Incentive Licensing Retrospective

[K3UD]

There has been much discussion on QRZ and eHam about the effects of Incentive Licensing in the late 1960s. While many here would like to relegate this subject to the dustbin of history I felt that a somewhat comprehensive review of what happened, why it happened and how it is still affecting us today might be of interest. A lot of what follows is purely my opinion that is driven by the research I have done on the subject.

George
K3UD

The stated reasons for the ARRL making and supporting incentive
licensing proposals was related to the perceived decline in the number of amateurs who actually used CW on a regular basis, the increase in poor operating habits, declining courtesy on the bands, and lack of ongoing technical development among amateurs as a whole. This last reason actually boiled down to the noticeable decline in amateurs who did not homebrew much gear.

As I have stated in several posts on the subject, the 50 Years Of ARRL book indicated that the 50s was the era of the greatest technological advances by amateurs. Three years later they implied that the situation had reversed and painful medicine was needed to put things right.

There have been some connections made between the perceived technology lead that the Soviet Union had in the late 50s that resulted in the launching of Sputnik and the incentive licensing proposals of 1958 and later in the early 60s. This is certainly debatable although my research into the genesis of the proposals has not revealed an outstanding link, however, it is reasonable that the US would do whatever it took to catch up with the Soviet technology gap.

It can be argued that IF there was a technology gap it was small. The US was concentrating on weapons of war development and building the finest cold war arsenal. Although latter day critics have denounced this effort, it did lead to some of the best military hardware ever produced to that point. This could have led to discussions at the FCC concerning perceived declining technical expertise of the existing amateur radio operator pool. I should point out that the initial request for IL proposals came from the FCC itself and the ARRL signed on with an initial proposal back to the FCC.

It needs to be noted that one of the main purposes of the Amateur Service was to provide a trained pool of qualified operators in time of national emergency. Of course the term "qualified operator" at that time probably meant CW ops and those who could build and service equipment if called to do so. It can certainly be argued that since the Soviets had a satellite in space the time was coming when they would have more with perhaps some being able to carry weapons of mass destruction. There was probably a real fear of an impending national emergency where we would need that trained pool of operators.

I have an extensive collection of QST from the mid 30s to the present, 73 from the first issue to about 1987 and CQ from 1951 to the early 90s. Incentive licensing has become a fascinating subject for me and I believe a lot of the directions amateur radio took or did not take came as a direct result of it. This library has enabled me to read every article, editorial, and letter to the editor that was published about incentive licensing from its first discussions to its post mortems in the mid 70s when many of the American radio manufactures were either out of business or struggling. As you may have guessed I have my own theory as to why this happened:

1. The ARRL in its earlier history never really endorsed phone operation. In the late 30s they had a short-lived section in QST called "With The Phonies" The implication being obvious. In the 40s they changed it to "Phone Band Phunies" The ARRL was mostly a CW oriented organization with a nod given to RTTY every now and then. This made some sense though when you remember the stated purpose of the Amateur Radio Service was defined as a pool of trained operators, which meant CW operators.

2. In the immediate postwar period the ARRL began to push SSB as a much more efficient means of communication than AM phone. They were right and the SSB articles and primers written for QST during the period were magnificent and most likely some of the best technical writing ever produced for QST. The problem was that Amateurs were not changing over at a fast enough rate, it was thought to be too complicated, too expensive, difficult to build and debug, and finally, difficult to receive correctly on the receivers of the day,

3. In 1951 a new system of licensing went into effect establishing the Novice and Technician licenses but more importantly in 1953 the FCC ended up granting full amateur privileges to General Class license holders. Overnight the Generals invaded the hollowed ground of the Advanced and Extra class. At the time, in terms of privileges the Advanced class (or class A) was at the top of the heap. The Extra did not have any additional privileges.

Since I was not there at the time (only 2 years old) I can only
relate to what I read about what was taking place during this time period. It seems that many in the Advanced and Extra classes were outraged at the FCC and the ARRL for allowing this to happen. Of course it could be argued that opening all the bands up to Generals, establishing the Novice and Technician license eventually led to the period of great amateur technological achievement that the ARRL was proud talking about in the 50 years of ARRL retrospective that came out in the 80s.

4. By the end of the 50s AM was still the major player on the phone bands. During this time period there were calls for the FCC to outlaw the use of AM below 30 megacycles. All of the pushing of SSB by the ARRL was having limited effect.

I first became licensed as a novice in 1964 at age 13 and although I was an ARRL member this issue was completely over my head at the time. Any changes would not affect me for a long time. 1964 - 1968 is an eternity in the life of a 13 year old. As I got older and upgraded my license I started to see some of the implications of what might happen. In the end I ended up taking the Advanced test primarily to retain some VHF privileges I was going to lose if phase 2 of the incentive licensing proposal was implemented.

Yes, there were two phases of this. The first one, which took away many privileges from the General, Advanced and Novice went into effect in 1968. Phase 2 was going to be more onerous for the General and Technician class operators. It is interesting to note that phase 2 was never implemented. It is my opinion that the ARRL realized that they had created a Frankenstein's monster and convinced the FCC not to go ahead with it.

Many never upgraded and were herded into band slices packed with QRM. Some nights it was difficult to operate. Many just gave up. Hamfests of the period 1969 through about 1973 were packed with gear as hams that had given up sold it off. Used equipment markets became flooded. As this happened, activity levels dropped, AM ops switched to SSB and QRM levels on HF became manageable.

It is my opinion that the main reason for incentive licensing was a means to right the perceived wrongs of 1953 and force the use of SSB. The latter being accomplished by forcing Generals into very crowded band segments where the only alternatives were to either give up AM and switch to SSB in order to have a fighting chance at a Friday night QSO or upgrade and use the relatively QRM free bands of the Advanced and Extra classes.

Studies that were done during the time period prior to the first incentive licensing proposals suggested that Advanced and Extra class operators who used phone (many were CW only) were migrating to SSB in much larger percentages than General Class operators. It was thought that this was because the higher classes were more technically oriented than the General class. The thinking seemed to be that all that was needed was an upgrade of the General's technical skills and he or she would suddenly see the value of SSB and convert to it. If they did not, then they would be confined to the QRM purgatory of very limited phone bands segments until they finally saw the light.

My opinion is that it was not a technical skill situation as much as it was an economic one. Older Advanced and Extra class operators most likely had more dollars to spend as individuals than the demographically younger General class hams. The irony was that technical advances and manufacturing efficiencies collaborated to bring to the market very good and very affordable SSB gear. There was not much affordable and utilitarian gear available prior to about 1962 with Collins, and Johnson leading the way with rather high priced SSB equipment.

The advent of the SBE-33, The Swan and Heath single banders and later the Swan 350, Heath 100 series all band units, the National and Hallicrafters units eased the way in. There were also low priced two and three band radios from WRL and Galaxy and the high quality lower priced alternative to Collins....Drake. these and other manufacturers brought the SSB mode into the realm of
most amateurs by 1970 when there was a good amount of used SSB gear around.

In the end, the only things that incentive licensing accomplished were the generation of ill will among the amateur community, very crowded sub bands that served to limit traffic net operation and having a number of amateurs drop out of the service. We also saw a slow down in equipment purchases for a time period long enough to hurt the major American manufacturers and a sizable decline in the average page count of some ham magazines, especially CQ from about 1971 - 1975.

The largest negative impact of incentive licensing was probably the caste system that was set up in the Amateur Radio service. This most likely led to the perceived (but not real) slowdown in the growth rate in Amateur Radio in the 70s. From the mid 70s the ARRL has endorsed almost every proposal to distance the ARS from the impact of incentive licensing.

Since then we had increased privileges for General and Advanced licensees, Novice enhancement, the creation of the no code Technician license which in 1997 was cited by the ARRL as reason to change the licensing system once again which then led to the 5-WPM General and Extra. In the end we find ourselves in a for real no growth (actually a deflating) situation. If this is not irony.......

Thanks for reading!

73
George
K3UD

[wa4gch]

We need to move on and drop the code and at the same time allow the no-code techs LIMITED use of HF.
If we are to even be here in 20 years one must remember the internet has relpaced HAMS in the minds of the public ..... even if we know that is not true.
I think the FCC made a mistake not allowing no-codes on 10 meters 3 years ago when the ITU droped code but we still have the chance to correct that if the in fighting would stop long enough to THINK what would be best for all of us who CARE about this hobby.
CODE is a great mode but like ATV, RTTY and PSK-31 not of intrest to the vast majorty of new commers and we need to aim at them and PAST that thoes who have a intrest in CW ect get out there and mentor the new comers rather than demand they comply with something of no intrest to them.
I would hate to think i will live long enough to see the last ham contact from my nurseing home. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

[kc7jty]

Hail ARRL. (sarcastic of course)

[ky5u]

To the FCC:

Every time the ARRL does something, they say its because they're getting hints from you that you want them to act as they have. Yet, when the ruling comes out it is never what the ARRL proposed. Now, I know the ARRL officials would never lie to us so I have a favor to ask.

When you give your hints to the ARRL, please tell them exactly what they must do. They are not smart enough to figure it out on their own!

[K0RGR]

I think we waste too much energy revisiting this terrible debacle. It was a road paved with good intentions, and it was not a complete disaster. I certainly would not be an Extra now were it not for Incentive licensing, and I would probably be in a different line of work. But ARRL came away with the general lesson that you never take away priveleges that have been earned.

If we are going to revisit the misadventures of yesteryear, we should probably focus on what happened in the early 50's, when we distorted our license structure to make accomodation for the 13 WPM code test, which had been stiffened just prior to WWII. 13 WPM was now considered too tough an entry level test, so the 5 WPM Novice was created, with all its restrictions, and we still have the hacked-up band plans to prove it. Many Novices could never get over the plateau from 5 to 13 WPM, and the VHF-only Technician license became their home, and we still have this distortion.

Maybe it's time to fix all this stuff? And I don't mean by reinstating the 13 WPM code test. A simple entry-level license, and a more advanced one that grants all priveleges, not unlike what existed prior to WWII. No voice priveleges for the lower class licensees on the 'prime' phone bands, but all non-voice priveleges and just enough phone to give them a 'taste'.

[K3UD]

Quote[/b] (AG4YO @ Dec. 22 2005,13:44)]To the FCC:

Every time the ARRL does something, they say its because they're getting hints from you that you want them to act as they have. #Yet, when the ruling comes out it is never what the ARRL proposed. #Now, I know the ARRL officials would never lie to us so I have a favor to ask. #

When you give your hints to the ARRL, please tell them exactly what they must do. #They are not smart enough to figure it out on their own!
Charlie,

When I think back over all the times the ARRL or another group has pushed something I realize that there has been a commonality that crops up every time.

What do we usually hear?

We need to make changes or we will cease to exist.

There is a slowdown in the growth rate and we need to address it.
(whether or not there is an actual slowdown. We did not have any significant slowdown in the 70s or the 80s)

We need to streamline the process required to be licensed.

The code is a hardship and if we dropped it we would see explosive growth.

The NCT will get us the techies that we have been missing.

The grandfathering of certain license classes to a higher class will have a beneficial effect on the ARS.

Regulation by bandwidth will allow us to get more techies into the ARS and develop more and better modes.

Everyone has a perceived solution to problems that may not exist and as such, are more of agendas then comprehensive proposals that would actually fix something.

As far as Incentive Licensing is concerned, it too was most likely agenda driven and a solution looking for a problem.

73
George
K3UD

[ac3p]

I was a kid in school when Sputnik went up.

There was such a panic in the US that science courses in all schools were beefed up.

Prior to Sputnik, the elementary school I went to had no science classes. The following year I had a science class in 7th grade.

I would not be suprised if there was a link between Sputnik and incentive licensing.

In context though Sputnik was launched just before the International Geophysical Year 1958-1959. The US was scheduled to launch the first artificial satellite as part of the IGY. The Ruskies made political hay by doing it first.

1958-1959 was also the year of the legendary sunspot maximun when a ham with a milliwatt and a piece of wet string could get WAS WAC and DXCC all in one week. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[W5HTW]

A point to be made. Perhaps I will make others later as time permits.

I was there. First licensed in 1956 as a Novice, then a Tech (the old style Tech) later that same year, and General in 1957. As a General I had all privileges. I saw no reason to upgrade to either Advanced or Extra. Neither offered me anything I didn't already have.

At the time Incentive Licensing began, I suppose I griped. But I was in a unique position. I used CW professionally, in my career. I also was a professional HF radio technician, so practical radio theory and troubleshooting was no problem for me. Consequently, without much - or perhaps any - fanfare, I simply studied a bit, upgraded first to Advanced, and then to Extra. I had re-acquired what I had lost, and I honestly do not remember griping about the loss.

Many years later, though, I do know I looked back through different eyes. In that day many of us simply accepted the FCC as being GOD. We feared it, we expected to be monitored, even at 2 am on 75 meters, and a single "damn" was going to get us nailed. We believed in the "infinite wisdom" of the FCC in determining how ham radio was to be run. So when they said "Bark" we said "Woof."

It would have been so much better had Incentive Licesning, speaking now through the eyes of hindsight, had a new carrot to offer, instead of pieces of an old one that was taken away, and then offered back if one could pass the grade. Kind of like having made it into 9th grade and now they demote you to 7th grade and tell you that you have to do it all over.

To me that was the single biggest problem with Incentive Licensing, though at the time I could not articulate that. In fact, I didn't honestly give it much thought. Equally, the friends I knew in ham radio were involved, as I was, in professional HF communications. So we did this for a living. The idea we could (a) argue with the government, or (b) that the government didn't know what was best, was simply foreign to us. Those of us who advanced became the new ham radio teachers - Elmers - of the day, and life went on.

Now, to address that pool of operators. That rule is so critically outdated today it should be in the King of Jokes book. We have no such pool. We haven't had for many years. And such a pool isn't needed.

But following World War II, what we had were a good many hams who had served in the war, and a good many more were still in the military, though the war had ended. All of these were experts, yes, experts, on the military style of communication, and the mlitary needs, of that era. Many had actually served under fire, in combat, with the radios of the day, which were not Japanese rice boxes with digital programming.

Hams had a hugely valuable capability. They could be plopped down in a muddy field, with a tube-type (all we had, folks) portable HF radio. They knew how to operate it, and they knew how to fix it. They knew how to string up a quick random wire, and tune that little (?) rig into it. And they knew military voice and CW procedures - after all, they were the same procedures we hams used! They knew prosigns, and how to use them. Draft a ham off the street, give him four weeks of how to shoot a rifle, hand him a radio, and he was a professional military communicator. No radio school needed. Give him a broken radio and he would put it on the air. And he would communicate.

CW was the mainstay for much of that military communications, so the ham already knew Morse as well. And he knew it well. He could handle traffic the military way, and he could do it proficiently.

This carried through the Korean War era. HF radio was still largely the backbone of military communications, and VHF was barely being formed. We hams were invaluable as a military communications resource.

By the beginning of the Vietnam War, technologly of the 20th century was coming upon radio. It was slow, and those who look back in history, but who were not there, will be amazed that there were pretty much no VHF/UHF repeaters, no autopatches, no APRS, no Internet Gateways, in the Vietnam War. What we had were HF radios. But we were seeing some changes. The Manpak radio, for example, and the beginning of satellite voice operations. I was fortunate to have been in on the ground floor of pioneering that technology (not as a ham, but as a professional.) It was, though, new. CW was still, though no longer THE master, heavily used. Voice sideband in government radio was the new and now well-established commo means for rapid operations. RTTY and encrypted TTY and voice were truly taking over.

By the end of the 1960s, computers were becoming king. Again, I had the opportunity for some communications pioneering work in that arena as well. They were far, far out of reach of hams. The first one I worked with, in 1968, cost three million dollars (1968 bucks) but it was a massive (four rooms) communications machine that made all previous methods pale.

The need had begun to change. Skipping to the early or mid 1990s, we find the Army wants specialists. They no longer need that Jack of all trades ham. They want a Keyboard Operator. Or a Receiver Tuner. Or a Crypto Setup Operator. Or a Transmitter Tuner-Upper. Or a crew to string up a rhombic. Or someone to check on the leased lines. But they don't want a combination of ANY of those. Each person is a specialist. They do not want a guy who knows Morse code AND how to write a batch file. No, let the Batch File Writer do that.

They also want college degrees. The self-trained ham is very passe. The day of the shade tree mechanic doing professional work is over and will never return. Now it is specialists.

So the need for that guy you could hand a half-working radio to, stick him into a muddy field, and tell him to get it on the air and handle traffic is completely over. The need no longer exists.

We try to roll it over and kick life into it, as we play quasi-cop today, but that is not the intent of that obsolete FCC rule. The FCC has been happy to downgrade ham radio from a technical support hobby and service to one of plug it in, do your own style of operating, use your own phonetics, use your own language, forget about anything standardized, and just have fun.

Well, maybe that isn't wrong. I do think ham radio is fun and should be fun. But it no longer has the foundation to play serious. We today think a "highly skilled electronics tech" is someone who can turn on the two meter radio and actually knows how to change channels. And the fact is, that is what the military would want if there was a disaster, so maybe that's what ham radio actually should be - a group of people who know how to press the PTT switch and say "Be there in a minute."

But the pool of trained radio OPERATORS is gone.

The need is gone.


ed

[WA4RYW]

Quote[/b] (K3UD @ Dec. 22 2005,15:08)]Quote[/b] (AG4YO @ Dec. 22 2005,13:44)]To the FCC:

Every time the ARRL does something, they say its because they're getting hints from you that you want them to act as they have. #Yet, when the ruling comes out it is never what the ARRL proposed. #Now, I know the ARRL officials would never lie to us so I have a favor to ask. #

When you give your hints to the ARRL, please tell them exactly what they must do. #They are not smart enough to figure it out on their own!
Charlie,

When I think back over all the times the ARRL or another group has pushed something I realize that there has been a commonality that crops up every time.

What do we usually hear?

We need to make changes or we will cease to exist.

There is a slowdown in the growth rate and we need to address it.
(whether or not there is an actual slowdown. We did not have any significant slowdown in the 70s or the 80s)

We need to streamline the process required to be licensed.

The code is a hardship and if we dropped it we would see explosive growth.

The NCT will get us the techies that we have been missing.

The grandfathering of certain license classes to a higher class will have a beneficial effect on the ARS.

Regulation by bandwidth will allow us to get more techies into the ARS and develop more and better modes.

Everyone has a perceived solution to problems that may not exist and as such, are more of agendas then comprehensive proposals that would actually fix something.

As far as Incentive Licensing is concerned, it too was most likely agenda driven and a solution looking for a problem.

73
George
K3UD
Ham radio is dead. The amateur radio of the earlier days will never exist again. No one wants to buy expensive equipment, fight lunatic covenants to install the required antennas, and have to actually exert himself or herself to “pass a test”, just so they can engage in the science of the 1950s. Gone are the days when ham radio was the hotbed of technology, and our present and future engineers engaged in experimentation and fellowship within the service.

Today’s amateur intern comes from two pools; either the people that truly love, and are fascinated with the principles of RF and enjoy playing with the technology (there are very few of these), and those that are tired of the confinements and restrictions that 11 meters has to offer. Almost all of the new blood comes from the 11-meter pool. In fact, I haven’t met a new ham in the last 15 years that didn’t spend time either as a freebander, truck driver, or both. There’s your new novice class. The two services (CB and HAM) are with every passing day becoming realistically tiers of the same service. I actually heard someone on 75 meters last night that was “destinated and on the by”, whatever that hacked-up piece of psudo-English means.

Tired old hams such as myself that actually think the ham radio experience can be prolonged by keeping the code, or not publishing the answers verbatim to the question pool are living with their heads in the sand. The old technologists and operators of the service are heading the way of the WWII vets, and the new breed is on the Internet. Is ham radio worth saving? The ham radio experience we keep trying to save is already dead, or at least in its dying convulsions. It’s a new environment now. Adapt or perish. So what does “destinated and on the by” mean, anyway?

[NY7Q]

Ya know ED, you are always 100 percent right...I agree with you on this one. http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[NY7Q]

So what does “destinated and on the by” mean, anyway?

I would say, ask a chicken bandit operator.

[WA5PL]

I think we, the ham community as a whole, are at fault, in general for allowing the FCC and ARRL to downgrade our hobby.

Incentitive licensing, now matter how you feel about it, was a way of trying to advance the skill levels of hams so the hams would increase their technology knowledge and CW speed in order to obtain more band privilages. I know it worked on me! I wanted those extra band privilages, and it was the main insentative for me to obtain my Advanced and then on to my Extra Class license before there was talk of down grading the code requirement from 20 wpm to 13, to 5 to no code.

We have not stayed up with technology advancements throught the years. Most of us have not obtained the higher education needed to build radios and we to not have ready access to electronic parts,tools and test equipment, as we once had. These two events alone has turned a lot of hams into appliance hams. It is not that many of us wanted that to happen; it just did! It is no different than trying to work on a late model auto today. Tune-ups are a way of the past just like replacing electronic components are in your radio. If you do not have the tools and knowledge, you will not attempt to repair a new $2,500 to $10,000 transceiver. Swaping out circuit boards is about the limit for a lot of hams and even that is asking a bit much for many.

So what is left? antenna experimentation?, audio enhancements, digital communication, computer programs?, remote operation? changing the brakes or spark plugs on your auto? Yes, these things can be challenging and fun at times but these actities alone do not raise the skill levels necessary for us to build or tune up radios equivalent to the new ICOM's, Kenwoods, or Yaesu's. Building radios, knowing how to tune them up, maintain them, and repair them when they break, was the original skill sets needed to be a ham - way back in the good old days - even before my time.

We, as a specialized ham community, have not even attempted to set up professional training classes to learn what the integrated circuits do or set up labs that would allow us to replace and test surface mount or imbedded components and circuits. The education is available and I'm sure even some of our highly skill hams would be willing to hold classes "if put to the challenge" but I have not seen very much of that come forth, probably because it is too expensive. It is too easy just to purchase a new radio, sit down and read the operating instructions, plug in an antenna, hook up a power supply, and start making contacts. If it breaks, just send it back to the manufacturer service center for repair.

I'm not saying this is all wrong or bad but it does explain why we, as hams, are not considered as professionaly skilled as we once were like back in the 40, 50's and 60's. Maybe all of us, including myself, need to take a hard look at our skill sets and ask ourselves if we need to advance our skills. Maybe our hobby would grow again as a result. Right now I personally feel we are not much better than those who use CB. The only difference between us and them is that we have to obtain a license and know a little theory, and we should have better operating skills?

I'm sure a lot of you will disagree with what I have said but that is how I see it! I have been a Ham since the mid 1960's and I started as a CBer when I was a kid, got my Novice when I was in the 8th grade, obtained my General, Advanced, and Extra Class license in the 70's and 80's, I still enjoy Ham Radio and talk on the radio, but I'm not proud of Amateur Radio as I once was. We did it to ourselves. Maybe we need to re-instate insentative licensing and provide some new challenges for all hams.

Paul Lucas
WA5PL

[WA4RYW]

Quote[/b] (WA5PL @ Dec. 22 2005,17:15)]I think we, the ham community as a whole, are at fault, in general for allowing the FCC and ARRL to downgrade our hobby.

Incentitive licensing, now matter how you feel about it, was a way of trying to advance the skill levels of hams so the hams would increase their technology knowledge and CW speed in order to obtain more band privilages.
Good points, all.

[WA4RYW]

I too must agree that incentive licensing was a great motivator for me to advance my skills and upgrade through the ranks. Amateur radio and incentive licensing was the catalyst to what was once my career. Since I engaged the service at an early age, I also developed a work ethic that has served me very well over the years. There’s an article in QST this month from the director that addresses this issue, and although they miss the mark as the current ARRL administration predictably does, the initial argument drove home WHY amateur radio is so important to me, and why the hams that advanced through the old system are so defensive about the service. Working through the ranks WAS a very difficult process for anyone to do, and every inch of privilege was earned. The novice license was a sink-or-swim situation, and yes, the service WAS a fraternity of people that suffered the same trials. It was not a gift or right, every advance in access to spectrum was earned, and there was nothing easy about it. That’s what kept me in the hobby during events in my life where it wasn’t practical or even possible to engage radio, the fraternity and deep PRIDE that I had overcome the obstacles, requirements, initiation, whatever you wish to call it that I was a member of. I was a PIECE of amateur radio, not just a passing enthusiast. I think of it like the pride and fraternity that Marines have. Once a Marine, always a Marine. The same forces are at work here. That’s what’s wrong with retention today. Now, it’s just a hobby, like fishing or photography. You buy a radio, get a tech license, and talk. And with a brief bit of exposure to the quality of what the airwaves have to offer, quite a few choose to do something else after a while. Even a segment of the 11-meter bunch tends to migrate back to freeband. It brings back the excitement that legal radio doesn’t have, and there’s a more solid sense of camaraderie, or fraternity if you will. I believe this sense of brotherhood (or sisterhood) could be recovered, but we (by enabling the ARRL and FCC) have been tearing down the “institution” for over 15 years now. There’s very little left but the hobby.

I consider myself VERY active in amateur radio, but I haven’t picked up a microphone (or a key) with one or two exceptions in five years. I’ve lost common ground with the current lot. I even have HF in the car, but I just listen anymore. I prefer to do my radio on the back end such as infrastructure. Now I spend my time building and supporting APRS and IRLP gateways, repeaters and the lot. Much more fun than talking for me. Especially since AO-40 took a dive. But no matter what happens, I’ll always be WA4RYW until the day I croak.

[W5HTW]

Continuing a bit. Or: The Sequel!

I got into an electronics career. Not a "computer board pull and swap" career. And the way I got into it was I had a General class ham license. I had actually passed a test, had a proven and demonstrable technical ability, and an interest in pursusing an activity that presented a challenge to me. Those are the things employers like to see when they interview prospective employees.

The requirements for being accepted into the job were that I know basic electronics, DC and AC theory, RF troubleshooting, and other technical skills indicative of the level of the General ham license of the early 1960s era. Other requirements were that I copy Morse code at 15 wpm, and have the ability to obtain an extremely high security clearance. Armed with those three qualifying factors, I was soon venturing around the world courtesy of my very rich Uncle in Washington, D.C. And what got me there was mostly my ham ticket, at least two out of the three.

Many years later I had long since left that position and had begun to explore new options. By now, though, it was the early 1980s. I had a decent job, as far as pay and benefits went, but I wanted to be in a more challenging position. I was soon to find the mention of a ham license was becoming (though not completely yet) a 'no-no.' Indeed even a commercial license no longer meant much of anything.

I remained where I was, but I explored over a period of a few years, always looking for that one challenging position that would use my diverse (and therein is the damaging word) talents, experiences and skills. "Diverse" was no longer the catchword of the employment industry. The age of specialization had begun, even then.

When you put "diverse" on a resume that also included "ham radio license" you were, I found, branded a tinkerer, a person who goes off on his own tangent, frequently does not follow company rules, and often will not complete a task because it "doesn't turn him on." You were thinking outside the box, when the box was very important. You were not a team player but a wanderer.

I thought that was unfair. I had just done many years in solid employment thanks to my ham license. I had also done some time in gainful employment thanks to my commercial license. All this was disappearing.

Still, a lot of it existed in the 1980s, even though I had a hard time finding it. A friend of mine, a ham, had a very nice job with the DEA. He tried to talk me into coming to work with him. Sounded sort of fascinating, with the radio technology that was now being used, but I just could not convince myself this was the career turn I wanted to make. I passed on the opportunity. And I quickly point out my qualifications this time were NOT ham radio, but my own years in government communications service. I wasn't being sought because of a ham license, but rather through networking on a non-ham basis.

By the early 1990s my career was doing well enough, but I have always been one to peer through the fence at different colored grasses. I began to find out that the new ham radio was almost never considered a qualifying factor for any kind of work except something like selling ham radio for a ham radio dealer. The age of speciality was upon us, as I noted in my earlier post. More and more, the tinkerer was out the door.

But worse than that, I learned that the new ham had a very negative effect on employers. He was seen no longer as just a tinkerer, but often as someone who thinks he knows far more than he does. Far more. He had that Tech ticket and he thinks he is now Marconi's Gift to the electronics world. If hired, (I was told this by an employer friend of mine who had hired hams now and then) he comes in unwilling to learn, for he thinks he has nothing TO learn. He wants to be boss immediately, or at least a junior level director of operations. After all, he has years' of experience at pressing a PTT switch, for he spent 20 years in CB radio. He is total expert, and he insists you, the employer, treat him as such. He wants to make ham radio a part of his job, even if his job is running a printing press. After all, he is a former CBer, he has a HAM (yes, now it is capitalized, and stands for something, though no one knows what) license, and he assumes you hired him to use and talk radio on the job. My friend, in fact, was a bit harder on them than that, and I don't recall all he said. And yes, he was (and is) a ham.

So we have easier tests and more of the "right now" group, and more of the "I done been in CB so I IS an expert," and it fades the lustre badly on the old scene of a ham ticket is a ticket to a career. Toss in the "I got my Tech ticket so now I'm a cop" type, and the lustre disappears into the mud.

I did feel Incentive Licensing was a good thing. The idea of taking away things as a carrot was a poor one. But even then, it worked. Thousands of hams DID improve themselves, especially technically. Quite a few who could not pass the 20 wpm code test, didn't know that. So they studied the theory and became far more knowledgeable, only to find they didn't have the dedication to pass the code. Still, they were better hams. They had more knowledge, and that is what Incentive Licensing was all about.

It was, though, too late. The dream that the ham could once again become that highly valued "pool of trained technicians" thanks to Incentive Licensing, did not take into consideration that the world was already changing, and those technicians were about as valuable as udder-clippers on a rooster.

I think Incentive Licensing was at least a half hearted attempt by the ARRL to make ham radio return to its Glory Days. As others have said, those days were probably in the 40s and 50s, and I feel extremely fortunate to have come along in them, albeit in the sunset years. But as such an attempt, I have always felt that Incentive Licensing was a good idea. It just had a bad implementation. And yet, it worked. It worked then, it works now. I would LOVE to go back to the end of the 1960s, and have ham radio pick up some of the shine it once had.

Ain't gonna happen. The shine is gone, and the shoeshine boys have retired. Where we go in the future is little more than speculation, but in almost no scenario is it even vaguely pretty. And in no scenario at all, does it resemble ham radio in its heyday.


Ed

[kb7uxe]

Well, you can figure this:
if you have a license or not, it don't meen nothin anymore.
cause theyer just gonna hire someone in india at 20 cents an hour
ta do what ever job you thought you migh be able to do for a decent wage. so there went the incentive to actually earn a license, to actually know anything.
ham license now is simply a permit you purchase to play radio with your biuddies. 10-4.
You can thank the fcc/white house for that.

there should be a tarriff on any job outsourced out of the us
at such a rate it would make it cheaper to hire a local.
'ol uncle Ross was right, that big sucking sound of jobs leaving the us.

[N5UV]

ZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzz....

I'm sorry guys, this is really flogging a dead horse. The ARRL is evil, the FCC is evil, all "new" hams are evil, the only good hams are dead and gone now, the end of the world is coming and I hope I'm dead before I see it, blah, blah, blah....

I for one will do my job, try to promote the hobby to other potential hams, be warm and friendly to new hams, and just enjoy the fact that there are some folks out their with a similar interest in this hobby. I really see ham radio going into more of a public service role as time goes on, with a technical aspect that will always appeal to purists...you can make this hobby as technical as you like, but I think it's ridiculous to think that ham radio will improve by keeping the entrance criteria antiquated and excessively difficult to enter. And, if that means the entrance exam into ham radio seems watered-down, so what...I may actually want to relearn CW someday just because it's a challenge, why can't we let new hams make that decision for themselves after they've tested the waters. I'd rather have "churn" and lose some hams than have fewer, more dedicated folks getting into the hobby. Let people find what they like about the hobby, and welcome them with open arms.

[kb7uxe]

and your pioint is?

if they want below 30mhz let them learn cw, let them earn their license.
if they don't want to learn cw, they can stay a tech-.

You don't become ceo of a company just cause you want to,
you have to earn it...
( unless your daddy buys the company for you. ) 8-)

Darwin was right. eveloution is a good thing.
let the weak of mind and body die off so the strong and smart cw ops can inherit the earth.

[N5UV]

Quote[/b] (kb7uxe @ Dec. 22 2005,16:45)]
"You don't become ceo of a company just cause you want to, "

Right, but ham radio is a hobby,not a business. There is no CEO of ham radio per se, so the end result is that there is no CEO position to vie for. Your analogy doesn't make much sense.

The point is: I'm sorry we can't all enjoy the pleasure of listening to dots and dashes, I just don't think in this day and age that needs to be a required element for being a ham...WITH HF priveleges. I'm sorry the Patrician Caste of ham radio can't stand for those "other" hams to get into or upgrade in the hobby so easily. America is suppose to be a classless society, so why do we still think in these terms of us vs. them in this hobby?

Here, I'll through some gasoline on this fire...I think the ARRL's recommended band plan (in the Jan. 2006 QST issue) is exactly what we need. Way to go ARRL! I've advocated voice priveleges for years for Novice/Tech. hams, except on the crowning jewel of 20m. That's fair in my opinion. I'm not going to be one these of scolding types that makes it a point to tell new hams just how much harder the test used to be...who cares, I'm glad in this day and age to see ANYONE show an interest in ham radio that never did before.

[N8NU]

Some of my long-held beliefs about licensing:

1) Limiting generals to small slivers of the HF phone bands was a disaster, first causing crowding, then the unwelcoming situation of adv/extra bands dominated by canned DX operation, general bands run by nets, and nowhere to call CQ. (I remember having an advanced ticket in the 1980's, but spending most of my operating time on the novice bands). If they had to do incentive licensing, whole phone bands (just 20m for adv/extra, perhaps) would have been better.

2) Limits on data operation by baud rates, rather than bandwidth, should have been changed long, long ago. All those years that the "information superhighway" was developing, as data on telephone lines went from 300 baud to 28000 and beyond, amateurs were unable to advance beyond the model 15 teletypewriter. If the regulations had been in bandwidth in the first place, amateur radio could have become the "information airline". I'm afraid it may be too late now.

3) The codeless tech (1991) was not a bad idea, maybe a little too late, but one mistake was the huge gap in the license structure, which left little incentive to learn 5 wpm code, and 13 wpm needed for HF phone AND DATA, which may have appeared beyond reach to those not already in amateur radio. A strong intermediate license (e.g., 5 wpm, some HF phone, perhaps 40m, and general CW and data privliges) was needed to retain interest in CW.

4) Knowing CW never proved one was a good operator. It did, however, show that an operator could switch to more bandwidth-efficient operation when the phone bands became too crowded. If too many operators capable only of using SSB enter the phone bands, the bands could become uncivilized. Narrowband digital operation (including PSK31) must be on any new general or extra license exam, and amateurs should be encouraged to develop modes of digital audio using 1500 Hz or less of bandwidth.

5) (and I say this as an extra class licensee who can already operate here). Much of 40m suffers crowding because of increased data operation and phone operation outside the USA (especially Canada).
I think that 7000-7025 kHz, currently extra-only, should be opened to generals and advanced as well. The incentives to upgrade to extra would still be very much in place, and the change would encourage CW, PSK and data operation on the very useful 40m band.

comments welcome (though I only can read mail about once a week)
73 and 64 (happy new year) to all, Rob

[kd6fyk]

N5UV you are 100% correct.
Change is just change.
BTW this thread is a waste of space.
2 months or so and it will be the law.
I hope all the people who said "i won't talk to General-lites" do not talk with me.
I consider the source.
Happy Holidays.

[k5rks]

I don't know if incentive licensing was good or not. Actually, I think the answer is academic.

Any changes -- good or bad -- in ham radio are swamped out by changes in society. Here is my story:

I started out as a novice as a kid in high school in 1958. To stay on the air you had to pass your General within 12 months since the Novice only was good for a year and was not renewable.

I flunked the 13WPM test at the age of 17 once when I went to the Federal Building in Downtown Los Angeles. I still remember that "mean old" FCC field engineer -- Bernie Lindon -- giving me the test and telling to practice some more and then come back. Well, I did practice with a bunch of my buddies who were also Novices or recent Generals. I came back and passed.

I'll tell you this was -- and to this day still is -- one of the dozen highlights of my life. Given where I was in life at the time it to me was an "accomplishment".

I still remember the day at the San Francisco FCC office in the old Customs House on Battery Street taking the 20WPM code test and passing it for the Extra test. This was in 1983. A bunch of guys who, like myself, were engineers at the IBM Silicon Valley lab studied the code during lunch time for about two months. We all had either Advanced or General tickets. We all took a Wednesday off and went up to San Francisco on the train and we all passed the Extra.

Ham radio helped me quite a bit as a kid. It got me interested in radio and led to me going to engineering school and getting my BSEE. It lead to me getting a flunky job during college working for an FM station where I learned more about radio and got my 1st class commercial ticket. It lead to a career in engineering which over time moved into software development.

I agree that ham radio has lost it cachet with employers. Just before I left Silicon Valley I worked as a software engineering consultant. Most of my clients could care less that I was a ham. When I brought in my QSL card they were curious as to what ham radio was.

For me at least incentive licensing worked. I busted my fanny to pass that General. I studied to be able to pass that 20WPM code test for the Extra.

I still enjoy ham radio today because it means something to me. It is still a challenge. It has a historical context of relevance for me.

Now that I am retired I've started chasing DX. Zest in life means doing things which stretch you. When those guys show up on Peter I Island in Feburary I'll be in the pileups.

Ham radio is dying. How else do you explain that fact that the median age of all hams in the USA is over 50. Could it be that the "challenge" is gone?

With the ham radio I knew (and know) there is no such thing as "instant gratification". It took me a long time to be able to afford a tower with decent antennas. I had to jump through hoops with CC&Rs and building codes.

Ham radio popularity is definately on a downward sprial. However, I don't think the hobby has significantly changed. I don't think the change is function of incentive licensing, or having the tests given by volunteer examiners rather than the FCC, or removing CW requirements or having hi-tech rigs that we can't work on. All that stuff only effects the popularity of ham radio at the margin.

No doubt there have been changes in ham radio since 1958 when I got in this hobby. However, an even bigger change is the change is society. For many if something takes "work" it is not worth pursuing.

I don't think ham radio has to appeal to the masses to have relevance. I am not expecting the ARRL or anybody else to turn this around -- as if it were possible.

I don't think the ARRL or the FCC is going to have a significant effect on the number of hams in the year 2040, 2060, 2080, or 2100. There are bigger forces at work. Specifically, I don't think tinkering with the licensing requirements will have much bearing on the ham population.

73 Roger K5RKS

[n3jbh]

Just blame it all on the No Code tech’s. Heck the majority has.
If it is an unpopular opinion blame the tech’s. And if was a great idea.
Well congratulate an Extra. That is what keeps radio going. From what I see.

[kb7uxe]

nocode tech was and is a good idea. it gets your feet wet, and if you like it, you "advance" your learnings to do more.
more training and knowledge.
I think cw is only the tip of the iceberg of the dumbing down of the
ham license.
your right, it's only a hobby, so, just like cb, why have a license at all???
why even take a test ? why should you pay a fee for a license??? after all, it's only a hobby.

[KC9AGG]

nice post. thankyou for that piece of history. but ham radio, like everything else is changing-although i'm not an "old -timer" i like the old ways, too, but realize things have changed and will continue to evolve. we need to let it go while we allow the old ways to teach us valuable lessons. thx again for the history.

[n4dsp]

SO SO BORING! Get a LIFE. Why not just write a book and promote it on CNN. GEEZ. Give us a break. Everyone wants to be an author.
------------------------------------------------------------------


There has been much discussion on QRZ and eHam about the effects of Incentive Licensing in the late 1960s. While many here would like to relegate this subject to the dustbin of history I felt that a somewhat comprehensive review of what happened, why it happened and how it is still affecting us today might be of interest. A lot of what follows is purely my opinion that is driven by the research I have done on the subject.

George
K3UD

The stated reasons for the ARRL making and supporting incentive
licensing proposals was related to the perceived decline in the number of amateurs who actually used CW on a regular basis, the increase in poor operating habits, declining courtesy on the bands, and lack of ongoing technical development among amateurs as a whole. This last reason actually boiled down to the noticeable decline in amateurs who did not homebrew much gear.

As I have stated in several posts on the subject, the 50 Years Of ARRL book indicated that the 50s was the era of the greatest technological advances by amateurs. Three years later they implied that the situation had reversed and painful medicine was needed to put things right.

There have been some connections made between the perceived technology lead that the Soviet Union had in the late 50s that resulted in the launching of Sputnik and the incentive licensing proposals of 1958 and later in the early 60s. This is certainly debatable although my research into the genesis of the proposals has not revealed an outstanding link, however, it is reasonable that the US would do whatever it took to catch up with the Soviet technology gap.

It can be argued that IF there was a technology gap it was small. The US was concentrating on weapons of war development and building the finest cold war arsenal. Although latter day critics have denounced this effort, it did lead to some of the best military hardware ever produced to that point. This could have led to discussions at the FCC concerning perceived declining technical expertise of the existing amateur radio operator pool. I should point out that the initial request for IL proposals came from the FCC itself and the ARRL signed on with an initial proposal back to the FCC.

It needs to be noted that one of the main purposes of the Amateur Service was to provide a trained pool of qualified operators in time of national emergency. Of course the term "qualified operator" at that time probably meant CW ops and those who could build and service equipment if called to do so. It can certainly be argued that since the Soviets had a satellite in space the time was coming when they would have more with perhaps some being able to carry weapons of mass destruction. There was probably a real fear of an impending national emergency where we would need that trained pool of operators.

I have an extensive collection of QST from the mid 30s to the present, 73 from the first issue to about 1987 and CQ from 1951 to the early 90s. Incentive licensing has become a fascinating subject for me and I believe a lot of the directions amateur radio took or did not take came as a direct result of it. This library has enabled me to read every article, editorial, and letter to the editor that was published about incentive licensing from its first discussions to its post mortems in the mid 70s when many of the American radio manufactures were either out of business or struggling. As you may have guessed I have my own theory as to why this happened:

1. The ARRL in its earlier history never really endorsed phone operation. In the late 30s they had a short-lived section in QST called "With The Phonies" The implication being obvious. In the 40s they changed it to "Phone Band Phunies" The ARRL was mostly a CW oriented organization with a nod given to RTTY every now and then. This made some sense though when you remember the stated purpose of the Amateur Radio Service was defined as a pool of trained operators, which meant CW operators.

2. In the immediate postwar period the ARRL began to push SSB as a much more efficient means of communication than AM phone. They were right and the SSB articles and primers written for QST during the period were magnificent and most likely some of the best technical writing ever produced for QST. The problem was that Amateurs were not changing over at a fast enough rate, it was thought to be too complicated, too expensive, difficult to build and debug, and finally, difficult to receive correctly on the receivers of the day,

3. In 1951 a new system of licensing went into effect establishing the Novice and Technician licenses but more importantly in 1953 the FCC ended up granting full amateur privileges to General Class license holders. Overnight the Generals invaded the hollowed ground of the Advanced and Extra class. At the time, in terms of privileges the Advanced class (or class A) was at the top of the heap. The Extra did not have any additional privileges.

Since I was not there at the time (only 2 years old) I can only
relate to what I read about what was taking place during this time period. It seems that many in the Advanced and Extra classes were outraged at the FCC and the ARRL for allowing this to happen. Of course it could be argued that opening all the bands up to Generals, establishing the Novice and Technician license eventually led to the period of great amateur technological achievement that the ARRL was proud talking about in the 50 years of ARRL retrospective that came out in the 80s.

4. By the end of the 50s AM was still the major player on the phone bands. During this time period there were calls for the FCC to outlaw the use of AM below 30 megacycles. All of the pushing of SSB by the ARRL was having limited effect.

I first became licensed as a novice in 1964 at age 13 and although I was an ARRL member this issue was completely over my head at the time. Any changes would not affect me for a long time. 1964 - 1968 is an eternity in the life of a 13 year old. As I got older and upgraded my license I started to see some of the implications of what might happen. In the end I ended up taking the Advanced test primarily to retain some VHF privileges I was going to lose if phase 2 of the incentive licensing proposal was implemented.

Yes, there were two phases of this. The first one, which took away many privileges from the General, Advanced and Novice went into effect in 1968. Phase 2 was going to be more onerous for the General and Technician class operators. It is interesting to note that phase 2 was never implemented. It is my opinion that the ARRL realized that they had created a Frankenstein's monster and convinced the FCC not to go ahead with it.

Many never upgraded and were herded into band slices packed with QRM. Some nights it was difficult to operate. Many just gave up. Hamfests of the period 1969 through about 1973 were packed with gear as hams that had given up sold it off. Used equipment markets became flooded. As this happened, activity levels dropped, AM ops switched to SSB and QRM levels on HF became manageable.

It is my opinion that the main reason for incentive licensing was a means to right the perceived wrongs of 1953 and force the use of SSB. The latter being accomplished by forcing Generals into very crowded band segments where the only alternatives were to either give up AM and switch to SSB in order to have a fighting chance at a Friday night QSO or upgrade and use the relatively QRM free bands of the Advanced and Extra classes.

Studies that were done during the time period prior to the first incentive licensing proposals suggested that Advanced and Extra class operators who used phone (many were CW only) were migrating to SSB in much larger percentages than General Class operators. It was thought that this was because the higher classes were more technically oriented than the General class. The thinking seemed to be that all that was needed was an upgrade of the General's technical skills and he or she would suddenly see the value of SSB and convert to it. If they did not, then they would be confined to the QRM purgatory of very limited phone bands segments until they finally saw the light.

My opinion is that it was not a technical skill situation as much as it was an economic one. Older Advanced and Extra class operators most likely had more dollars to spend as individuals than the demographically younger General class hams. The irony was that technical advances and manufacturing efficiencies collaborated to bring to the market very good and very affordable SSB gear. There was not much affordable and utilitarian gear available prior to about 1962 with Collins, and Johnson leading the way with rather high priced SSB equipment.

The advent of the SBE-33, The Swan and Heath single banders and later the Swan 350, Heath 100 series all band units, the National and Hallicrafters units eased the way in. There were also low priced two and three band radios from WRL and Galaxy and the high quality lower priced alternative to Collins....Drake. these and other manufacturers brought the SSB mode into the realm of
most amateurs by 1970 when there was a good amount of used SSB gear around.

In the end, the only things that incentive licensing accomplished were the generation of ill will among the amateur community, very crowded sub bands that served to limit traffic net operation and having a number of amateurs drop out of the service. We also saw a slow down in equipment purchases for a time period long enough to hurt the major American manufacturers and a sizable decline in the average page count of some ham magazines, especially CQ from about 1971 - 1975.

The largest negative impact of incentive licensing was probably the caste system that was set up in the Amateur Radio service. This most likely led to the perceived (but not real) slowdown in the growth rate in Amateur Radio in the 70s. From the mid 70s the ARRL has endorsed almost every proposal to distance the ARS from the impact of incentive licensing.

Since then we had increased privileges for General and Advanced licensees, Novice enhancement, the creation of the no code Technician license which in 1997 was cited by the ARRL as reason to change the licensing system once again which then led to the 5-WPM General and Extra. In the end we find ourselves in a for real no growth (actually a deflating) situation. If this is not irony.......

Thanks for reading!

73
George
K3UD

[W0GI]

Quote[/b] (kc8vwm @ Dec. 22 2005,22:47)]Quite frankly, if I were much younger in todays society, and someone introduced me to this thing called "ham radio," I wouldn't see what all the attraction is all about. I can simply chat with all my friends who share a similar interest as I do in a yahoo chatroom on the internet, #or I can hang out on my nationwide Nextel communicator phone.

Ham radio? What the heck can #I do with that and why would I wan't to bother?

Combine that with "the resistance OF's group" (you know who you are) antenna restrictions, people who dont want to talk or encourage these new people and what do you get?

...You decide.

That's the direction this is all going from my perspective. I don't think dropping CW is going to matter or change this anyway.

To find the baseline for this declining interest in ham radio, just refer to the number of inactive techs that get a license and become inactive. This should at least tell us something is going on.


Thanks for listening & happy holidays.
Back in the 70's there were telephones, and I could have said: #"Ham radio? What the heck can #I do with that and why would I wan't to bother?"

Ham Radio isn't about "what does it give me".....

Some of you guys always look at making this hobby something you need to sell, and something that impresses your neighbors.

Ham radio is about learning, building, making a contact with a cheap radio into a dipole made with lamp cord. #It isn't about impressing the world, it is about impressing yourself. #Doing the impossble with lamp cord.

Making your own statement, about how a common man can talk to another common man on the other side of the planet. #No monthly bills, no contracts, just a radio and wire. #

You just don't seem to get it. #And you don't have to get it. #If the world is so full of jackasses, that have to be recruited, and ass-kissed to join this service, then let it die.

Because, it isn't worth a damn if all we have is a bunch of radio buying morons, that have to be convinced as to why they should spend money for that new radio.

While you try to justify Ham radio, let me say, that some of us did this for the love of radio, and didn't ask those already in the hobby to kiss our butts, and convince us why we should waste our time with this hobby.

Well, I am not going to try to convince you. #Go away. #You have nothing to offer, other then your thoughts that Ham radio is something that we should justify. #I won't try to justify anything to you. You don't have a clue.

Do something else important, other then telling us that built radios, how boring this hobby is. #Maybe you can save Jack Gerritson??? #Another appliance operator.

QUOTE>>>
"To find the baseline for this declining interest in ham radio, just refer to the number of inactive techs that get a license and become inactive. This should at least tell us something is going on."

Gee, that's a good point, a bunch of people that pass an easy test, buy an HT, and get bored on the local repeater? Too freaking lazy to learn 5WPM like my 10 year old children can, but they are the future of Ham Radio.

Tell me about people that really get involved in ham radio losing interest, rather then those that just want to take the easy route, and play ham radio. But you will never understand, because we should make this CB, so everyone can join, and not have any entrance fee at all.

That Code is so hard??? Man, I can understand the problem with 20Wpm, but I lost count of the kids that I gave 5wpm tests to.

Give me... Give me... Give me...

What a pile of BS.....

73 - W6NJ

[W5PPF]

Good letter George:

I was WN5PPF as of 5/20/66 then WA5PPF and now the vanity call W5PPF so have been a licensed ham for almost 40 years. #I took my General Class exam at the FCC Office in Dallas, TX at age 14 and of course had to pass the 13-wpm morse code requirement. #I believe the code requirement should be retained for General and above at least at the 5wpm level. #You can do that much if you have applied yourself at all and I feel this is a needed "right of passage into the HF world if you want to be a ham radio operator."

I was very unhappy that the ARRL & FCC did not grandfather my operating privlidges in 1968. #In my opinion those in power at ARRL killed amateur radio at that time and the computer/internet craze has just about put the nails in the old coffin. I am still very bitter and only rejoined the ARRL to have a vote and to stay informed. #I still don't agree with a lot of the things the ARRL seems to like, nor the VE System people, nor the FCC, but that is life. #However, they are our voice (be it a voice I usually disagree with and would like to change so I will work from within), they are our testing agents (our gatekeepers you might say), and our licensing/enforcement agency--I respect that and appreciate most of what they do especially the volunteer VE examiners and those at the FCC that try to police our bands and bring down the wrong doers/LIDS. #I hope to have the self discipline to make myself study enough to get my extra class before too much longer then I hope they won't mess with me again or that the darn BPL mess won't totally screw up the amateur spectrum for all of us. #Those with the Gold make the Golden Rule and No money, No honey!!! #TXU just earmarked 150 million dollars to get BPL going out here--don't tell me with all the money they are going to pour into it that BPL won't happen---just a matter of time my friends with the kind of money they have. #I fear the whole spectrum will be useless except for 70cm and up when this happens (when not if, you wait and see).

Thanks for bringing this up and giving me a chance to voice my feelings.

73,

Lee/W5PPF/Abilene, TX # # # # # http://www.qrz.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[ac3p]

Quote[/b] ]Many years later, though, I do know I looked back through different eyes. #In that day many of us simply accepted the FCC #as being GOD. #We feared it, we expected to be monitored, even at 2 am on 75 meters, and a single "damn" was going to get us nailed. #We believed in the "infinite wisdom" of the FCC in determining how ham radio was to be run. #So when they said "Bark" we said "Woof." #

I still react that way. Since I live about 25 miles from the Laurel Md. monitoring site and back in the 1960's I would get phone calls at work from the FCC Field Office about an on-going TVI complaint.

In fact the field engineers were hams and could be heard on the local Baltimore repeaters.

[ky5u]

Quote[/b] (kd6fyk @ Dec. 22 2005,18:19)]N5UV you are 100% correct.
Change is just change.
BTW this thread is a waste of space.
2 months or so and it will be the law.
I hope all the people who said "i won't talk to General-lites" do not talk with me.
I consider the source.
Happy Holidays.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ Will talk to you on the air if you promise not to be this boring...

Quote[/b] (n3jbh @ Dec. 22 2005,19:43)]Just blame it all on the No Code tech’s. Heck the majority has.
If it is an unpopular opinion blame the tech’s. And if was a great idea.
Well congratulate an Extra. That is what keeps radio going. From what I see.
Link to an Optomitrist for your vision issues. (http://www.homestead.com/ht/fedyna_info.html) She's also a real estate agent in case you don't like it around here, you can move somewhere else.


Quote[/b] ]n3dik: SO SO BORING! Get a LIFE. Why not just write a book and promote it on CNN. GEEZ. Give us a break. Everyone wants to be an author.
Apparantly there are a few folks standing in the "jerk" line too. Next!



George, Hope you didn't mind but the trash can was full so I emptied the trash for you...

[w9oy]

The ARRL is basically a publishing company. #At the structural change in licensing in the 50's the ARRL expanded its publishing operation considerably. #Incentive licensing of the late 60's gave the ARRL a new #and expanded market for licensing manuals and study materials. #The decline in newcomers has given the ARRL new incentive to rejigger the licensing structure to make it easier for a "new" crop of hams to enter the ranks. #Hopefully every one will buy at least one or two ARRL licensing products, and hopefully become "members". #

The reasons for all this licensing manipulation is obvious. #When we were essentially all generals we all had fun. #Since incentive licensing ham radio has been on a down hill spiral, and Dave Sumner seems to be president for life like Castro ir Idi Amin Dada Oumee. #Maybe what we need is to rejigger the ARRL instead of a new licensing system.

73 #W9OY

[KB1SF]

Thanks, George, for an interesting and thought-provoking post.

Your excellent research about the history behind Incentive Licensing has certainly given us “crusty old curmudgeons” something to think seriously about…how we got here and what the ARRL / FCC / No-Code Techs (pick one) have since “done”(?) to our hobby.

However, has anyone taken a few minutes away from their keyboards to actually listen across our HF Bands lately? Am I the only one noticing that, on many days, they seem dead from end to end? Aside from the occasional contest weekend (or 75 Meter net) most of what I hear these days on the bulk of our HF bands is little more than dead air.

Now, I know we are approaching the bottom of the sunspot cycle. But, even so, I remember our bands being a LOT busier during previous sunspot minimums.

All of which begs the question: Where the heck is everybody?

Over and over again on this and other forums I hear the broken-record lament that our bands are being “invaded” from those dreaded “no-coders” and that those of us who prefer the “legacy modes” are going to be QRMed to death by those “digital elitists” once the ARRL (or someone else’s) bandwidth petition becomes “law”. The other broken-record I hear is that our bands are now being “given away” to unqualified newcomers who haven’t worked “hard enough” for their privileges.

But, while we are all arguing about whose slice of HF spectrum needs to be protected from which dreaded onslaught, has anyone noticed that fewer and fewer of us actually seem to be OPERATING these days?

Sadly, the same lack of activity seems to hold true on our VHF and UHF bands. How many of us have listened to one or more of our local repeaters only to hear little more than the repeater ID for hours at a time? How many of us have made a call on our local repeater (other than during “drive time”) only to have nobody return the call? The same holds true for Ham Radio clubs. They, too, appear to by dying.

Just before I stepped down as President of AMSAT-NA, I remember some of our experimenters had proposed placing a wideband (HF to UHF and above) receiver on one of our satellites then under construction. The receiver would be able to listen on any frequency (or series of frequencies) on these bands from Low Earth orbit and would even digitally store what it heard for later download.

Unfortunately, this was all happening at about the same time the ARRL was locked in battle with the “Little LEOs” who had formally requested parts of our 2m and 70 Cm spectrum be re-allocated to the commercial satellite service for their world-wide use.

Needless to say, once the ARRL got wind of what AMSAT was proposing, they had a cow. Why? Simply because the downloads from our wideband receiver would show, beyond a shadow of doubt, that our Ham bands are NOT being used in an “efficient” manner and that the Little LEO proponents could now use that information against us to argue their case for world-wide sharing (if not re-allocation) of our spectrum! Sadly, based purely on current spectral use, it became painfully clear that our Amateur Radio interests simply wouldn’t have a leg to stand on in such an argument.

Now, while it appears the “Little LEO” threat has gone away (at least for the moment), I think the long-term implications of this issue should be a wake-up call to us all.

That is, I believe the principle threat to Amateur Radio’s existence these days is simply our own lack of interest. Many of us still have licenses, but fewer and fewer of us are regularly operating on the air. And, in the eyes of some VERY well heeled commercial interests (who, by the way, are also listening to us) that makes our bands “ripe for the picking” because they are mostly empty these days. In their eyes, we are now sitting on GOBS of commercially valuable spectrum space that’s being “wasted” on an ever-dwindling bunch of crusty old curmudgeons using their quaint, tube-type radios.

While it’s certainly fun to reminisce about “what was”, the sad truth is that we live in the present, not the past. And, unless we all (yours truly included) begin spending a LOT more time on the air (and less time here chatting on the Internet about how our bands should (or shouldn’t) be carved up among ourselves) I’m afraid much of our spectrum is going to eventually be re-allocated to some other service based on our own “benign neglect”.

Sadly, when that happens, we’ll have nobody to blame but ourselves.

73,

Keith
KB1SF / VA3KSF

[ai4me]

The ARRL seems to get bashed alot, but I want to remind those who do speak ill of it. The ARRL is, in essence, nothing more than a lobbying organization to represent Hams, both members and non-members, to the government.

With this being said, a lobbyist is nothing more than a person who is tasked with taking the voiced opinions of the people it represents to the government. If you get a near 50/50 split in opinion, what do you do as a lobbyist? Try to reach a compromise that will please everyone, which we all know is impossbile. But you can do the best you can to try and represent everyone.

My mom always said "The squeaky wheel gets the oil". If the people who have the strongest and/or most prolific voice say "Drop code!" then thats what they take to the government. Most people who are for keeping the code are content, so they dont say anything. Its only when someone is not content that they complain! So the ARRL is not an evil empire, but simply a vehicle.

I will stand by my opinion about code. A practical solution to this situation would be to drop the code for General but keep it for Extra. To me that is a compromise that will please the largest percentage. (Personally I am for leaving things alone and keeping the code as it stands) Techs with code are allowed on limited HF sections. You could also simply drop the code requirement for Tech and in essence make every Tech a "Tech Plus".

So there... I have given two solutions.

I also prefer not to call it "Incentive Licensing" but rather "Accomplishment Licensing", because to me the progression in license class is more an accomplishment than an incentive!

The winds of change are upon us. There is nothing we can do to stop it (both fortunately and unfortunately). The only thing we can do is steer it in a logical and acceptable direction.

[K3UD]

Quote[/b] (kb1sf @ Dec. 23 2005,09:26)]But, while we are all arguing about whose slice of HF spectrum needs to be protected from which dreaded onslaught, has anyone noticed that fewer and fewer of us actually seem to be OPERATING these days?

Sadly, the same lack of activity seems to hold true on our VHF and UHF bands. How many of us have listened to one or more of our local repeaters only to hear little more than the repeater ID for hours at a time? How many of us have made a call on our local repeater (other than during “drive time”) only to have nobody return the call? The same holds true for Ham Radio clubs. They, too, appear to by dying.

Just before I stepped down as President of AMSAT-NA, I remember some of our experimenters had proposed placing a wideband (HF to UHF and above) receiver on one of our satellites then under construction. The receiver would be able to listen on any frequency (or series of frequencies) on these bands from Low Earth orbit and would even digitally store what it heard for later download.

Unfortunately, this was all happening at about the same time the ARRL was locked in battle with the “Little LEOs” who had formally requested parts of our 2m and 70 Cm spectrum be re-allocated to the commercial satellite service for their world-wide use.

Needless to say, once the ARRL got wind of what AMSAT was proposing, they had a cow. Why? Simply because the downloads from our wideband receiver would show, beyond a shadow of doubt, that our Ham bands are NOT being used in an “efficient” manner and that the Little LEO proponents could now use that information against us to argue their case for world-wide sharing (if not re-allocation) of our spectrum! Sadly, based purely on current spectral use, it became painfully clear that our Amateur Radio interests simply wouldn’t have a leg to stand on in such an argument.


73,

Keith
KB1SF / VA3KSF
Keith,

Very good post!

I certainly do not have a problem with the FCC establishing an entry level license class that is initially made up of present Novice, Tech and Tech+ licensees. I also feel that this class should have HF operating privileges on a variety of bands as well as all the modes available to us. The ARRL has proposed something like this and reiterated it again in the latest issue of QST.

On the other hand I wonder what would happen to the present activity we do have on the V/U/M bands. For most hams the holy grail has always been HF operations and I would suspect if all of the those I propose for the beginner class were upgraded that a lot of VHF+ activity would go away and we would probably lose a some spectrum we have now.

During the discussions of a no code license which would be limited to VHF+ it was often mentioned that this class of license would serve as the guardians of our allocations in the VHF+ spectrum. I am not sure that we every had a tremendous increase in activity with the possible exception of the time period immediately after the implementation of the no code Tech license. Unfortunately, a lot of them were discouraged by the hams who were using this spectrum and this served to dampen their enthusiam.

So where are all the ops? All of the equipment manufacturers seem to be selling a lot of 2 meter and dual band radios and they produce a lot of HF/VHF-UHF capable radios. Yet activity seems to be declining.

73
George
K3UD

[K0RGR]

Quote[/b] (K3UD @ Dec. 23 2005,08:15)]Quote[/b] (kb1sf @ Dec. 23 2005,09:26)]But, while we are all arguing about whose slice of HF spectrum needs to be protected from which dreaded onslaught, has anyone noticed that fewer and fewer of us actually seem to be OPERATING these days?

Sadly, the same lack of activity seems to hold true on our VHF and UHF bands. How many of us have listened to one or more of our local repeaters only to hear little more than the repeater ID for hours at a time? How many of us have made a call on our local repeater (other than during “drive time”) only to have nobody return the call? The same holds true for Ham Radio clubs. They, too, appear to by dying.

Just before I stepped down as President of AMSAT-NA, I remember some of our experimenters had proposed placing a wideband (HF to UHF and above) receiver on one of our satellites then under construction. The receiver would be able to listen on any frequency (or series of frequencies) on these bands from Low Earth orbit and would even digitally store what it heard for later download.

Unfortunately, this was all happening at about the same time the ARRL was locked in battle with the “Little LEOs” who had formally requested parts of our 2m and 70 Cm spectrum be re-allocated to the commercial satellite service for their world-wide use.

Needless to say, once the ARRL got wind of what AMSAT was proposing, they had a cow. Why? Simply because the downloads from our wideband receiver would show, beyond a shadow of doubt, that our Ham bands are NOT being used in an “efficient” manner and that the Little LEO proponents could now use that information against us to argue their case for world-wide sharing (if not re-allocation) of our spectrum! Sadly, based purely on current spectral use, it became painfully clear that our Amateur Radio interests simply wouldn’t have a leg to stand on in such an argument.


73,

Keith
KB1SF / VA3KSF
Keith,

Very good post!

I certainly do not have a problem with the FCC establishing an entry level license class that is initially made up of present Novice, Tech and Tech+ licensees. I also feel that this class should have HF operating privileges on a variety of bands as well as all the modes available to us. The ARRL has proposed something like this and reiterated it again in the latest issue of QST.

On the other hand I wonder what would happen to the present activity we do have on the V/U/M bands. For most hams the holy grail has always been HF operations and I would suspect if all of the those I propose for the beginner class were upgraded that a lot of VHF+ activity would go away and we would probably lose a some spectrum we have now.

During the discussions of a no code license which would be limited to VHF+ it was often mentioned that this class of license would serve as the guardians of our allocations in the VHF+ spectrum. I am not sure that we every had a tremendous increase in activity with the possible exception of the time period immediately after the implementation of the no code Tech license. Unfortunately, a lot of them were discouraged by the hams who were using this spectrum and this served to dampen their enthusiam.

So where are all the ops? All of the equipment manufacturers seem to be selling a lot of 2 meter and dual band radios and they produce a lot of HF/VHF-UHF capable radios. Yet activity seems to be declining.

73
George
K3UD
To be honest, I think that most permanent residents of our VHF/UHF spectrum outside of 2 meter and 440 MHz. FM are people who are licensed for HF operation, anyway. They choose to do moonbounce, aurora, and meteor scatter on these frequencies, activities which until very recently all required CW skills, too. Digital modes now support moonbounce and meteor scatter without CW skill, but aurora is very difficult above 6 meters without it.

I doubt that the no-code HF license will change this activity much one way or the other. It will probably have some impact on FM activity. I doubt they will, but it would be great if hams would react sensibly by reducing the number of repeaters on the air and resorting to more simplex activity, in order to concentrate the diminshed activity on fewer channels and increase the likelihood of finding contacts!

[K9MBL]

"Almost all of the new blood comes from the 11-meter pool. In fact, I haven’t met a new ham in the last 15 years that didn’t spend time either as a freebander, truck driver, or both. There’s your new novice class."

There are a few statements made by Hams here and there that simply burn me up, and frankly, I'm tired of hearing/reading them!! #I am NOT a poor operator because I hold a Tech class license!! #I am NOT lazy because I hold a Tech class license!! #I am NOT against Morse Code because I hold a Tech class license!! #Or any combination of the above!

I have three ant projects on the bench in my shop as I write this. #I have eight antennas on my tower/roof, half are home brewed, switched with a home brewed 12v relay system. #I recently elmered a new Ham, KI6BTR, who just received his ticket. #I will also be helping him set up his new station. #I have made an effort in my neighborhood to stress the importance of Amateur Radio to the general community and how they may benefit from it in the future (I haven't had one antenna complaint). #Not bad for a lowly, lazy, good-for-nothing technician, I must say.

So, that said, please allow me to relate to you why a new tech ticket is on the verge of selling out. #It's the people folks! #It's the bitching and whining. #It's those who like to pass judgement on everyone but themselves. #It's the name calling and belittlement by other Hams. #I get the distinct impression that the older Extra fellas think this is their hobby exclusively and that things shouldn't change. #Many are stuck in yester-year and refuse to face the reality that things really do change - with, or without, them!

I took a Ham class in 2/01 in Quartzsite, AZ before I took my Tech test. #I believe all Hams should be required to take some sort of instruction rather than memorize a question pool. #Anyway, Leo Roberts, K9DGX, was the instructor. #Let me tell you folks, when I passed my Tech exam I was nearly as proud as I was when I watched my daughter being born. #Silly, but true (my wife thinks its silly anyway!). #Leo was my Elmer and my first QSO - have the QSL card to prove it. #I hold great respect for Leo's knowledge and his desire to teach others. #So much that I adopted his K9 + my initials for my callsign. #Yes, it's incorrect, but I'm sure everyone will learn to live with it.

Yes, there are a few no-gooders in the Ham community, but they can be found in all license classes. #Yes, a lot of them cut their teeth on CB. #I wish I had an accurate count of how many senior Hams indulge in 11m (now or in the past). #You want to recruit/retain good operators? #Stop the childish BS - you're running people off! #And get over the Morse Code thing. #FYI, folks in my circle don't dislike Morse, they dislike being forced to learn it. #And you know what, a couple of them really to like it, use it but refuse to test for it. #And it's not because they're lazy!!!

Thanks for the rant. #Hope ya'll have a Merry Christmas.

73, Mike

[ai4me]

Quote[/b] (K9MBL @ Dec. 23 2005,11:42)]There are a few statements made by Hams here and there that simply burn me up, and frankly, I'm tired of hearing/reading them!! #I am NOT a poor operator because I hold a Tech class license!! #I am NOT lazy because I hold a Tech class license!! #I am NOT against Morse Code because I hold a Tech class license!! #Or any combination of the above!
Mike,

# I agree with you. There is nothing wrong with being a Tech. Being a Tech in no way means your a poor operator, lazy or against Morse Code. There is so much to do in the Technician only segment of the spectrum that many people are content with it. It all boils down to where your area of intrest is. If people truly had an interest in HF, they would go for it like I did.

I was suprised to learn that one of the best operators around my QTH was only a Tech! KW4USA is a very admirable and knowledgable operator. He is very adept at things like WinLink and APRS. He even gave an outstanding presentation on WinLink to the local club. An all around outstanding Ham, and yet only a Tech.


"Almost all of the new blood comes from the 11-meter pool. In fact, I haven’t met a new ham in the last 15 years that didn’t spend time either as a freebander, truck driver, or both. There’s your new novice class."

Whoever said this, they dont get out much or talk to the right people. Although some come from CB, not many are freebanders or 11 Meter Kilowatt Bandits. Most of those lawless kilowatt 11 meter operators ENJOY breaking the law and have no desire to become legal or switch to Ham. What sense does a 70kW mobile CB make??? If you ever question them about it, they threaten you. This is not a person who would become a Ham, or you would even want to become a Ham. If they show that little respect to the FCC rules, what would they do when it comes to Amateur Radio?

Now I do want to say that not all CB'ers are bad. The good ones tend to become Hams when they grow up ;)

It wasnt CB that brought me into Ham. It was GMRS. Either way, here I am.

[KU2US]

I was licensed in 1979. I can remember that the Novice ticket was a Great incentive for me to up-Grade. 50 watts, crystal controlled and you got a year. As a novice I was treated like a new guest to ham radio with respect, because the "elmers" knew I had to acomplish what they did to up-grade, and they helped me. Incentive licensing from the 60's helped me. It acomplished what it said it would-It created INCENTIVE. What incentive do the new hams have Today? Study answers from a book, (Soon) laugh at CW, punch a keyboard, click a mic and be lazy. I was proud to be a Ham, NO MORE. I looked up to an advanced or Extra class, because I knew they had to really know their stuff. They kicked Butt to get where they were. I knew one guy that went from novice to Extra in 1.5 years. We thought he was a genius!! and he WAS!!.. Now you can do the same thing in 6 months or less with just reviewing answers, some $$$ and pass a 5 WPM code test a 10 year old can accomplish (Maybe most). One poster said that CB and Ham radio are getting to be the same? He is RIGHT. One poster said that he will promote ham radio as much as possibe as it stands now. I say bravo, but promote ham radio HOW? What would you say? Would you tell the "Newbie" that it is EASY?, that ham radio and the internet are ONE? (Echolink), That GMRS is ham radio TOO?, That CB and HR qso's are the SAME?, You can "Shoot skip" like on CB? That you can get the highest most prestigious Ham radio license in less than 6 months with no or little knowledge of radio?, That CW is an antique mode? I could go on and on. Anybody can hook up a rig-blaster, set a +/-600Khz offset, run split on HF, own 5 rice boxes and set up a G5RV!..Emergency comm. with high speed digital you say? No electricity-see ya..No phone lines-see ya, No cell towers-see ya, NO EXPERIENCE OR TRAINING-See ya-Good Buddy..Yes, we dont have to know how to build rigs anymore, we dont have to be profficient in CW anymore, we dont have to know and use basic electronic principles anymore, WE DONT HAVE TO KNOW ANYTHING ANYMORE, just talk into a mic, push those computer keys, and walk around with your head in a cloud because you are an Extra. Yes, Ham Radio will never die, the real ham radio as we KNEW it is DEAD. It is a ham radio of the newer appliance technology. Electronic progress prevails. Now it is just a hobby that is given, not earned. I was never a CBer, but a shortwave listener as a kid. I marveled at how ham radio ops could talk about technical stuff on the air. I marvel now also. I hear swear words, tune-ups on qso's, 1000 watts for a 200 mile qso, out of band transmissions, robot email stations, intentional interference, on and on..Yes, ham radio has changed, as such with the newer generations, the newer no experience needed technology, CB jargon, and STUPID baseless qso's about radio technology that is all WRONG because of lack of radio education. The Ham Radio of the new century-now just another toy. It is all our fault-we let it get this way. So enjoy what we have. Its a shame the newer folks could not experience what we HAD, to see the difference, then you would have an opinion like mine. I really wish my opinion was different, but I see nothing that would change it.

[N2EY]

Quote[/b] (K3UD @ Dec. 21 2005,10:23)]
Quote[/b] ]
I should point out that the initial request for IL proposals came from the FCC itself and the ARRL signed on with an initial proposal back to the FCC.


That point is often forgotten. Here are some more:

1) ARRL wasn't the only one pushing IL. After the
initial 1963 ARRL proposal, FCC got a *flood* of
comments and counter-proposals. At least 10 other
proposals got RM numbers. The final resulting IL
rules were a conglomeration of all those proposals,
many of whose features came from non-ARRL sources.

2) The initial 1963 ARRL proposal was very simple. It proposed that:

- Advanced be reopened to new issues
- 'Phone on 75, 40, 20 and 15 would require an Advanced or Extra

And that's it. All existing Generals could get their lost 'phone privs back by passing the Advanced written, and *no* additional code test.

It was the later proposals that complicated the scheme so much.

Quote[/b] ]It can certainly be argued that since the Soviets had a satellite in space the time was coming when they would have more with perhaps some being able to carry weapons of mass destruction. There was probably a real fear of an impending national emergency where we would need that trained pool of operators.


The big deal, as I understand it, was that the Soviets kept coming up with surprises. They launched the first artificial earth satellite - took the first pictures of the far side of the moon - put the first animal and then the first human into space. All without advance notice or any apparent problems. Meanwhile, US rockets kept blowing up on the launch pads, or were delayed from launch by technical problems.

Of course we know now that the Soviets had all kinds of trouble, but just didn't talk about it. But back then they looked unbeatable. And if they could put a human being into orbit and bring him back safely within a limited target area, they could certainly do the same thing with a nuclear weapon.

Quote[/b] ]1. The ARRL in its earlier history never really endorsed phone operation. In the late 30s they had a short-lived section in QST called "With The Phonies" The implication being obvious. In the 40s they changed it to "Phone Band Phunies" The ARRL was mostly a CW oriented organization with a nod given to RTTY every now and then. This made some sense though when you remember the stated purpose of the Amateur Radio Service was defined as a pool of trained operators, which meant CW operators.


That's true to a point, but at the same time ARRL pushed VHF/UHF and mobile operation, which were
heavily 'phone oriented, had 'phone DXCC, 'phone versions of all major contests, extensive chapters on 'phone techniques and operation in the Handbooks, etc.

For an organization that didn't like 'phone they sure put a lot of resources into those modes (AM, SSB, NBFM).

Quote[/b] ]2. In the immediate postwar period the ARRL began to push SSB as a much more efficient means of communication than AM phone. They were right and the SSB articles and primers written for QST during the period were magnificent and most likely some of the best technical writing ever produced for QST. The problem was that Amateurs were not changing over at a fast enough rate, it was thought to be too complicated, too expensive, difficult to build and debug, and finally, difficult to receive correctly on the receivers of the day,



You can find SSB mentioned in "200 Meters and Down" which came out in 1936. After WW2 there was a column called "On The Air with Single Sideband". There were even complaints that ARRL was forcing SSB on hams who didn't want it.

I agree with your analysis of why hams didn't all go for SSB right away, but I'd add another: A lot of hams had serious investments of time, money and effort in their AM rigs and were in no hurry to change over to a mode that would make their rigs essentially obsolete.

IMHO what really made SSB take over from AM was the
introduction of the SSB transceiver and matched-pair transmitter/receivers in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
Such rigs cost only a little more than a good receiver, but they were a complete station-in-a-box. The difficulties of zerobeating were completely eliminated - when the receiver is tuned right, so is the transmitter.
And the whole thing was small, easy to use, and less expensive than its AM counterpart.

On top of that, grounded-grid table-top kilowatt amps put high-power 'phone within reach of many hams.

By the early 1960s, a ham could spend less than $700 and build a Heathkit SB-100 xcvr with PS and speaker, SB-200 1200 W amplifier, mike, etc. - new!


But there was one big downside to SSB that came to light about 1965: SWLs.

When AM was king, we got a *lot* of new hams from the ranks of SWLs. Anybody with an SW receiver - and there were lots of folks with some sort of SW receiver - would come across hams using AM. More than a few SWLs would find out about ham radio, and become hams, as a result of that introduction.

But most inexpensive SW receivers don't receive SSB well. Which means not at all in the hands of an inexperienced person. Some didn't even have BFOs! End result was a big loss of newcomers.


Quote[/b] ]3. In 1951 a new system of licensing went into effect establishing the Novice and Technician licenses but more importantly in 1953 the FCC ended up granting full amateur privileges to General Class license holders. Overnight the Generals invaded the hollowed ground of the Advanced and Extra class. At the time, in terms of privileges the Advanced class (or class A) was at the top of the heap. The Extra did not have any additional privileges

There's a bit more to it than that.

Before 1951, there was the old ABC license system. Class A had all privs, Class B and C had all privs except HF 'phone.

The 1951 restructuring was FCC's effort to social-engineer ham radio. They added a "Basis and Purpose" section to the rules - none had existed before 1951. The new Novice was meant to make it easier for beginners to get started, and the Tech was meant to focus interest on developing UHF and above. They took a simple system and made it very complex.

But the big noise was the Advanced/Extra change. The old Class A was renamed Advanced, and gave full priviliges. That license required a year as a General/Class B or Conditional/Class C, and one additional written exam - no additional code, and the Advanced written was mostly about 'phone techniques.

Under the 1951 restructuring rules, no more new Advanceds would be issued after the end of 1952.
The Advanced was to be replaced by the Extra, which
had 20 wpm code and a much more comprehensive
written including things like TV and microwaves.

If you didn't get an Advanced before the end of '52,
the step to full privs was made a *lot* bigger.

ARRL *opposed* the creation of the Extra back then.
But FCC went for it anyway.

Then in late 1952 - almost exactly 53 years ago - FCC made a complete turnabout and gave all privs to Generals and Conditionals, effective Feb 1953. All of a sudden there was no need to go beyond General or Conditional at all.

Quote[/b] ]It seems that many in the Advanced and Extra classes were outraged at the FCC and the ARRL for allowing this to happen.

How would you feel if you'd spent a lot of time, effort and money to get the Advanced or Extra, (they could only be earned at FCC exam sessions) and then FCC just did an about-face with little or no warning or explanation?

Quote[/b] ]4. By the end of the 50s AM was still the major player on the phone bands. During this time period there were calls for the FCC to outlaw the use of AM below 30 megacycles. All of the pushing of SSB by the ARRL was having limited effect.


See above about SSB transceivers.

Quote[/b] ]I first became licensed as a novice in 1964 at age 13 and although I was an ARRL member this issue was completely over my head at the time. Any changes would not affect me for a long time. 1964 - 1968 is an eternity in the life of a 13 year old. As I got older and upgraded my license I started to see some of the implications of what might happen.

I saw it very differently.

I got my Novice in 1967 at age 13, and I was amazed at how much griping there was - from grown-ups! - about having to take another test or two. I moved up to Advanced at age 14 and Extra at age 16. I was no prodigy in any way, just a motivated kid who wanted all privileges.

Quote[/b] ]Many never upgraded and were herded into band slices packed with QRM. Some nights it was difficult to operate. Many just gave up. Hamfests of the period 1969 through about 1973 were packed with gear as hams that had given up sold it off. Used equipment markets became flooded. As this happened, activity levels dropped, AM ops switched to SSB and QRM levels on HF became manageable.


I saw that differently too.

The congestion cited was on 'phone, not CW or RTTY. Any ham who really wanted to operate could switch modes.

A lot of the used gear sales I saw were driven by hams going to SSB or more-modern gear, and selling off the old stuff.

Then there were the sunspots. IIRC, 1968-69 was a peak, and then the spots disappeared as the cycle went around.

But the most interesting part was what happened to the number of US hams. From the end of WW2 to about 1964 the growth was 8-10% per year, as US hamdom grew from 60K to about 250K. Then in the '60s the growth stopped for about 5 years.

But once IL was in place, the growth started up again, and all through the '70s and '80s the number of US hams kept going up and up! Look at the numbers for 1970 and 1980.

Quote[/b] ]It is my opinion that the main reason for incentive licensing was a means to right the perceived wrongs of 1953 and force the use of SSB. The latter being accomplished by forcing Generals into very crowded band segments where the only alternatives were to either give up AM and switch to SSB in order to have a fighting chance at a Friday night QSO or upgrade and use the relatively QRM free bands of the Advanced and Extra classes.


Or maybe use CW, RTTY, or VHF/UHF. There's more to ham radio than 'phone.

One of the practices common back then, and repeatedly condemned in QST, was the use of HF 'phone on an open band for QSOs that could be done on VHF or a dead band. For example, you'd hear hams on 20 running high power to have a QSO across town - with the band wide open. They could have switched to 10 meters which was dead at the time, but no, 14.xxx was "their" frequency....

Quote[/b] ]My opinion is that it was not a technical skill situation as much as it was an economic one. Older Advanced and Extra class operators most likely had more dollars to spend as individuals than the demographically younger General class hams. The irony was that technical advances and manufacturing efficiencies collaborated to bring to the market very good and very affordable SSB gear. There was not much affordable and utilitarian gear available prior to about 1962 with Collins, and Johnson leading the way with rather high priced SSB equipment.

I saw lots of younger hams with Advanced and Extra licenses. But I do agree on the cost issue.

Quote[/b] ]The advent of the SBE-33, The Swan and Heath single banders and later the Swan 350, Heath 100 series all band units, the National and Hallicrafters units eased the way in. There were also low priced two and three band radios from WRL and Galaxy and the high quality lower priced alternative to Collins....Drake. these and other manufacturers brought the SSB mode into the realm of
most amateurs by 1970 when there was a good amount of used SSB gear around.


I think it happened a lot earlier - early 1960s. Look at the ultimate lowcost SSB rigs: the Heath singlebanders, costing only $100 or so and running ~100 W. They were early-1960s rigs. Lots of other examples.

Quote[/b] ]We also saw a slow down in equipment purchases for a time period long enough to hurt the major American manufacturers and a sizable decline in the average page count of some ham magazines, especially CQ from about 1971 - 1975.


I don't think it was IL as much as the economic times. The 1970s were the time of energy crises, oil embargoes, high interest rates, inflation and unemployment, etc. Remember WIN buttons, stagflation, gas lines, and some of the truly awful cars produced back then?

There was also the inrush of imports that displaced the older manufacturers.

Quote[/b] ]The largest negative impact of incentive licensing was probably the caste system that was set up in the Amateur Radio service.

I disagree.

In the old days it was Class A vs. B vs. C. Or Novices vs Techs vs. everybody else. Collins vs. Drake, phone vs. CW, SSB vs. AM, DX vs. traffic vs. ragchewing vs. contesting, tube vs. solidstate, homebrew vs. appliance, ad infinitum. Some folks will always look for a system of levels - it's the nature of the game.

Quote[/b] ]Since then we had increased privileges for General and Advanced licensees, Novice enhancement, the creation of the no code Technician license which in 1997 was cited by the ARRL as reason to change the licensing system once again which then led to the 5-WPM General and Extra. In the end we find ourselves in a for real no growth (actually a deflating) situation. If this is not irony.......

Don't forget that the 'phone subbands are much wider now than in the '60s, we have 30, 17 and 12 meters, the gear is less expensive (adjusted for inflation) and the license exams much more accessible.

I think the real problem is lack of publicity for ham radio.

73 de Jim, N2EY

[K3XR]

I suppose it makes for interesting conversation to look back to incentive licensing and pontificate on it's impact, however, it is, at this point, so much water over the dam.

I know of hams who quit the ARRL over it and others who took in stride. #In my case I had the opportunity to whine about it or upgrade, I chose the latter.

It's an interesting twist, that in a contemporary society that emphasis sameness and lack of achievement that some see incentive licensing as a type of "caste system". Not unusual when the underachievers in society resent the overachievers and seek excuses to explain their lack of motivation.

My choice would be the incentive route to move people to better themselves and increase their knowledge. #This is preferable to the liberal, socialists examples we see in our society today, such as, it's ok if little Johnny thinks that 2 plus 2 is 5 so long as he feels good about it. #We are not going to keep score in the kids ball game because it might offend one of the kids if he loses. #No, Johnny can't read his diploma, but we can't have him repeat the grade, it might stigmatize him. You get the picture and can likely add a few examples of your own.

[k5co]

Summers and the ARRL are full of beans. And the "incentive" in licensing is about like calling food stamps a reward for hard work. This is a give away that is on a par with the down grading of education. Lord knows we are seeing the results of that; I know college graduates that cannot spell their college 's name.
The ARRL thinks that it will have a lot of new (paying ) members if they can get as many people into Ham as are using CB, FRS etc. and they really don't care about diminished quality; they are in it for the big dollars.

[W0GI]

Quote[/b] (kc8vwm @ Dec. 23 2005,08:05)]Quote[/b] (W6NJ @ Dec. 23 2005,01:54)]You just don't seem to get it. #And you don't have to get it. #If the world is so full of jackasses, that have to be recruited, and ass-kissed to join this service, then let it die.

Well, I am not going to try to convince you. #Go away. #You have nothing to offer, other then your thoughts that Ham radio is something that we should justify. #I won't try to justify anything to you. You don't have a clue.

Do something else important, other then telling us that built radios, how boring this hobby is. #Maybe you can save Jack Gerritson??? #Another appliance operator.

Give me... Give me... Give me...

What a pile of BS.....

73 - W6NJ
You obviously have me confused with someone else.

You seem to have a nice broad brush to stroke everyone with though.

Happy Holidays.

--... ...--
-.. .
-.- -.-. ---.. ...- .-- --
Sorry Charles, maybe I miss read your intent.

What I don't understand, is why this hobby is compared to the internet and chat rooms?

If the only reason someone would be interested, is to talk on the radio, then the hobby is in trouble.

I got involved for electronics, building antennas, and trying new things. Talking on the radio, for me, is testing to see if some of my wacky projects work.

Again, I agree that there are a lot of inactive techs. But that is no suprise, if the reason they got into this, is because someone dazzled them with an HT and repeater system. Some folks don't care about the technical part, but this is a technical hobby.

If you aren't interested in RF and electronics, it will get boring real fast. Ham radio isn't for everyone, yet we always market ham radio like it was laundry soap.

To me, it is about how it works, and making it work.

Making it easier to get a ham license does increase the number of licenses, and does get some new folks really involved.

But in the end, there are lots of folks that have no interest in RF and electronics, and become inactive, when they get bored talking on the repeater. We got them involved by using the "toy" carrot.

I really don't see a decline in people that are really interested. What we have done and continue to do, is try to get people into the hobby by showing the "cool" stuff, and not introducing them to the technical stuff and learning aspect that lasts a lifetime, and makes it interesting.

Charles, have a great holiday season.

Bob - W6NJ

[W3MIV]

Quote[/b] (K3XR @ Dec. 23 2005,11:31)]It's an interesting twist, that in a contemporary society that emphasis sameness and lack of achievement that some see incentive licensing as a type of "caste system". Not unusual when the underachievers in society resent the overachievers and seek excuses to explain their lack of motivation.

My choice would be the incentive route to move people to better themselves and increase their knowledge. #This is preferable to the liberal, socialists examples we see in our society today, such as, it's ok if little Johnny thinks that 2 plus 2 is 5 so long as he feel good about it. #We are not going to keep score in the kids ball game because it might offend one of the kids if he loses. #No, Johnny can't read his diploma, but we can't have him repeat the grade, it might stigmatize him. You get the picture and can likely add a few examples of your own.
Hate to say it, but I agree.

I also believe that the fault for a lot more of the problems with amateur radio today lies with the FCC than with the ARRL.

[WA4RYW]

Quote[/b] (ai4me @ Dec. 23 2005,12:05)]Quote[/b] (K9MBL @ Dec. 23 2005,11:42)]There are a few statements made by Hams here and there that simply burn me up, and frankly, I'm tired of hearing/reading them!! #I am NOT a poor operator because I hold a Tech class license!! #I am NOT lazy because I hold a Tech class license!! #I am NOT against Morse Code because I hold a Tech class license!! #Or any combination of the above!
Mike,

# I agree with you. There is nothing wrong with being a Tech. Being a Tech in no way means your a poor operator, lazy or against Morse Code. There is so much to do in the Technician only segment of the spectrum that many people are content with it. It all boils down to where your area of intrest is. If people truly had an interest in HF, they would go for it like I did.

# I was suprised to learn that one of the best operators around my QTH was only a Tech! KW4USA is a very admirable and knowledgable operator. He is very adept at things like WinLink and APRS. He even gave an outstanding presentation on WinLink to the local club. An all around outstanding Ham, and yet only a Tech.


"Almost all of the new blood comes from the 11-meter pool. In fact, I haven’t met a new ham in the last 15 years that didn’t spend time either as a freebander, truck driver, or both. There’s your new novice class."

Whoever said this, they dont get out much or talk to the right people. Although some come from CB, not many are freebanders or 11 Meter Kilowatt Bandits. Most of those lawless kilowatt 11 meter operators ENJOY breaking the law and have no desire to become legal or switch to Ham. What sense does a 70kW mobile CB make??? If you ever question them about it, they threaten you. This is not a person who would become a Ham, or you would even want to become a Ham. If they show that little respect to the FCC rules, what would they do when it comes to Amateur Radio?

Now I do want to say that not all CB'ers are bad. The good ones tend to become Hams when they grow up ;)

It wasnt CB that brought me into Ham. It was GMRS. Either way, here I am.
“Almost all of the new blood comes from the 11-meter pool. In fact, I haven’t met a new ham in the last 15 years that didn’t spend time either as a freebander, truck driver, or both. There’s your new novice class."

I said it, and I stand by it.

Having said that, I DID NOT state that no-code was bad, that techs were bad, or that the new version of ham radio was bad (a little sad, yes). Just like all freebanders run 50 kilowatts and sneak into the 10-meter space, not so. My point was centered on the dying/dead institution that ham radio once was, and what a shame it is that people that have joined ham radio in the last 20 years will never experience it. I also suggested that the new novice class was indeed Citizens Band, and for a great many of those newcomers, it is. Not bad, not good, just the way it is. I never degraded anyone for who they were, what class they held, or where they came from. I NEVER said CBers were bad, but I am suggesting that we no longer see newcomers that are electrical engineers, scientists, or PhDs (we used to have a LOT of those).

I came from the Class D service originally, albeit before the 1973 Christmas boom, when it was QUITE a different service. The ’73 disaster was, in fact, my incentive to become a ham.

And by the way, GMRS is class C Citizens Band, unless its been restructured recently. The familiar 11-meter service is Class D.

[wa4gch]

And by the way, GMRS is class C Citizens Band, unless its been restructured recently. The familiar 11-meter service is Class D.

I think it was class "B"

[wa4gch]

I had remote control cars on class c ( 27 mhz )

[WA4RYW]

Quote[/b] (wa4gch @ Dec. 23 2005,13:52)]And by the way, GMRS is class C Citizens Band, unless its been restructured recently. The familiar 11-meter service is Class D.

I think it was class "B&quo