Joe,

 JD{at}> Indeed it can.  Just like the attitude of a teacher can make a world of
 JD{at}> difference

  Twice, I've had a female candidate literally break down into tears. One of
the other VE's said "you are among friends". While we want them to pass the
exam, we want them to do it LEGALLY. 

  Amazingly, one examinee (who had let his license lapse) literally tried to 
bribe us into certifying the exam fraudulently!! We obviously wouldn't do it, 
and I reported the individual to the Volunteer Examiner Coordinator, and they 
can turn it over to the FCC...who can just "ignore" the Certificate Of 
Successful Completion Of Examination (CSCE), if they feel the individual has 
a "character issue".

  We tell them that "if it takes you a dozen tries or more to pass the exam,
even if just barely...you have as much right to be on the air as someone who
aced it the first time. And, once you have your license and callsign, it's
nobody else's business what your score was, or how many times it took you to
pass the exam".

  To that woman who failed, another VE said "the guy who graduates dead last
in medical school, with a D Minus, is STILL a DOCTOR"...to which I quipped
"But, I wouldn't want them doing a prostate check or a pelvic exam". She
crossed her legs, and everyone busted out laughing!! :D

 DS> One time, he made the mistake of asking for "testees" (instead of
 DS> examinees or candidates)...and someone replied "only if you have the
 DS> balls to take all 3 (Technician, General, and Extra) at the same time"
 DS> (hi hi).

 JD{at}> Good answer :)

  The Volunteer Examiner (VE) Teams are usually all male, but I know a few
female VE's. The fact remains is that while amateur radio is a male dominated
hobby, the women "clean our clocks" when it comes to making contacts. The
best example I heard of was the Radio Amateurs Club of Knoxville, Tennessee;
during Field Day Weekend. This female licensee (not sure if she was single
or married) had a sexy, sultry voice (whoo hoo!! (hi hi)), and she said the
phonetics of the club callsign, W4BBB, was "Women Four Big, Blond, And
Beautiful". The loggers almost couldn't keep up with the contacts!! :)

  Indeed, I think if you had a Field Day or Contest team with just women
at the mics and the men logging, it'd be "GAME OVER".

 JD{at}> I have heard of this happeneing more then once.  It has over here as
 JD{at}> well.

  While they no longer have to do the Morse Code, studying over 1700 total
questions for 3 exams for a possible 120, and passing all 3 exams, is still
quite an accomplishment.

 DS> This individual is very active in a club in Conway, Arkansas...and I
 DS> have known him since the "BBS heyday" in the mid 80's and
early 90's.

 JD{at}> So obviously you keep in touch

  Very much so. 

Daryl

... Before drawing boards, where did they go back to??
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