Monday, August 29, 2011

Radio Amateur Exam result 40 years ago!



I can't believe that 40 years have passed since I passed my Radio Amateur Exam!

I was 17 years old and had studied by myself along with the Radio Amateur's Examination Manual to get ready for the exam. Part one was about regulations, Licence conditions, operating procedures and interference. Part two was theory, electronics and calculating formulae. It was hard! I took the exam at Bolton College, I was so nervous, this exam was more important to me than the GCSE's that I failed miserably a year earlier. I took the exam at the begining of June 1971 and waited months for the result to arrive through the letter box in August. When it arrived I was over the moon! It was such a relief!


Back in 1971 there was the 'Class A licence' and the 'Class B licence', with the RAE you could apply for a Class B licence, but this only gave you access to 144Mhz and above. I had built a 160m (Topband) transmitter and I needed a Class A licence, this meant learning morse code and taking the 'Morse Test'... So next step was to apply for my Morse Test at the Liver Building in Liverpool. I was one step nearer to becoming a full Radio Amateur!

Gosh! I have just read some of the sample questions from the old Radio Amateur's Examination Manual. I am amazed that I can still remember the formulae and theory that I learned all those years ago!


Here is a sample of some of the questions...





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