On Mon, 2 Nov 2009 23:17:26 +0000, Ian Jackson
 wrote:

>With the old RAE - before the days of the Class-B licence - there was no 
>point in applying for a licence before you had passed your morse test.

There is no real reason why what now passes for an RAE, should not be
offered as an 'all in one' exam, for those people who wanted it. In
just the same way that the RSGB provides it for some foreign
administrations.

Yes.  It would mean those taking it wouldn't have to sod-about on the
laughable assessments of the FL etc.  But would that be a bad thing?
It worked that way for decades.

I've long suspected the real reason for the assessment parts at the
moment, is to provide a window to sell society benefits and membership
to those taking them..  Together with a bit of empire-building for
certain individuals.

Nick.