think I am an idiot. I think I am an idiot too sometimes but I did pass the advanced exam. Not only that, I did it in 25 minutes and got 90%. There were a few stupid questions I knew the answer to but just didn't read properly and 3 I just got wrong.
I didn't study at all but did look at a few sample exams which were easy by comparison. I still don't think I know enough about radio to have passed, at least not so easily.
I would like to see the number of questions doubled, the time reduced to an hour and the pass mark 90%, which would make me borderline instead of an easy pass. If the questions were made a little harder, such as a few calculations, perhaps the time could be extended. I wouldn't mind if it was made harder so as to motivate me to do some more study.
By doubling the number of questions, a few more subjects might have been raised such as what compressors are and how you use them. I might be spared some of the signals who sound like they are talking out of a coke bottle. "A little bit is good" doesn't mean "a lot must be better".
I don't think I'm an idiot, have studied (still am studying) many hours, did a trial exam and got less than 30% What is easy for some may not be so for others! Being close to 70 does not help..
And NO I do not plan to ever build anything other than (maybe) an antenna, just want to operate radio's and buy everything of the shelf, once I have my licence I can forget (nearly)all I learned
I would also like to see a selectable block of questions. That is, have say, 5 questions on antennas, another 5 on ionosphere, another 5 on transmission lines, yet another 5 on digital or perhaps do cw at 8 wpm. You can choose which block of 5 you answer so if you can transmit and receive CW at 8 or 10 wpm, you don't have to answer any of the other blocks of questions. It allows each of us to choose a few harder questions on an area of particular interest.
These measures would also make it more difficult to simply remember all the answers and would require some level of understanding rather than just knowledge.
Now, I am sure there are those out there who would like to see the pass mark made 95% so that I wouldn't have passed but I am also sure there are those who would like to see the exams made a lot easier, particularly standard calls.
The standard license, I thought, was a little easy but is probably nearer the mark.
I thought the foundation exam was just about right. You have to know something but the limit of 10w means you can't get into too much trouble, while you are learning, especially with the neighbours.
So, other than opinions about my sanity (I know I'm completely nuts already), I am curious to know what others think.
Advanced exam, too easy or too hard AND should we all have to do it again every five or ten years or so?