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Author Topic: 1960/1970 FCC Written Exams  (Read 539 times)

K3UIM

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Re: 1960/1970 FCC Written Exams
« Reply #15 on: September 04, 2021, 06:01:04 AM »

Maybe we should bring back drawing schematics. Love to see how many could draw a modern digital frequency synthesizer with a phase locked loop. And include the source code that the uP uses to run this thing as the explanation asked for in the test.

I bet there are a lot of people who have no clue how it even works, and have no idea what components do the job. Should we eliminate all of them?

<Hidden Text>Whimper, sob, oy vey<End Text>
Charlie

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Charlie. K3UIM
Where you are: I was!
Where I am: You will be!
So be nice to us old fogies!!

W1TAG

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Re: 1960/1970 FCC Written Exams
« Reply #16 on: September 04, 2021, 02:05:18 PM »

I took my Extra exam in late April, 1967, at the Boston office. My memory is that it was multiple choice, with no diagrams to draw. Think it was 100 questions, and I was so beat at the end that I just handed it over without reviewing it. Also, I had used a 1961 license manual, which had quite different questions, so something changed in the interim.  So the “blue book” test may have been phased out earlier than previously suggested.

My best memory is of the code test. They called three of us to the table by the window. I remember thinking it was odd that we all were in our late teens, and one was a YL. The test was a snap. I watched the planes landing at Logan, and still had neatly printed copy - slashed zeros and all. The examiner took the papers and quickly called me to the desk. They had given me the General test. Good practice, though, as I sat the 20wpm test alone with no problem.

John, W1TAG
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K3XR

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Re: 1960/1970 FCC Written Exams
« Reply #17 on: September 04, 2021, 02:32:34 PM »

There's nothing wrong with having some basic knowledge of electronics and in particular radio communication.  That does not require a degree.  It does require passing a test for the class of license you are seeking.  Ham radio is open to a wide range of individuals regardless of their educational background. 

I would like to see an equal weight placed on the knowledge of the rules and regulations as is placed on electronic theory.  I come to this conclusion from listening to some of the conversations, practices and procedures on the ham bands in recent years. 
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W9IQ

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Re: 1960/1970 FCC Written Exams
« Reply #18 on: September 04, 2021, 04:21:54 PM »

There's nothing wrong with having some basic knowledge of electronics and in particular radio communication.  That does not require a degree.  It does require passing a test for the class of license you are seeking.  Ham radio is open to a wide range of individuals regardless of their educational background. 

I would like to see an equal weight placed on the knowledge of the rules and regulations as is placed on electronic theory.  I come to this conclusion from listening to some of the conversations, practices and procedures on the ham bands in recent years.

Have you looked at the categories of questions in the three question pools? In my opinion, it represents an appropriate spread of questions. Much broader than in the good old days (when there was less known scope).

There are even schematics in the question pools!

- Glenn W9IQ
« Last Edit: September 04, 2021, 04:40:40 PM by W9IQ »
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- Glenn W9IQ

God runs electromagnetics on Monday, Wednesday and Friday by the wave theory and the devil runs it on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday by the Quantum theory.

N2EY

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Re: 1960/1970 FCC Written Exams
« Reply #19 on: September 05, 2021, 11:46:22 AM »

I took my Extra exam in late April, 1967, at the Boston office. My memory is that it was multiple choice, with no diagrams to draw. Think it was 100 questions, and I was so beat at the end that I just handed it over without reviewing it. Also, I had used a 1961 license manual, which had quite different questions, so something changed in the interim.  So the “blue book” test may have been phased out earlier than previously suggested.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, the transition from "blue book" to multiple-choice tests started about 1961, but each examination point was instructed to use up their supply of "blue book" materials first. Boston was probably a rather busy exam point in the 1960s, and so the materials were probably used up relatively quickly.

My best memory is of the code test. They called three of us to the table by the window. I remember thinking it was odd that we all were in our late teens, and one was a YL. The test was a snap. I watched the planes landing at Logan, and still had neatly printed copy - slashed zeros and all. The examiner took the papers and quickly called me to the desk. They had given me the General test. Good practice, though, as I sat the 20wpm test alone with no problem.

I had a similar experience in 1970 at the Philadelphia office. Except I was the only one there for 20 wpm, and The Examiner had me take the test first.

73 de Jim, N2EY
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KM1H

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Re: 1960/1970 FCC Written Exams
« Reply #20 on: September 05, 2021, 04:27:19 PM »

When I took the Extra exam in 68 (Thank You Incentive Licensing) there were 9 of us as a group from the National Radio Division that came as Techs and Generals and everyone upgraded. The examiner had us all in one room. We then hit one of the open air restaurants for a LONG lunch.

Carl
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W1TAG

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Re: 1960/1970 FCC Written Exams
« Reply #21 on: September 05, 2021, 06:12:07 PM »

Carl,

I worked as a production tech at National Co. in the summer of ‘67. When I went for the job interview, the guy said that I was 18 years old and had no electronics work experience. But he said that any 18 year old with a First Phone and an Amateur Extra must have some potential, and he hired me. It was a good summer, though as you know, they were mired in Air Force comm shelter contracts, and there was a lot of pressure and OT.

John, W1TAG
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KM1H

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Re: 1960/1970 FCC Written Exams
« Reply #22 on: September 06, 2021, 09:34:53 AM »

Quote
I worked as a production tech at National Co. in the summer of ‘67. When I went for the job interview, the guy said that I was 18 years old and had no electronics work experience. But he said that any 18 year old with a First Phone and an Amateur Extra must have some potential, and he hired me. It was a good summer, though as you know, they were mired in Air Force comm shelter contracts, and there was a lot of pressure and OT.

John that was the parent National Company at the other end of those buildings and they did all the military stuff. Do you remember the name of the guy who hired you?
I went over there several times to use the screen room and also installed the ham station in the tower.

Carl
National Radio 1963-69
Service Tech, Service Manager, Senior Engineering Aide
Member of HRO-500, NCL-2000, NCX-1000 Design Teams
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W1TAG

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Re: 1960/1970 FCC Written Exams
« Reply #23 on: September 06, 2021, 05:07:33 PM »

Carl,

I wish I could remember his name.  Don’t recall many from there. The guy I knew best was Henry Barnicle, W1QA, who was an engineer on the 3rd floor, I think. Used to go up there at noontime to chat, and get proper instruction on the use of a straight key. Nice guy.

I only went over to the National Radio end a couple of times — once out of curiosity, and the other to purchase an NCX-5 tuning knob to use on my NCX-3. It was much cooler than the original.

My email address on the Zed is good, if you want to chat further.

John, W1TAG
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KM1H

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Re: 1960/1970 FCC Written Exams
« Reply #24 on: September 07, 2021, 10:29:56 AM »

John, on here is fine as it draws more old National people out of the weeds! The site owners havent complained.

One recent one was an engineer I worked with on the Radio side and his primary reason was to chat about the 1964 GTO's we both owned.

Wow time flies.

Carl
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K3UIM

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Re: 1960/1970 FCC Written Exams
« Reply #25 on: September 07, 2021, 11:55:52 AM »

"Wow time flies.

Carl"
Tell me about it! It seems like only yesteryear that I was 86! ... Oh, crap! It was! ::) ;D
Charlie
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Charlie. K3UIM
Where you are: I was!
Where I am: You will be!
So be nice to us old fogies!!

N2EY

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Re: 1960/1970 FCC Written Exams
« Reply #26 on: September 07, 2021, 05:11:35 PM »

N2EY seems to have nailed it.

I also took my Advanced exam in summer of 1972. It was all multiple choice questions.

Doc WB0FDJ
Not sure what he “nailed” with all that unresponsive rambling.

What did I write that wasn't accurate?

To be a little more succinct, in the 60’s, drawing oscillator circuits was on the exams.

That's not "succinct" - it's INACCURATE.

In the EARLY '60s, someone taking a written exam would probably encounter a schematic-drawing question. But as time went on that became less and less likely, until by about 1967 or so the exams were all multiple choice and there was no more schematic drawing.

Not that the schematics were very complicated or difficult.

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