Finding a Foundation exam centre and assessor

A place to discuss the amateur radio licence, training and examination.
Post Reply
User avatar
mercury888
Regular
Regular
Posts: 51
Joined: 04 Aug 2016, 12:22
Call Sign: M0RVB
Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire
Contact:

Finding a Foundation exam centre and assessor

Post by mercury888 »

Hi all

I have been toying with the idea of taking the Foundation exam for, well ever since it existed. I never got round to doing the RAE due to all sorts of other commitments.

I am self-taught so really I think all I need is an assessor to do the practical bits and then somewhere to sit the exam. But finding either is proving hard.

I am quite deaf so I don’t use the phone unless I really have to - I use email instead. I have emailed clubs all over the place and not one answers. Most club websites are woefully out of date, some still offering future events in 2013. The RSGB is equally unresponsive to my emails - so much so that I got fed up and have quit. So I am stuck.

It seems that Leeds has become a bit of a backwater of late with no local clubs. The nearest club by road is up a long hill with no parking and no bus, and anyway never answered my emails. Has anyone sat the Foundation recently within say 20 miles of Leeds and if so, where? Any intel or pointers would be most helpful as it seems no-one will talk to me!
CB: President Grant II (1980's handle: Bootstrap; now 26TM868)
ADS-B: FR24 T-EGNM-63
Yaseu FT450D; Signal R535; W-SDRX1 + Gnu Radio and CubicSDR
Baofeng UV5R; TYT MD380; Trio TR-9130
User avatar
kr0ne
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 4536
Joined: 25 Sep 2011, 18:33

Re: Finding a Foundation exam centre and assessor

Post by kr0ne »

User avatar
mercury888
Regular
Regular
Posts: 51
Joined: 04 Aug 2016, 12:22
Call Sign: M0RVB
Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire
Contact:

Re: Finding a Foundation exam centre and assessor

Post by mercury888 »

Yes that was my staring point to find local clubs, none of which then replied to any emails. Even emails to the RSGBs exams people go unanswered so I;ve given up with them.
CB: President Grant II (1980's handle: Bootstrap; now 26TM868)
ADS-B: FR24 T-EGNM-63
Yaseu FT450D; Signal R535; W-SDRX1 + Gnu Radio and CubicSDR
Baofeng UV5R; TYT MD380; Trio TR-9130
User avatar
kr0ne
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 4536
Joined: 25 Sep 2011, 18:33

Re: Finding a Foundation exam centre and assessor

Post by kr0ne »

Ah well... How long ago did you email them? In my experience, some of the old guard aren't too hot on reading and replying to emails right away but do get there eventually. I've no idea what it's like round Leeds though.
User avatar
mercury888
Regular
Regular
Posts: 51
Joined: 04 Aug 2016, 12:22
Call Sign: M0RVB
Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire
Contact:

Re: Finding a Foundation exam centre and assessor

Post by mercury888 »

kr0ne wrote:Ah well... How long ago did you email them? In my experience, some of the old guard aren't too hot on reading and replying to emails right away but do get there eventually. I've no idea what it's like round Leeds though.
I tried around a year ago and gave up. Then again now, months / weeks ago depending which club. I've looked out around 30 miles which really is a tad far. The RSGB Convention does the exam but you still need to have completed the assessment part - so they offer half a thing really!

I'll get there eventually, or give up completely and go sulk in the corner.
CB: President Grant II (1980's handle: Bootstrap; now 26TM868)
ADS-B: FR24 T-EGNM-63
Yaseu FT450D; Signal R535; W-SDRX1 + Gnu Radio and CubicSDR
Baofeng UV5R; TYT MD380; Trio TR-9130
User avatar
Admiral
Legend
Legend
Posts: 10108
Joined: 08 Mar 2011, 21:20
Call Sign: 26TM157
Location: MK-UK

Re: Finding a Foundation exam centre and assessor

Post by Admiral »

Do you have a telephone? I appreciate you say you're a bit mutton, but if you can hear a radio then surely you can hear a phone to some degree.
Winner of the 2017 IBTL 'Summer Sizzler' competition
User avatar
mercury888
Regular
Regular
Posts: 51
Joined: 04 Aug 2016, 12:22
Call Sign: M0RVB
Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire
Contact:

Re: Finding a Foundation exam centre and assessor

Post by mercury888 »

Admiral wrote:Do you have a telephone? I appreciate you say you're a bit mutton, but if you can hear a radio then surely you can hear a phone to some degree.
I don't particularly want to bore you with my condition - ssb works for me, the telephone does not. Actually I'd be great at morse! Yes there are text to speech services but they are hardly conversations - I've used them before to make appointments all of which ended up set wrong. And why should I have to drag someone else into my problem when the rest if the world uses email! Grumble.
CB: President Grant II (1980's handle: Bootstrap; now 26TM868)
ADS-B: FR24 T-EGNM-63
Yaseu FT450D; Signal R535; W-SDRX1 + Gnu Radio and CubicSDR
Baofeng UV5R; TYT MD380; Trio TR-9130
GRUBSCREW
Regular
Regular
Posts: 47
Joined: 30 May 2016, 14:20
Call Sign: G7WFB
Location: Spain. England

Re: Finding a Foundation exam centre and assessor

Post by GRUBSCREW »

Contact the RSGB by letter explain that you want to sit the exam and that you have a hearing problem I'm sure they will help you .

Radcom Editor
3 Abbey court,
Fraser road,
Priory business park
Bedford
MK44 3WH
C B
KARS
Registered New User
Registered New User
Posts: 1
Joined: 10 Aug 2016, 09:09

Re: Finding a Foundation exam centre and assessor

Post by KARS »

User avatar
kr0ne
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 4536
Joined: 25 Sep 2011, 18:33

Re: Finding a Foundation exam centre and assessor

Post by kr0ne »

Just use one of these and forget about the exam... :twisted:

http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/ ... lsigns.pdf
User avatar
mercury888
Regular
Regular
Posts: 51
Joined: 04 Aug 2016, 12:22
Call Sign: M0RVB
Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire
Contact:

Re: Finding a Foundation exam centre and assessor

Post by mercury888 »

kr0ne wrote:Just use one of these and forget about the exam... :twisted:

http://licensing.ofcom.org.uk/binaries/ ... lsigns.pdf
You're not the first to suggest that to me!

Anyway thanks for listening to all my whinging even though I said in my intro I wasn't going to. But it seems I may be sorted! I've been in touch with an extremely helpful society not too far away and am waiting to arrange things with them.

See you on the air...
CB: President Grant II (1980's handle: Bootstrap; now 26TM868)
ADS-B: FR24 T-EGNM-63
Yaseu FT450D; Signal R535; W-SDRX1 + Gnu Radio and CubicSDR
Baofeng UV5R; TYT MD380; Trio TR-9130
User avatar
kr0ne
Veteran
Veteran
Posts: 4536
Joined: 25 Sep 2011, 18:33

Re: Finding a Foundation exam centre and assessor

Post by kr0ne »

Great news!
mikeyg123
Registered New User
Registered New User
Posts: 1
Joined: 20 Dec 2018, 09:06

Re: Finding a Foundation exam centre and assessor

Post by mikeyg123 »

I'm in the same situation. I could easily pass the exams but family and work commitments mean I simply can't attend a course where someone teaches me gcse circuit theory for 3 whole days. I've been trying for actual decades to find anyone willing to let me just turn up and do the exams and practicals. Most societies simply won't hear of it - possibly they think possible failures will look bad on them? Or do they have a petty objection to helping people who might not become active members of their little club?

I'm sure this must be a real problem for many people. It's just plain stupid that I can have a masters degree in physics and a 20 year carrier in IT and electrical engineering and be blocked like this.
How does this affect women and single parents who generally have a larger burden of childcare and domestic duties.

Ever wondered why a huge majority of radio amateurs are literally Old-Man? The current arrangements are genuinely excluding other groups.
{bnghd}

It's not like this couldn't be fixed. Honestly I've tuned enough antennas in the past that taking several hours go go somewhere so someone can watch me is just ridiculous. Why can't i just send someone a video to prove I can do it (using a licence free frequency & power like PMR446)? The Morse exercise and QSO practice could also be done over skype in a few minutes.

BTW Finally I have discovered the london hackspace amateur radio group https://wiki.london.hackspace.org.uk/vi ... teur_Radio is willing to do a correspondence style course. It's a little bit of a trek for me and might mean multiple trips to get the practicals done but at least there's a way.

73
Post Reply