• Extra Class

    From Sean Dennis@1:18/200 to All on Sun Oct 19 12:36:37 2025
    Hello All,

    One of the reasons I got my Extra ticket is because of the extra bandwidth to work European staions in the lower end of 40, 75 and 80 meters. Plus, if there's contesting going on and I am not participating in the contest, the extra bandwidth is a welcome respite.

    Also, for Nigel's reason of not worring about being out of my license bandwidth. XD

    I won't lie: the Extra test was difficult for me but I did it. I'm still glad I did it though.

    -- Sean

    ... Go straight to the docs. Do not pass GO. Do not collect $200!
    --- GoldED/2 3.0.1
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  • From Nigel Reed@1:124/5016 to Sean Dennis on Sun Oct 19 15:00:26 2025
    Re: Extra Class
    By: Sean Dennis to All on Sun Oct 19 2025 12:36:37

    I won't lie: the Extra test was difficult for me but I did it. I'm still glad I did it though.

    I study from time to time but there is a lot of try and remember and most of it I'll never likely use and if I do, it's all on the internet anyway.

    I sometimes wonder about the validity of tests in the day and age of the internet. Way back when you couldn't just go online and look up half the stuff you need to know, bu then again, you really need a basic understanding of the laws that we have to operate under which is not one of those "I didn't know" type things you can get away with if you nuke your neighbors TV pushing a gigawatt right down their antenna :)
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  • From Sean Dennis@1:18/200 to Nigel Reed on Sun Oct 19 20:53:00 2025
    Hi Nigel,

    I sometimes wonder about the validity of tests in the day and age of the internet. Way back when you couldn't just go online and
    look up half the stuff you need to know, bu then again,
    you really need a basic understanding of the laws that
    we have to operate under which is not one of those "I
    didn't know" type things you can get away with if you
    nuke your neighbors TV pushing a gigawatt right down
    their antenna :)

    From my experience as a VE, most hams taking a test seem to want to memorize the answers then learn later the actual information. I did the same myself but through experimentation and gaining experience, I learned and understood.

    The Part 97 stuff is something you have to read, memorize, and understand. The FCC doesn't take "I didn't know" for an answer.

    73,
    Sean


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  • From Nigel Reed@1:124/5016 to All on Mon Oct 20 03:10:28 2025
    On Sun, 19 Oct 2025 20:53:00 +0000
    "Sean Dennis" (1:18/200) <Sean.Dennis@f200.n18.z1.fidonet> wrote:

    Hi Nigel,

    I sometimes wonder about the validity of tests in the day and
    age of the internet. Way back when you couldn't just go online
    and look up half the stuff you need to know, bu then again,
    you really need a basic understanding of the laws that
    we have to operate under which is not one of those "I
    didn't know" type things you can get away with if you
    nuke your neighbors TV pushing a gigawatt right down
    their antenna :)

    From my experience as a VE, most hams taking a test seem to want to
    memorize the answers then learn later the actual information. I did
    the same myself but through experimentation and gaining experience, I
    learned and understood.

    The Part 97 stuff is something you have to read, memorize, and
    understand. The FCC doesn't take "I didn't know" for an answer.

    But they accept lucky guess :)
    --
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  • From Rug Rat@1:135/250 to Sean Dennis on Mon Oct 20 22:13:57 2025
    On Sun 19-Oct-2025 12:36p, Sean Dennis@1:18/200.0 wrote:

    Also, for Nigel's reason of not worring about being out of my license bandwidth. XD

    LOL. yeah, now all you have to worry about is accidently responding to an out of region DX station, in a portion of the band you would not be listening to if you weren't an Extra. Oh, and when you normally would just not log it so nobody would know. You do because you are working a contest.. (ASK ME HOW I KNOW...).

    Then there are the hams that will openly talk and teach others how to transmit out of band on their BaoFangs or CB(HF) modified radios, and will make it seem like you are the bad person for pointing out it is illegal.

    Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
    Blog and Forums - www.catracing.org
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  • From Rug Rat@1:135/250 to Sean Dennis on Mon Oct 20 22:14:57 2025
    On Sun 19-Oct-2025 8:53p, Sean Dennis@1:18/200.0 said to Nigel Reed:

    From my experience as a VE, most hams taking a test seem to want to memorize the answers then learn later the actual information. I did the same myself but through experimentation and gaining experience, I learned and understood.

    At least it is easier to do so now all the information that is available on Youtube.

    Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
    Blog and Forums - www.catracing.org
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  • From Mortar M.@1:124/5016 to Sean Dennis on Tue Oct 21 10:48:32 2025
    Re: Extra Class
    By: Sean Dennis to Nigel Reed on Sun Oct 19 2025 20:53:00

    From my experience as a VE, most hams taking a test seem to want to memorize the answers then learn later the actual information.

    Which is definitely the wrong way to do it. It's so dissapointing to hear hams ask questions about even the most basic stuff they would've known if they actually bothered to /learn/ the material, instead of just memorizing. The kicker is I usually know the answers...and I'm not even a ham!
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  • From Nigel Reed@1:124/5016 to All on Tue Oct 21 12:39:01 2025
    On Tue, 21 Oct 2025 10:48:32 -0500
    "Mortar M." <mortar.m.@endofthelinebbs.com> wrote:

    Re: Extra Class
    By: Sean Dennis to Nigel Reed on Sun Oct 19 2025 20:53:00

    From my experience as a VE, most hams taking a test seem to want
    to memorize the answers then learn later the actual information.

    Which is definitely the wrong way to do it. It's so dissapointing to
    hear hams ask questions about even the most basic stuff they would've
    known if they actually bothered to /learn/ the material, instead of
    just memorizing. The kicker is I usually know the answers...and I'm
    not even a ham!

    Go to my BBS, under Doors > Fun Stuff take the general test and see how
    you do.
    --
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  • From Mortar M.@1:124/5016 to Nigel Reed on Tue Oct 21 13:23:59 2025
    Re: Re: Learn, Amateurs Learn!
    By: Nigel Reed to All on Tue Oct 21 2025 12:39:01

    Go to my BBS, under Doors > Fun Stuff take the general test and see how
    you do.

    Cool. Um, which is...?
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  • From Sean Dennis@1:18/200 to Rug Rat on Tue Oct 21 18:29:24 2025
    Hello, Rug!

    Replying to a message of Rug Rat to Sean Dennis:

    LOL. yeah, now all you have to worry about is accidently responding to
    an out of region DX station, in a portion of the band you would not
    be listening to if you weren't an Extra. Oh, and when you normally
    would just not log it so nobody would know. You do because you are working a contest.. (ASK ME HOW I KNOW...).

    I couldn't tell you how many times as a General I pulled off that trick during a contest, both SSB and digital.

    Then there are the hams that will openly talk and teach others how to transmit out of band on their BaoFangs or CB(HF) modified radios, and
    will make it seem like you are the bad person for pointing out it is illegal.

    Stupid is as stupid does. Like the idiots on 7.200 and 14.313.

    -- Sean KS4TD

    --- FleetStreet 1.27.1
    * Origin: Outpost BBS Local Console * bbs.outpostbbs.net:10323 (1:18/200)
  • From Sean Dennis@1:18/200 to Rug Rat on Tue Oct 21 18:32:48 2025
    Hello, Rug!

    Replying to a message of Rug Rat to Sean Dennis:

    At least it is easier to do so now all the information that is
    available on Youtube.

    I wish YouTube was around when I was working on my Tech (late 1997). Would have made life much easier.

    -- Sean KS4TD

    --- FleetStreet 1.27.1
    * Origin: Outpost BBS Local Console * bbs.outpostbbs.net:10323 (1:18/200)
  • From Sean Dennis@1:18/200 to Mortar M. on Tue Oct 21 18:39:52 2025
    Hello, Mortar!

    Replying to a message of Mortar M. to Sean Dennis:

    Which is definitely the wrong way to do it. It's so dissapointing to
    hear hams ask questions about even the most basic stuff they would've known if they actually bothered to /learn/ the material, instead of
    just memorizing.

    You're right. In my case, I am always curious so I learned quickly. Case in point: making antennas. That's one of my favorite things about being a ham. But yes, I have seen new hams ask some quiestions about things they should already know,.,.

    The kicker is I usually know the answers...and I'm
    not even a ham!

    Maybe you should become a ham. I think you'd make a great elmer,

    -- Sean KS4TD/WSBW961
    EM86ti

    --- FleetStreet 1.27.1
    * Origin: ARS KS4TD Local Console (1:18/200)
  • From Sean Dennis@1:18/200 to Nigel Reed on Tue Oct 21 18:52:34 2025
    Hello, Nigel!

    Replying to a message of Nigel Reed to All:

    Go to my BBS, under Doors > Fun Stuff take the general test and see
    how you do.

    Hmm, that might be a good thing. Took and passed my General in 2008.

    -- Sean KS4TD/WSBW961
    EM86ti

    --- FleetStreet 1.27.1
    * Origin: ARS KS4TD Local Console (1:18/200)
  • From Nigel Reed@1:124/5016 to All on Tue Oct 21 21:08:19 2025
    On Tue, 21 Oct 2025 13:23:59 -0500
    "Mortar M." <mortar.m.@endofthelinebbs.com> wrote:

    Re: Re: Learn, Amateurs Learn!
    By: Nigel Reed to All on Tue Oct 21 2025 12:39:01

    Go to my BBS, under Doors > Fun Stuff take the general test and
    see how you do.

    Cool. Um, which is...?

    Considering you post from my BBS and it's in my tagline...
    --
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  • From Nigel Reed@1:124/5016 to All on Tue Oct 21 21:08:43 2025
    On Tue, 21 Oct 2025 18:52:34 +0000
    "Sean Dennis" (1:18/200) <Sean.Dennis@f200.n18.z1.fidonet> wrote:

    Hello, Nigel!

    Replying to a message of Nigel Reed to All:

    Go to my BBS, under Doors > Fun Stuff take the general test and
    see how you do.

    Hmm, that might be a good thing. Took and passed my General in 2008.


    I don't think the questions are up to date. Will have to check.
    --
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  • From Rug Rat@1:135/250 to Sean Dennis on Tue Oct 21 21:01:50 2025
    On Tue 21-Oct-2025 6:29p, Sean Dennis@1:18/200.0 said to Rug Rat:

    Stupid is as stupid does. Like the idiots on 7.200 and 14.313.

    Or the idiots who don't know how to turn the VFO knob, at least they stay on a single frequency. Rather they stay to themselves than go around jamming other QSO or nets. They have been there long before I was a ham and will be around a lot longer I presume. If the FCC was going to do something, they would have done it by now.

    Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
    Blog and Forums - www.catracing.org
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  • From Rug Rat@1:135/250 to Sean Dennis on Tue Oct 21 21:09:32 2025
    On Tue 21-Oct-2025 6:32p, Sean Dennis@1:18/200.0 said to Rug Rat:

    I wish YouTube was around when I was working on my Tech (late 1997).
    Would have made life much easier.

    Novice and Tech were not the problem for me, read "Now You're Talking" cover to cover, was an excellant book for teaching the therory. Much better than the ARRL pub and the Gordon West books.

    The ARRL General manual was well written.

    The Advanced (At the time) and Extra books. BLECH!! Failed the Advanced 7 times and gave up. Kept me off from upgrading to Extra for a decade or more. The W4EEY video course was what finally explained the math well enough for me to pass. The problem with the ARRLs Extra book is I need 1 simple formula to solve an answer, and they give you 3 pages and 3 or 4 other formulae to get to the one I need, by the time I got there my brain was already mush..

    I also always thought it was funny. The General had theory in it that would have been great to learn and viable for the Tech, the same with the Extra, such as satelite operation. It even has one large chapter dealing with VHF/UHF theory and operation. I am not upgrading to Extra so I can know more about VHF/UHF...

    Rug Rat (Brent Hendricks)
    Blog and Forums - www.catracing.org
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  • From Mortar M.@1:124/5016 to Sean Dennis on Wed Oct 22 14:27:37 2025
    Re: Learn, Amateurs Learn!
    By: Sean Dennis to Mortar M. on Tue Oct 21 2025 18:39:52

    Maybe you should become a ham. I think you'd make a great elmer,

    Heh, 'preciate the sentiment, but I have a long way to go before I'd try that. As for becoming a ham, I've studied for the Tech ticket a few times, but VEs in my area are hard to come by, but now that there's remote testing, I just might give it another go.

    On a tangent, anybody have any reccomendations for a study guide in book form? I learn better by reading. I had ARRL's book, but I found it lacking details.
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  • From Mortar M.@1:124/5016 to Nigel Reed on Wed Oct 22 14:33:23 2025
    Re: Re: Learn, Amateurs Learn!
    By: Nigel Reed to All on Tue Oct 21 2025 21:08:19

    Considering you post from my BBS and it's in my tagline...

    I did see that, but I'm confused. I thought Nelgin was the Sysop, or is this a multiple personality thing? :)
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  • From Mortar M.@1:124/5016 to Rug Rat on Wed Oct 22 14:43:55 2025
    Re: Re: Extra Class
    By: Rug Rat to Sean Dennis on Tue Oct 21 2025 21:09:32

    Novice and Tech were not the problem for me, read "Now You're Talking" cover to cover, was an excellant book for teaching the therory. Much better than the ARRL pub and the Gordon West books.

    I grok! I had the Radio Shack version of NYT; very understandable, though I did have problems with the antennae section. The last book I had was ARRL's and didn't care for it; I thought it was lacking in depth which just made parts more confusing than they needed to be.
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  • From Nigel Reed@1:124/5016 to All on Wed Oct 22 16:50:08 2025
    On Wed, 22 Oct 2025 14:33:23 -0500
    "Mortar M." <mortar.m.@endofthelinebbs.com> wrote:

    Re: Re: Learn, Amateurs Learn!
    By: Nigel Reed to All on Tue Oct 21 2025 21:08:19

    Considering you post from my BBS and it's in my tagline...

    I did see that, but I'm confused. I thought Nelgin was the Sysop, or
    is this a multiple personality thing? :)

    I am the sysop.
    --
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  • From Nigel Reed@1:124/5016 to All on Wed Oct 22 16:52:15 2025
    On Wed, 22 Oct 2025 14:27:37 -0500
    "Mortar M." <mortar.m.@endofthelinebbs.com> wrote:

    Re: Learn, Amateurs Learn!
    By: Sean Dennis to Mortar M. on Tue Oct 21 2025 18:39:52

    Maybe you should become a ham. I think you'd make a great elmer,

    Heh, 'preciate the sentiment, but I have a long way to go before I'd
    try that. As for becoming a ham, I've studied for the Tech ticket a
    few times, but VEs in my area are hard to come by, but now that
    there's remote testing, I just might give it another go.

    On a tangent, anybody have any reccomendations for a study guide in
    book form? I learn better by reading. I had ARRL's book, but I
    found it lacking details.

    The problem I have is that there's a lot to remember and by the time
    I'm 3 chapters in, I probably forgot what's in the first chapter.

    I learn by with continue testing and incorporating more as you go. A
    bit like computer labs, you start with simple stuff then you build on
    that knowledge until you know the thing inside out.

    I find that sort of HAM learning/training hard to come by.
    --
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