The Day of My Test,
By Richard L. Swain, KK8O
Prior to the many changes made by the Federal Communications Commission in the past years that turned all FCC license testing to Volunteer Examination Coordinators, the exam system as a little different. Here is one Amateur Radio Operators experience in taking those exams.
It was April 1961, 6:30 PM, on a Tuesday. I was on my way to the North Electric Tech Training building in down town Galion, Ohio across the street from the City Building. The company had sponsored Explorer Post 320 here in Galion and had given us a room of our own to hold our meetings and work on projects in the building.
There was also a room up one flight of stairs used as a classroom. As I walked through the down town area, I clutched an unopened 8 X 10 envelope I had received from the FCC, for you see, sealed inside was an FCC form 610 and a Novice class examination. I let my mind wonder a little as I walked (yes, kids walked in those days), back about three months when Mr. Bill Kealy started teaching the Novice (No Voice as some called it) class. He was very patient with the five of us in the class, making sure to answer all questions and drilling the International Morse Code in to our skulls of mush.
I let my mind wonder back a little further about two years or so to the day when I first heard W8DQY on the 75-meter band. I was listening to short waves our old family Phillco radio that was being stored in my sister's room because our TV was now where the radio used to be. Several days after I heard him, I discovered that there were many Ham Radio Operators living in Galion and could not figure why no one ever told me about this. While listening to the radio several days after my discovery I had heard W8CCX, W8VYH and even a ham from Mansfield several miles away. WOW, I was hooked!
Back to reality, I was now just about a block from the building and my mind returned to that day as I began to question my ability to copy the code. You see if I did not copy 25 characters in a row, I would never know what was inside the 8X10 envelope for, you see a person had to pass the code test first before taking the written. In my mind I reviewed the last several days, remembering that I had been coping almost 10 words per minute on Sid Emmons' code tape machine. The very same machine he had used just a few months before!
Well, here I am, now entering the door of the Tech Training Center. I said hi to Sid, K8ZES, Denny Popa, K8QMC Homer Nigh, K8RLY, Roger Blashfield, (can't remember his call) Charlie Walker, Richard Shelquest and Bill Aplas. As I started the long climb up the stairs Bill Kealy came in the door with all of his books and a code practice oscillator. WHAT WILL HAPPEN NOW! I was beckoned back down to the meeting room for a short Explorer Post business meeting that lasted about 20 minutes. My mind was not on the business. I was creating code in my head and going over every electronic and radio fact I had ever been taught. Finally, Sid (the Post Advisor) said "Ok everybody keep it down tonight, we have one taking a Novice test upstairs and we don't need the extra noise."
I started back up to the second floor with all my stuff. FCC envelope, pad of paper, three pencils and a pen. Oh yes, a $3.00 slide rule I had purchased from one of the teachers at the Junior High School. Bill took the envelope from me, set up the equipment and asked if I were ready to begin. I said yes, and he told me to come to where he was sitting and adjusted the oscillator to the pitch and volume I liked. I went back to my seat, took out all my pencils and my pen, put them on the table in front of me and waited for him to start.
Bill said in a solemn tone," Ready? Here we go". "Dit dit dit dah, dit dit dit dah, dit dit dit dah" .......... he sent three "Vs" and we were off! For the next five minutes he had my entire undivided attention. I heard nothing else in the room; unless you count my heart pounding away and even that gave way to the 800-cycle cw note my ears were hearing. Slowly I marked the letters down on my paper and after what seamed to be an eternity it all stopped. Bill said, "Ok give me your paper", and when I got up to walk to him I noticed for the first time that I had an audience. Behind me a few feet away were Roger, Denny and Homer who had already passed their General exam. I suddenly got a little embarrassed.
As Bill graded my CW receiving test I looked at the other boys and wondered what they would say if I failed. Bill broke the silence by saying, "Ok, sit down and send this to me", as he handed me a piece of paper that had several words written on it. You see, the test was only one third of the way finished. Back then you not only had to pass a CW receiving test but sending as well. Now if he didn't like the way I sent code, I was done. I would never know the contents of the envelope that the FCC sent to me. I sent about 10 complete words at over 10 words per minute and he told me to stop. "What did I do wrong?" I said. "Nothing, you just have sent enough", he replied.
It was at that point that the guys in the back said something for the first time. "All right! Way to go"and "awe he just gave it to you" I heard them say. I got a big smile on my face as Bill handed me the written test papers, saying, "Read the instructions, mark the answer sheet and when you are finished give all your papers to me." "You other guys go back down to the other room". It took about 20 minutes for me to answer all the questions on the written test, and I did as Bill had told me, giving him all of my papers. He had me sign the form 610, stuffed it in a different envelope, sealed it and said to me, " Drop this off at the post office on your way home". "You will hear from the FCC in about six weeks".
SIX WEEKS! HOW WOULD I EVER SURVIVE? Wasn't he going to tell me if I passed? So I asked him. He said that he was only permitted to tell me that my code was ok". "The written was up to the FCC and it would be a violation of the rules for him to tell me anything". Well!!!!!! I thought all my worries would be over tonight. As everybody knows by now I did pass the exam and was issued the call sign KN8AIT that arrived in my mailbox in June of that year. The summer was spent mostly in my bedroom sending and receiving Morse code all hours of the day and night, but that is another story. Look for the next installment "A Long Six Weeks" or "All Things in Due Time".
