Having my tech for a few months now has opened my eyes. I realise now the disadvantage I put myself in. I used the online tests to study , they were good for that. BUT they gave NO foundation. I learned enough to get my ticket but not much more. Where do I start, to actually learn what I need to know?
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coming to terms
- Thread starter stevesm
- Start date
This is EXACTLY why I keep preaching to the masses that they should study the material and LEARN the stuff required and not simply match up the answers to the questions from the question pool. Most of the time I am just :bdh: but now and then someone realises why. Sometimes they learn why before they take the exam and other's ,like yourself, learn after the fact. The bottom line is that you did in fact learn the proper way to learn. It's called study.
If I were you I would check out the local area for a ham that would be willing to take you under his wing and teach you the ropes. That is called elmering. You may have to enquire at a local ham club.Usually there is someone more than willing to do so and often that person is retired with lots of time on his hand and just chomping at the bit to teach someone the basics and the old way of doing things. Nothing wrong with the old ways BTW. The basics are still the same. The antennas still work the same. Propagation still works the same. He may even have some books he can lend you or give you. That's where I would start.
If I were you I would check out the local area for a ham that would be willing to take you under his wing and teach you the ropes. That is called elmering. You may have to enquire at a local ham club.Usually there is someone more than willing to do so and often that person is retired with lots of time on his hand and just chomping at the bit to teach someone the basics and the old way of doing things. Nothing wrong with the old ways BTW. The basics are still the same. The antennas still work the same. Propagation still works the same. He may even have some books he can lend you or give you. That's where I would start.
This could be stopped if the questions were changed and the new question pool wasn't available for all to see.
No disrespect, maybe I am looking at this wrong,,,,,,,,,
It's only radio
Now if they provided the answer pool to be a nuclear physicist,,,,, I would be a bit concerned
The asnwers are a good thing because it helps with understanding why its the answer but as stated above people need to read and reread the book itself then you will understand why the answer is just that....THE ANSWER!!!
I had my kids look at the questions and if they didnt understand the answer totally I found the section in the book and had them reread that part and then it all clicked.
As a matter of fact they took the course at a local college aswell because I told them eventhough they were flying through the practice tests The instructors at the classroom sessions would explain even more in detail and so the kids and the wife took that course aswell.
I had my kids look at the questions and if they didnt understand the answer totally I found the section in the book and had them reread that part and then it all clicked.
As a matter of fact they took the course at a local college aswell because I told them eventhough they were flying through the practice tests The instructors at the classroom sessions would explain even more in detail and so the kids and the wife took that course aswell.
Ok I confess, I am a test taker, a question memorizer, a no code Ham.
But, the reason I became a Ham is to communicate with others via Radio. There was very little on my General Exam that prepared me to communicate on the HF bands. I did learn alot about electronics, propagation, the Ionosphere, antenna radiation and a few other tidbits and that did help me to set up my station, but about 90% of it I will never use. I can barely get solder to stick to the soldering iron let alone build a circuit.
Anyway, the learning curve begins after the test and when you click the transmit button...
Craig
But, the reason I became a Ham is to communicate with others via Radio. There was very little on my General Exam that prepared me to communicate on the HF bands. I did learn alot about electronics, propagation, the Ionosphere, antenna radiation and a few other tidbits and that did help me to set up my station, but about 90% of it I will never use. I can barely get solder to stick to the soldering iron let alone build a circuit.
Anyway, the learning curve begins after the test and when you click the transmit button...
Craig
There are a number of ways to learn all this stuff. All it takes is time and study. It's work, but it's also being able to use what you learned, which makes the effort worthwhile. Don't want to put out the effort to learn? Then you have to put up with not knowing what you are talking about, having to take someone else's word about it. Now that's an interesting thought, isn't it??
The information is there. There's no mystery about it, no secrets. If it seems 'mysterious' then it's only because you don't know the 'why' of it, and that holds true for learning anything. So, start cracking those books.
- 'Doc
The information is there. There's no mystery about it, no secrets. If it seems 'mysterious' then it's only because you don't know the 'why' of it, and that holds true for learning anything. So, start cracking those books.
- 'Doc
Which IMHO is exactly the way it should be.
And as a result we have people who end up asking questions like the OP here. You also end up with a lot of disillusioned people that get frustrated and drop out of radio needlessly.
I think that there should be some way of finding a 'compromise' between a non-public question pool and a published question pool. I've taken test under the older "go to the FCC office for the test" and the VEC system. There were no 'study guides' let alone all the questions with answers available. Later when 'what's his name' came out with his study guide it was much easier. I can remember asking what to study and getting the 'Handbook' answer. That's about as useless as it gets if you know nothing about electronics to start with. About like telling you to start by rubbing two sticks together to make fire, and jumping immediately into three stage rocket science.
So where's the middle ground? I don't think "dumbing down" is the answer to anything, and that's about what we have now. There are parts of this hobby that will really 'bite' you if you're not careful. Unfortunately, there are some who honestly don't realize that.
- 'Doc
So where's the middle ground? I don't think "dumbing down" is the answer to anything, and that's about what we have now. There are parts of this hobby that will really 'bite' you if you're not careful. Unfortunately, there are some who honestly don't realize that.
- 'Doc
Stevesm,
Congratulations! You have just taken the first step towards being a REAL ham!
Read, get some of the old radio and antenna books available online on ebay and such, or at hamfests, and read. Ask questions, but filter out the answers through the books. Experiment. Try new stuff. Try to find an elmer who is qualified to help, not just willing. It takes time, and it will come to you in time if you are curious enough to look for it.
Again,
Congratulations to you.
PR
Congratulations! You have just taken the first step towards being a REAL ham!
Read, get some of the old radio and antenna books available online on ebay and such, or at hamfests, and read. Ask questions, but filter out the answers through the books. Experiment. Try new stuff. Try to find an elmer who is qualified to help, not just willing. It takes time, and it will come to you in time if you are curious enough to look for it.
Again,
Congratulations to you.
PR
Ya know, you are right. For a long time you could actually memorize all of the FAA Pilot written exam questions as they were openly posted as well. In that case though an oral exam was also required but I'd take flying an airplane a lot more seriously than talking on your radio.
Yes, but you also had to prove that you knew WHY and HOW an airplane flew, and that you were proficient in actually flying , and landing, a plane.
Indeed. I think the only solution is to implement an oral AND practical exam in addition to the written exam that is already required.