Want to take my Foundation

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mof000
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Re: Want to take my Foundation

Post by mof000 »

So making the exam harder will encourage more people into the hobby? I very much doubt it..
I'd like to know the percentage of hams that actually build their own radios, amps or any gear come to think of it.
It's a bit like the driving licence, i love driving my car but do i wan't to repair it? NO, i just wan't to drive it. If i wan't to repair it i'll take it to the garage or maybe become a mechanic if i really wanted to. Does that make me a terrible driver,NO.
I'll pay whatever i think it's worth...:-)
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Re: Want to take my Foundation

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This is the kind of attitude that is going to bring people to the hobby:-

“Lets just all get along”

I know its a strange title to start an article with, but it really does sum up pretty much what I’m writing about this time. I am a member of quite a number of different Facebook Amateur Radio groups, as I know many of you will also be, and what keeps striking me over and over again are the levels of bitching, moaning and quite often nasty behavior by some of the posters in these groups. It is to be expected that within any hobby there will be differences of opinion, as this is nothing more than normal human behaviour, however the themes which keep being dragged out time and time again are the same old tired topics of “The RAE was harder than the new exams”, “Unless you’ve got the top off a radio, or you’ve built your own, your not a proper Radio Amateur”, Foundation Licence holders don’t know what they’re doing” and on and on and on it goes. I accept and have always accepted that people have their own opinions on things, and I wouldn’t have it any other way, but when these groups represent a public facing image of the Amateur Radio Community within the UK and globally, is it really wise to publicly criticize a tier system that anyone new to the hobby will have to undertake, not to mention painting an image of UK Amateur Radio Operators that I’m sure none of us would be proud to represent. The simple truth is whether you agree with the current tier system or dream of a day when the RAE style exam makes a return, the current model in use in the UK for Amateur Radio Examinations is the three tier Foundation, Intermediate and Full Advanced Licence classes. It is short sighted and potentially runs a significant risk of damaging the reputation of Amateur Radio in the UK by blanket criticizing a class of licence for no other reason than a ill placed sense of superiority. We all make mistakes on the radio and those who would shout that they don’t, are most likely the ones making the most mistakes. It doesn’t matter if your an M6 a 2E0 (other regional identifiers are available) a M0, a G3, G4 or any other combination of M or G station, I can absolutely promise you 100% that there will be licence holders within your Licence class who represent the very best, and the worse Amateur Radio Operators the world has ever seen. I’ve heard G stations hold full blown conversations on the 2m calling frequency, heard more CB lingo than I can shake a stick at, and heard supposedly experienced stations become rude and very unhelpful when conditions on a band alter, and a station enjoying a qso with a fellow radio amateur suddenly appears on a frequency they’re using. The bands are there for all of us to use, if someone appears on your frequency, just be polite, chances are they’ll move, and if they don’t, is it really that hard to turn the dial yourself and qsy to a clear frequency. There is nothing to say they weren’t always on that frequency and in fact its been you who’s actually broken into their qso. Its not all doom and gloom though as I am pleased to say in all the time I’ve been licensed I have never personally experienced any negative comments whilst on the air, and I can honestly say that this article is in no way reflective of the membership of this club. We are lucky as a club to have what I would class as one of the most helpful and supportive memberships I could ever hope for, who help nurture and grow those members who are new to the hobby, or who in many cases are returning to the hobby after a period of absence. The truth is I love this crazy hobby we call Amateur Radio, and it doesn’t matter if your a Foundation, an Intermediate or a Full Advanced Licence holder we all have things to learn, we will all make mistakes, and we will all grow within the hobby. So basically if I had to sum up my message it would be this, “Enjoy this great hobby, learn as much as you can, but most of all be proud to hold your call-sign no matter what class it is. You have worked hard to obtain it and never let anyone put you down, everyone no matter who they are all started from the bottom, whether that was as a Foundation licence holder, a B class Licence holder or simple didn’t have a licence at all and were training for it, they all started somewhere. So now in true Radio Amateur traditions I will bid you all 73 and look forward to reading the next issue of Tales From The Shack, but who will write it. Over to you.

Neil Yorke M0NKE – Vice Chairman.
I'll pay whatever i think it's worth...:-)
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Re: Want to take my Foundation

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I think you make some rather valid points there Paulers in your last few posts, very well said may I add.

For the other member you also make some valid points too, I did try to find some information out myself online about the coming changes but only had a quick google and found nothing solid, however the tutors that teach the exams daily have said it is happening so I have to take their word on it as they do this everyday so they should I presume be kept in the loop of upcoming changes by both Ofcom and the RSGB.

It doesn't really bother me if it does get harder because from what I have seen thus far regarding the Intermediate this one looks more fun to me as it is doing what I like to do everyday in the hobby, Soldering and making stuff, so I would take the Intermediate in a lot better than I have the Foundation because it is more up my interest street, if the changes do come in and the intermediate does contain more elements from the Advanced then it just meens I will have to put in a little more work in order to pass it.

As for the Advanced, now that does scare me as it is now even, because of all the Maths and Algebra I cant even add 2 and 2 together but if I really want it I know I can do it, I just have to put the work in and learn, but yes the advanced as it stands now is a scary thing for me, however I really want to achieve all levels eventually.
Last edited by nay27uk on 26 Mar 2017, 15:08, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Want to take my Foundation

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Please feel free to add a reply? I love all aspects of radio be it CB or HAM . I don't judge anyone and i hope that people would do the same in return to me or others regardless of of class of licence?
Anyway had a few nice contacts on 2meters earlier with my brother!
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Re: Want to take my Foundation

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Wasn't;t my intention to ruffle feathers, but I really do believe that every new licensee who is serious about the hobby is a welcome addition, and everyone who took it without doing any serious research into what it's about probably is no asset at all to the ham community.

I totally agree that age, and type of exam is no guide to them being nice, sociable, useful, pleasant and rule following - but while we need new blood coming in to fill the holes left me the ones leaving at the other end - I'm not sure that some are in it for the right reasons. If that makes ham radio a bit exclusive, so be it.

All the countries seem to have the same or similar rationale for ham radio - self training. Frankly, I find it a bit embarrassing when somebody decides to only enter and then stay at the basic level. All ages too - somebody asks perhaps what feeder cable they need between the aerial and the radio, and people advise, based on their experience, gained in the hobby or their work perhaps. Then the person wants to know where they can buy one made up, with all the connectors on? I think, and I do realise perhaps I'm a dinosaur, that putting on a plug is pretty essential, basic stuff. It isn't hard, and save you money by you being able to do basic repairs. I do not see any difference between CB, PMR446 and ham radio if all you want to do is talk. If you are licensed, have taken an exam, then you have something other's do not. Like it or not, in a sense, you are better - you have advanced and progressed. This progression is normal, and frankly, when you pass your test and get your license, you should feel proud - something other people have not got. If you get the novice, and then like ham radio and move up, again, you are advancing. You choose when to stop.

I don't have a Doctorate, yet some of my old college students who were pretty hopeless at 18, now have a Phd. Are they 'better' than me? Well in some areas, clearly they are - there's nothing wrong with that.

If you listen to airband at a local airport - you hear totally amazingly awful radio procedures from people who have passed an RT exam. Same with ham radio. When you hear that person calling and calling on the local repeater, and getting no answers, there are probably loads of people who simply do not want to talk to them. These are the people who just haven't progressed or even noticed they haven't quite got the hang of it. Other new licensees get responses to every call it appears - nobody cares if they are new, as long as they are conformists - who listened before speaking, and learned how it's done.

Every idiot who gets on the air, spoils it for the rest and creates bad impressions and this has happened since the 50's. Do we not want quality, not quantity? If it makes us a bit exclusive, that too is fine with me.

This is an example - from another forum
I recently obtained my Technician class license. Im new to amature radio. I was thinking of getting a quad band mobil radio. Will all bands work on the same antenna?

Also does quad band radios have AM, SSB, and HAM frequencies on it?

It may seem like dumb questions but i just dont know.
So he clearly knows nothing about aerials. He's picked a radio with no research into what he actually wants to do, and cannot understand the specs to decide if it has AM??? Does he know that AM isn't even a common amateur mode? So in the US, you can pass your test and have clearly zero understanding, plus an unwillingness to even use Google? This is the kind of person who knows nothing about the hobby at all?
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Re: Want to take my Foundation

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No feathers ruffled this way I think you both make some really valid points.
I have edited my post further up as I got names mixed up.
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Re: Want to take my Foundation

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i honestly think that anyone interested in getting there foundation licence is brilliant for the radio hobby,people now days are really into phone apps and are not interested at all in radios so all should be welcomed just as cb died so will amateur radio ,encourage anyone interested in radio and help them so the hobby does not die out !
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Re: Want to take my Foundation

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Well I had the exam tonight and I am pleased to say I have passed, 24 of 26 so not too bad. Should be doing the Intermediate in June or July.
I Hope to speak to some of you when the licence comes through so I can get my chosen call.
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Re: Want to take my Foundation

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Good for you.

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Re: Want to take my Foundation

Post by mercury888 »

Well done you!

Note that I found choosing a callsign to be impossible so ended up just clicking to take the next in sequence, and it turned out ok. ymmv. And it took a seeming age for the Ofcom site to show that I even had a ticket. Mind you this is after some 40 years of deciding whether or not to bother so a couple more weeks made little difference.
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Re: Want to take my Foundation

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Excellent! I hope you enjoy and get plenty of use out of it. I've recently dusted off my FT726r and been going on 2 meters and it's been great to get back and air my call.
I'll pay whatever i think it's worth...:-)
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Re: Want to take my Foundation

Post by paulears »

Congrats - job well done!
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Re: Want to take my Foundation

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Thanks all for the congrats.
I have managed with the aid of QRZ to narrow my call sign down to 3 and out of those their is one I think I will go for, I wanted something that is also free for the 2EO as well.
I suppose I will find out more when I actually get the pass through because although QRZ is great for checking call signs not every one is registered on it so offcom may be a different story
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Re: Want to take my Foundation

Post by Checkpointcharlie »

Well done..Don't worry about the callsign yet till you get the M0 I guesss as the first two won't mean much to you.
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Re: Want to take my Foundation

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Checkpointcharlie wrote:Well done..Don't worry about the callsign yet till you get the M0 I guesss as the first two won't mean much to you.
:lol: cheers pal
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