1971 Novice Exam

[WN9HJW]

There's been several threads in another forum lately debating "restructuring" to create a beginner's license.

The old Novice license has been mentioned a few times as an example. But nobody seems to remember exactly what the Novice test was like, except that it was "easy". Yeah. It was easy. For that time frame.

When I first licensed as a Novice in 1971, the license was a two-year non-renewable license. There were CW only privileges on 80, 40, 15 and 10 meters. No voice, no RTTY/Data. Transmitters were required to be crystal-controlled, and "input" power not exceeding 75 Watts.

Despite all those restrictions, many thousands of hams got a great deal of enjoyment from the hobby as Novices.

Most of those restrictions were modified or lifted starting in the mid 1970s. As a result, the Novice license eventually lost it utility and charm, in my opinion.

In 1971 the Novice written test was multiple choice. 20 questions. But the verbatim questions and answer pools were not published. However, the FCC, who administered the testing at that time, did release study questions that covered the necessary material, but were not worded as multiple choice questions. These were done in such as way as to encourage study of the material, not memorization of questions and answers.

The sample questions were published by the ARRL in the Radio Amateur's License Manual, which they'd publish a new version every year. I have the January 1971 version. Some are now obsolete of course. I've selected some of the 50 study questions below, to give a feel for what was involved.

What is the maximum permissible percentage of modulation of an amateur radiotelephone station?

What are the rules and regulations regarding purity and stability of emissions?

When may an amateur radio station be used by a person who does not hold a valid license?

What is Ohm's Law?

When is one way communication permissible?

What precautions can be taken to reduce the possibility of shock hazard in electrical equipment?

What is chirp and how can it be remedied in a cw transmitter?

Why is impedance matching necessary?

What two elements are most commonly used in the fabrication of transistors? What do the terms "alpha" and "beta" of a transistor mean? Draw the schematic diagram of a transistor.

What factors are commonly responsible for harmonic radiation and what practical means can be used to detect and correct such a condition?

The plate voltage in the final stages of an amateur transmitter is normally measured between what points in the circuit?

What is a Hertz?

[W7XF]

Hmmmm....1971....I was 9 years old then, and my grandfather was beginning to Elmer me...too bad my father was such a douche that he wouldn't let him take me to the FCC office.

[PA5COR]

Our novices program that started in 1975 got after a sturdy exam 6 ! channels in the 2 meter band, no repeaters just simplex channels 10 watts output.

Now they have 25 watts part of 40 large part of 20 and the whole 10 meter band and full 2/70...
Still complaining about "needing" more space on 40 for digital modes and prefferably 80 meters... f*ck them.

Do the full license and get it all, if you can de the Novice you can do the Full with some effort.
I could ;)

[K7SGJ]

I took my novice in '61, and it was good for one year non-renewable. Obviously I don't remember all the questions, but the majority were rules and regulations and as far as the technical goes, if you knew ohms law and the resistor color code, could recognize a the different oscillators (colpitts, pierce hartley, etc), the symbols for the more common electronic components, and how to identify the different classes of PA amplifiers, you would do okay. There were probably a few questions about antennas, too, I would imagine. And of course, there was the 5 wpm code that traveled uphill, in the snow, in both directions.

[WØTKX]

1970, took it from a neighborhood ham, WA0OHG. Got WN0CYU.

Upgraded at the FCC office in St. Paul MN before the two years was up.

[W3WN]

< snip >
What two elements are most commonly used in the fabrication of transistors? What do the terms "alpha" and "beta" of a transistor mean? Draw the schematic diagram of a transistor.
< snip >
What is a Hertz?

Oh, my goodness gracious. Those two brought back some memories.

I took my Novice (and passed for my original WN2 license) in 1971. Free Saturday class given by members of the Livingston (NJ) ARC W2MO (club long defunct, call now assigned to another club) as part of the Livingston Student Development Program -- LSDP, and yes, we all had a snicker about those first three initials.

Although the tests were administered by what we'd now call Volunteer Examiners, they weren't supposed to read or grade them; they'd get them in the mail from the FCC, administer the tests, mail them back. And that was AFTER we had passed our 5 WPM code tests, so you know it took a few weeks between code & theory exams (no wonder so many early Novices were weak on the code... but that's another story). Of course, the VE's did "unofficially" look at and grade the exams.

Everyone in my class flunked the "What is the beta of a transistor" question. Of course, that's because we didn't really cover it, but the OT's from the club explained that everyone used tubes, so we probably would never need to worry about transistors... besides, you could only get a few watts output from transistors anyway. (Boy, how things have changed!). It was one of 3 I missed, though I don't recall now what the other 2 were.

Most everyone did get the Hertz question, since this was during the "transistion" phase -- most hams still said cps or kc or Mc, Hz was still not exactly a familiar phrase. But, they did cover it, because it was the "coming thing"

[KB3LAZ]

Hmmmm....1971....I was 9 years old then, and my grandfather was beginning to Elmer me...too bad my father was such a douche that he wouldn't let him take me to the FCC office.

I would have had a hard time taking an exam in 1971.

[NQ6U]

I would have had a hard time taking an exam in 1971.

Me too. My high school transcripts prove that.

[KJ3N]

There's been several threads in another forum lately debating "restructuring" to create a beginner's license.

All of which will go where it usually does; nowhere. :roll:

Any of them file the petition yet? Didn't think so.... :roll:

[KG4NEL]

All of which will go where it usually does; nowhere. :roll:

Any of them file the petition yet? Didn't think so.... :roll:

That involves putting the beer down.