Intermediate Exam practical assessment abolished

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M3PIE
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Intermediate Exam practical assessment abolished

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The Examination Standards Committee is pleased to announce the latest syllabus revision for the amateur radio licence examinations. Following the valuable feedback from the tutor community, certain points have been clarified. There are no new learning points with this revision—version 1.4—but one very significant change is that the Intermediate practical assessment is to be discontinued with immediate effect. Some of the feedback has in...
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M0HJO
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Re: Intermediate Exam practical assessment abolished

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M3PIE wrote: Fri Jul 31, 2020 5:36 pm The Examination Standards Committee is pleased to announce the latest syllabus revision for the amateur radio licence examinations. Following the valuable feedback from the tutor community, certain points have been clarified. There are no new learning points with this revision—version 1.4—but one very significant change is that the Intermediate practical assessment is to be discontinued with immediate effect. Some of the feedback has in...
Got rid of the practical on both the FL & IL Exam, so it can be done online.

But still, you cant do the Advance Exam on line, which would require no change because there is no practical element to that exam.

RSGB would rather get people into the hobby, by dumbing down the FL exam even more, than reward those who want to take the Advance and have already shown commitment by passing the other two exams with practical tests and all!

Shameful ...........................................
Glad to be Here.
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M3PIE
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Re: Intermediate Exam practical assessment abolished

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We can only hope that the plans to go ahead with the full onlinein the Autumn John as previously stated in pess release.
As regards the dumbing down of the hobby, look at it as a change from a technical licence {hobby} to a operators licence only.
But there are many newcomers upgrading very quickly with the online system which i feel is here to stay.
Along with the online courses this will have knock n affect on local radio clubs membership and revenue too. some will struggle to attract new members more so the ones that do nly courses/exams.
Doing activites will be their only way to encourage membership.
73, De Mark.
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G6CSL
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Re: Intermediate Exam practical assessment abolished

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I think we have to accept that the centre of gravity of the hobby has shifted from experimentation and construction to operating. And the PC has even dumbed-down operating. :)

There will always be a few intrepid souls who still prefer the joy of putting their home-brew gear on the air. In ye olde days it was the norm, but those days are gone, never to return.

Sooner or later they will scrap the 'advanced' altogether.
VK5TM
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Re: Intermediate Exam practical assessment abolished

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Sooner or later there will only be one license and you will pop in to the local supermarket to get it :evil:
Sangoma
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Re: Intermediate Exam practical assessment abolished

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G6CSL wrote: Sat Aug 01, 2020 4:06 pm I think we have to accept that the centre of gravity of the hobby has shifted from experimentation and construction to operating. And the PC has even dumbed-down operating. :)

There will always be a few intrepid souls who still prefer the joy of putting their home-brew gear on the air. In ye olde days it was the norm, but those days are gone, never to return.

Sooner or later they will scrap the 'advanced' altogether.

Yes.

I think a lot has to do with modern day attitudes and the need for instant gratification with no effort..

Some weeks ago, I assembled a PA and tuner for some one, including running it up and testing. For a very nominal amount. Was about to send it off when I got an email saying he was sending me a case, and I could just "pop them into the case" for him. I replied, OK for an additional £80. He moaned and whined and said it was more than 3 times what he paid me to assemble them, and what was the point in me doing a job if I was only going to do half a job.

About 18 months ago, I agreed to open up a 7300 and do the mod to use an external antenna switch for HF/6&4m. (all for no charge)
Firstly he wanted to bring it late in an evening, and sit and wait while I did it, but when I pointed out it was at his risk if anything went wrong, he said that if I broke it I must fix it. I told him to take it to a dealer.

I offered some one (for free) an unun (which I bought on the other site) and some field telephone wire to make an end fed. I was asked to cut it and adjust it and fit insulators before sending it !

Quite a few other similar things to.

There also seems to be a culture where some one you help will come back and say "since you refitted the volume control knob, the spare tyre on my car has gone flat, it's your fault, you must fix it"


Just before I stated my current projects, I decided no more repairs, no more helping out, now is the time to get on and enjoy the hobby for myself.

I will limit help to answering question if I am able and advice on how to do things, but no more doing them.


These are things I have found in my very limited exposure to ham radio here, (and it is not a comparison between here and anywhere else, it is how things have changed over time) so I get the impression that ham spirit has died, and what is left comes out of a bottle.


If all these newly qualified people have enough money to spend £1000 on a rig and connect it up without a clue on what they are doing, good for them, and better for the dealers.

However, I suspect most are going to learn how, or ask others for help, and maybe this might rescue the hobby.
It can't be much worse than it is now.

Let's see how things go first.
G 3 E J S
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M3PIE
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Re: Intermediate Exam practical assessment abolished

Unread post by M3PIE »

The Examinations Standards Committee (ESC) and the Examination and Syllabus Review Group (ESRG) have completed a review of Syllabus 2019 following feedback from the tutor community.

This new release, V1.4 contains no new examinable items. The most significant changes have been re-grouping certain syllabus topics together, as well as some minor text amendments to make the meaning of certain points clearer. There is also the removal from the syllabus of a matter relating to mains earthing. This may be re-introduced later, but further advice will be taken before doing so.
https://rsgb.org/main/clubs-training/fo ... abus-2019/

As there are no new learning points, and with the syllabus remaining consistent with the question banks, the new syllabus is put into operation with immediate effect. The ‘effective date’ stated on the front sheet will now be 1 August 2020. We thank all the tutors who have given us their helpful feedback.

Where changes have been made between V1.3 and V1.4, a schedule of differences has been produced. The purpose of this document is to assist tutors in determining quickly what has been altered.

Intermediate Practical Assessment

One major change to the syllabus is the removal entirely of the Intermediate Practical Assessment. This has been under review for a considerable period of time where the content was seen as increasingly irrelevant to the goal of obtaining an amateur radio licence.

Future review

Finally, a more significant review will commence in the autumn, due for publication in January 2021 as Version 2. Consultation will take place with the training community and we will release more details in due course. This is expected to involve some changes and additions to the learning requirement of the syllabus and hence will not be examinable until 1 July, 2021.

If you have any questions please email them to either:

Tony Kent, ESC Chair: esc.chair@rsgb.org.uk

Donard de Cogan, ESRG Chair: esrg.chair@rsgb.org.uk
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G6CSL
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Re: Intermediate Exam practical assessment abolished

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Sangoma wrote: Sun Aug 02, 2020 6:12 am
G6CSL wrote: Sat Aug 01, 2020 4:06 pm I think we have to accept that the centre of gravity of the hobby has shifted from experimentation and construction to operating. And the PC has even dumbed-down operating. :)

There will always be a few intrepid souls who still prefer the joy of putting their home-brew gear on the air. In ye olde days it was the norm, but those days are gone, never to return.

Sooner or later they will scrap the 'advanced' altogether.

Yes.

I think a lot has to do with modern day attitudes and the need for instant gratification with no effort..

I will limit help to answering question if I am able and advice on how to do things, but no more doing them.
I know I'm pissing into the wind, but I think that we lost the last opportunity when we failed to keep the QRP/Homebru segments mandatory ... even on the 'fiercest' contest weekends. They only needed to be 10kHz or so wide, but I have heard people tuning-up serious burners on CW in the so-called QRP frequencies long before the contest is due to start, because that is where they can 'dominate' better.

There is no longer any place in 'Amateur Radio' for Radio 'Amateurs'. We might as well rename the hobby 'Radio Contesting'.
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M3PIE
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Re: Intermediate Exam practical assessment abolished

Unread post by M3PIE »

Agreed Chris, the radio amaeur aspect has gone now. it is Hobby radio according to Ofcom alond wiyh CB radio all classed together.
the Tech aspect of the hobby has all ut gone we only operators now like Marine radio.
73
Last edited by M3PIE on Sat Aug 08, 2020 2:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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G6CSL
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Re: Intermediate Exam practical assessment abolished

Unread post by G6CSL »

Yep. Agreed.
I joined the hobby in 1981, but the hobby as we knew it is now ... dead.

The golden age is never coming back; so you only have to decide if you stay, or give it up.
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