Wanting to scream

[Brad]

For like the 10th time now I have attempted the Senior-level Communicator test and still am unable to pass it because NHQ has yet to update the test to reflect the new 100-1. A good majority of the test still contains the old HF designators, the old CEAR system, even items from 100-2 which doesn't even exist anymore!! I have been told that Mike Marek and others at National are aware of it, but still when this is the only thing holding me back from my Senior Comms rating, it makes me very much annoyed!!

[SarDragon]

Do you not have copies of the olde pubs?

PM me the ones you need.

[Mark_Wheeler]

I had the same problem on both the Senior and Master Comm Test. Google 100-1 and you should be able to find the old reg.

[SarDragon]

I think I have all the olde regs available, but will only email them, due to the FOUO designation on some of them. Hence, the content of my prior post.

[CAP_truth]

Which one do you need. I have CAPR 100-01 V1 01-Aug-1996, V3 21-Aug-2000, V1 letter 13-Nov-2001, V1 letter 12-Dec-2003, or 24-ar-2010. I have them all

[Brad]

I'll retake the test again and I'll note what it mentions I'm "lacking" in .

[RADIOMAN015]

Same issue with the A cut written test, it hasn't been revised to meet current requirements.  HOWEVER, one can still pass the test, since it can get corrected.
RM

[wuzafuzz]

There ought-ta be a rule requiring such tests be updated within a week or two of relevant changes to regulations.  That would (or should) make people look at the dependencies while changing regulations.

Or trash the tests completely and find another way to evaluate knowledge.  Perhaps something similar to a SQTR task list.

I'll wager that ICUT will become similarly out of date in short order.  If we can't update an online questionnaire I don't have high hopes we'll update online tests and videos.

[lordmonar]

That would assume that the guys "running" the CAP Comm Program knew what they were doing.

Sorry if that offends anyone...I know that there are a lot of dedicated comm guys out there.....but the program as a whole is working only because for the most part the rank and file of CAP just ignores them.

How long have we been waiting for the A-CUT/B-CUT replacement?  Two years now IIRC!
How many wings do not hold regular NET Operations Checks?
How much equipment is squirled away in someone's garage as contigency packages or awaiting inital issue....but no one ever seems to be able to get any of it?
The A-CUT/B-CUT training was next to useless for your average GT member who only wanted to buy his own radio.
The training is stoved piped to only a few instructors who may or may not be willing to actually teach anything.
They are completely lacking in following up with paperwork! (I had to take BCUT twice before it finally showed up at wing and I NEVER got a ROP card!  I have asked 10 times to get my personal radio okay by the wing comm people and get my own callsign.....NO RESPONSE.....not a "not at this time" or a "We can't find your ACUT in the records".....nothing.

This makes me want to scream....because I am a COMM professional in my Day Job (UAV's is sorta like comm ).  I have written many, many, many training programs in my 28 years of doing this.......two years in simply unacceptable.

To the OP......just keep retaking the bloody test until you pass.

[arajca]

As a Comm Guy (former wing DC), I hit on a few of these - see red type:

That would assume that the guys "running" the CAP Comm Program knew what they were doing.

Sorry if that offends anyone...I know that there are a lot of dedicated comm guys out there.....but the program as a whole is working only because for the most part the rank and file of CAP just ignores them.

How long have we been waiting for the A-CUT/B-CUT replacement?  Two years now IIRC!And the comm folks below National have been complaining about this for several years
How many wings do not hold regular NET Operations Checks? Not sure, but based on email discussions, most still do.
How much equipment is squirled away in someone's garage as contigency packages or awaiting inital issue....but no one ever seems to be able to get any of it?And how much is stored because no one wants it or requests it.
The A-CUT/B-CUT training was next to useless for your average GT member who only wanted to buy his own radio.How much training is useless, or next to it, for alot of CAP stuff? Or in the corporate world? Comm has changed so the member-owned equipment is not the back bone of the system anymore.
The training is stoved piped to only a few instructors who may or may not be willing to actually teach anything.Local/wing issue
They are completely lacking in following up with paperwork! (I had to take BCUT twice before it finally showed up at wing and I NEVER got a ROP card!  I have asked 10 times to get my personal radio okay by the wing comm people and get my own callsign.....NO RESPONSE.....not a "not at this time" or a "We can't find your ACUT in the records".....nothing. [color]Local/wing issue[/color]

This makes me want to scream....because I am a COMM professional in my Day Job (UAV's is sorta like comm ).  I have written many, many, many training programs in my 28 years of doing this.......two years in simply unacceptable.

To the OP......just keep retaking the bloody test until you pass.

[RADIOMAN015]

Please see remarks/comments in Red.

That would assume that the guys "running" the CAP Comm Program knew what they were doing.   
I think they know what they are doing, the problem is getting things implemented in the organization due to organizational issues at the national level.  I'm very surprised the AF doesn't require much more comm exercises

Sorry if that offends anyone...I know that there are a lot of dedicated comm guys out there.....but the program as a whole is working only because for the most part the rank and file of CAP just ignores them.
 
How long have we been waiting for the A-CUT/B-CUT replacement?  Two years now IIRC!
I think they tried to make this training way to interactive.  Generally I think 1 1/2 hours of classroom followed by a couple/three hours of actual practical "hands on" would work fine for the basic course (with prior study by members of CAPR 100-3) .

How many wings do not hold regular NET Operations Checks?
My wing holds daily VHF radio nets, now actual participation by all licensed stations is difficult.   Reliability "confidence" checks are suppose to be conducted weekly on ALL radio equipment, but per guidance  this doesn't have to be in a formal net.    As far as the HF Conventional SSB, that varies greatly.   On the HF/ALE network rumor is that stations are sounding but are not manned to receive any traffic.   Personally, on the VHF side I'd like to see nets testing both repeaters as well as simplex operations.   HF wise (both conventional and ALE), it depends, but perhaps a monthly nation wide drill could be held at various times (mornings, afternoons, early evenings, evenings weekdays) for a few hours weekends.

How much equipment is squirled away in someone's garage as contigency packages or awaiting inital issue....but no one ever seems to be able to get any of it?
Some members have been reluctant to sign for higher priced radios, due to liability issues.  I think at least in our wing, there's a comfort level as to what would be deemed as negligence versus accident.  Additionally with the HF/SSB/ALE radios you are going to have to put up an antenna (long wire) 60 to 110 feet long, and that's a lot of antenna in one's back yard 

The A-CUT/B-CUT training was next to useless for your average GT member who only wanted to buy his own radio.
Well part of that problem is the amount of time that is spent with GT members in the field on radio comms.  A lot of CAP's training is to get "bling" qualifications rather than to really understand and be able to function properly.  Ideally you want them to have a good understanding of VHF's limitations and potential field expedient ways to improve communications.  If you look at the proposal on the NTC website regarding the various levels of radio communicators and training, if that was implemented it would go a long way in improving comm operators, supervisors, and managers performance 

As far as individual radios are concerned, we've been cautious when advising members who want to buy radios, especially anything very expensive, due to the potential of everything going to digital only.  Most member owned portable VHF radios (under $150.00), are used Motorola's that are NFM mode only, and work perfectly fine in the CAP VHF NFM analog radio system.   

The training is stoved piped to only a few instructors who may or may not be willing to actually teach anything.
They are completely lacking in following up with paperwork! (I had to take BCUT twice before it finally showed up at wing and I NEVER got a ROP card!  I have asked 10 times to get my personal radio okay by the wing comm people and get my own callsign.....NO RESPONSE.....not a "not at this time" or a "We can't find your ACUT in the records".....nothing.
That really sounds like a local/wing problem.   I try to teach a class once or twice a year BUT have also sat down individually with members or small groups of members (who had a strong interest) and have taught them and sent the approval up to our wing DC.  The new system lets the member put in the request, it is approved locally and then goes to the DC.   Radio operators cards may not be issued in all wings.

This makes me want to scream....because I am a COMM professional in my Day Job (UAV's is sorta like comm ).  I have written many, many, many training programs in my 28 years of doing this.......two years in simply unacceptable.
I don't know the full story behind the on line radio communicators training, but as a long time member in CAP once told me, it takes a L O N G  time in CAP sometimes to get things done, much longer than what one would expect

To the OP......just keep retaking the bloody test until you pass.

RM

[Brad]

Retook the test just now. Open-book. Failed with a 72. All the questions I missed I could not find in 100-1. I looked at the indicated secitons and they've been completely re-written. The old information such as the old frequency designators, HF monitoring stations, and other such information that was there before we went to the new narrowband plan is gone. Ugh!

1-4b

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CAPR 100-2 2-1a

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6-5

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CAPR 100-3 1-5f

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7-3 & CAPR 100-3, 1-15

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CAPR 100-2 4-7c

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2-3 

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6-4e

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8-2d(3)

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4-8b

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FCC regulations

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CAPR 100-3 1-9a 

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11-5

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7-1b

[SarDragon]

What's the date on your test? The one I currently give only has 2 or 3 oddball Qs. It's dated after April '08. Also, is your 100-1 up-to-date? It's dated 28 Aug 09 with Change 3, 22 Jul 10.

[Brad]

What's the date on your test? The one I currently give only has 2 or 3 oddball Qs. It's dated after April '08. Also, is your 100-1 up-to-date? It's dated 28 Aug 09 with Change 3, 22 Jul 10.

Did it all online just now, so it's whatever the date is for the online test. Also pulled the 100-1 online so it should be up to date. Again though, a good majority of those reference points don't even go to a question that was on the test.

[SarDragon]

Disregard my last. I was seeing Senior Communicator, and thinking ACUT. Sorry. Need caffeine, me thinks.

[Brad]

Ahhh ok. I have an updated version of the BCUT/ACUT by the way if you want it, our Wing Assistant DC and a few of the other comms guys sat down and ironed out the holes in the questions. Let me know!

[ßτε]

You will need to use the OLD comm regs, as mentioned earlier in the thread.

Which one do you need. I have CAPR 100-01 V1 01-Aug-1996, V3 21-Aug-2000, V1 letter 13-Nov-2001, V1 letter 12-Dec-2003, or 24-ar-2010. I have them all

The current CAPR 100-1 will not help you pass the test.

[Eclipse]

I am not a comm guy and took it cold earlier today with no regs anywhere near me, I got 56% and I wasn't even paying 1/2 attention
because I was helping #2 son with his homework. 

Most of the questions were regarding policies and procedures and very little was technical.  I'm pretty sure I can knock out all three
levels in about 30 minutes if I pay full attention.  Those are the only tests I haven't taken yet.

[davidsinn]

You will need to use the OLD comm regs, as mentioned earlier in the thread.

Which one do you need. I have CAPR 100-01 V1 01-Aug-1996, V3 21-Aug-2000, V1 letter 13-Nov-2001, V1 letter 12-Dec-2003, or 24-ar-2010. I have them all

The current CAPR 100-1 will not help you pass the test.

That's asinine.

[a2capt]

That's asinine.

But, that is what it is. You have to Fail to Pass. The test has not been updated with the publications.