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Gen. test

Sonwatcher

Sonwatcher

Active Member
Apr 6, 2005
3,413
25
48
Colorado
I have been studying my book and sample tests on Qrz and Eham. Right now I am pretty consistant in 80+% . I'm hoping to take my test in a couple weeks. From those that have taken the test what % should I be at to be safe. I'm aiming for 100 % but I am looking for a guage to go by when I decide to take it.
 

I would recommend at least 90%. At 80%, you could choke on 1 question and not pass. When I went for my Extra, I was a consistent 100%. Still missed one on the written. Different setting, I guess.

Rich
 
As far as the code goes, just learn the letters and don't worry about words. When you take the test, just write the dots and dashes. Make the dashes verticle strokes instead of horizontal.

|.|. ||.| not _._. _ _._

The verticle strokes are quicker and easier to read. After all the code is sent, just translate your strokes to letters, during the review period and your home free. This is a legitimate way of doing it.

Rich
 
90%, you ought to be good to go. I took 2 and 3 at the same time, I'm cheap, same cost. Just take your time and recheck. I answered all the easy ones, and went back to think about the others. Multiple guess makes it alot easier, two are obviously wrong, so it comes down to the two that might be right. The only hard ones for me, were frequency priviliges.
 
The verticle strokes are quicker and easier to read. After all the code is sent, just translate your strokes to letters, during the review period and your home free. This is a legitimate way of doing it.
Click to expand...

That's easier than writing letters/numbers/punctuation? I can't read code.
 
2M Guy said:
That's easier than writing letters/numbers/punctuation? I can't read code.
Click to expand...

Knowing the letters is not the same as knowing the code. You can memorize the individual characters A(.|), B(|...), etc. very easily. It is just when they are being sent that your brain has to translate them and then you have to write them as letters, that creates the problem. By not translating them first and just writing what you hear, (. or |), you will copy everything sent, then translate later. Try it.

Rich
 
I will. I've been just hearing it. No written, just this noise means this. Closed eyes, so I don't see the G4FON, Daa daa is M, etc.
 
Ron,

Glad to hear you are trying for General.
I know you will absolutely love it when you finally complete Elements 1 & 3.
As for where you should be comfortable in taking the written test, you are there or real close. I was running in the 90% range on the QRZ tests when I took mine.

Are there some areas that you are unsure of? If so, let me know and maybe I can offer some help.

Have you read any books or just take the practice tests.
I got a copy of the ARRL General License manual to read along with the practice tests. It helped me with some of the electrical/electronic theory.

2M Guy mentioned the freq privileges for General.
That is something that I had some trouble with memorizing.
I have a Gordon West General book that has some tricks for remembering band edges. If you need to know them, let me know and I will type them down for you, not hard to remember.

Also, download this freq chart and check out the general subbands. When you get your general ticket you will soon learn the subbands because you are using them 8)

When you are ready to learn code, let me know.
I might be able to hook up my code practice oscillator to my computer and we could practice via echolink.

But don't worry about code this moment, just get through the written test and then you can focus on code. I know you can do this and I know you will have so much fun when you get your HF privileges. For me, it suddenly breathed new life into the amateur hobby for me. I have had a lot of enjoyment from having access to freqs from 1.8 mhz through 450 mhz just with my FT-847. And through it all, I still operate the VHF/UHF bands as well as good ol' 11 meters, but I leave my DX'ing to the ham bands now...much easier than DX'ing on 11 :LOL:
 
Hamin' X said:
As far as the code goes, just learn the letters and don't worry about words. When you take the test, just write the dots and dashes. Make the dashes verticle strokes instead of horizontal.

|.|. ||.| not _._. _ _._

The verticle strokes are quicker and easier to read. After all the code is sent, just translate your strokes to letters, during the review period and your home free. This is a legitimate way of doing it.

Rich
Click to expand...

I don't think that is a good way.You are not actually learning Morse code as you should but rather translating it and that takes FAR too long IMHO. I don't know about you guys but here in Canada when the CW test was required we only had about one or two minutes to review our copy before handing it in.That would not be enough time to translate it all.If you were fast enough to do it in that time then you should have been able to write the letters down as they were received.You should never convert dots and dashes to letters but you should learn the flow of dots and dashes and treat each letter as a separate sound.Afterall,we recognise a couple million sounds what's another 26 for letters and a dozen or so for punctuation and prosigns. ;)
 
QRN said:
I don't think that is a good way.You are not actually learning Morse code as you should but rather translating it
Click to expand...

If he is interested in learning the code, you would be correct. However, most new hams just want to get on the air and look at the code as an antiquated obstacle. Back in the days when I went up for General, this would not have worked, as 13 WPM were required. By the time I moved up to Extra the requirement had been dropped to 5 WPM. I expect that within two years, the code requirement will be eliminated, altogether. To each their own. I still use CW some today and can copy a respectable 25 WPM, but I did not get there by studying, rather by usage.

So much of the CW that you hear over the air today, is keyboard, or contest keyer generated and computer read anyway. So much so, that it is rare to hear a good fist on the air. That is a shame, but I guess that's what they call progress. From straight key to bug, bug to electronic keyer, keyer to computer, computer to no code at all. I reckon we'll get over it.

Rich
 

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