I think the discussion on code has been pretty much beat to death on
every forum I know of. Comments below.

Doug, k3qt
s/v Callista

"Jack Erbes" wrote in message
...
L. wrote:

The latitude I was referring to was in in the way the code test was (or
should have been?) administered and graded. That there were some
options for passing it other than to just copy the code on paper and
hand it in. When the FCC was giving the tests in the mid 60's it was
quite different than it is now. You copied the code and handed it in
and it spoke for itself as I recall it.

Traditionally, code was graded based upon accuracy of copy. That is
because one was generally copying code that was then sent to the intended
recipient. The FCC finally realized that in ham radio, the only thing that
was
important was that the information contained in the message was all that
was important. If one could extract the information based upon context
then that was sufficient. Thus a quiz about the copied info was given.
The quiz was bypassed in the event that perfect copy was achieved.

I remember taking the code test and then taking the written theory
test. You're saying there should be a written test on the stuff sent in
the code test? Maybe there was, I don't remember.

There has been a test on the stuff in the code test for at least the last
20 years or so. That is unless you got perfect copy.

You're right. But I didn't want to get up and stop it. I thought it
might bother the other people who were already copying it thinking the
test had started. Some of them were pretty apprehensive about the test
and being able to pass it.

I'm sorry, I was under the impression that you were taking the test not
administering it.