HamRadioNow: That ARRL Entry Level License Survey

I gotcha now. Not worried about irresponsible youngsters on the radio. I was classified as one myself once; Novice and General licensed at age 12 in 1966.

Amateur OTA "style" does change, evolve, over successive generations. Some of that is technology driven, ie, more modes to choose from (SSB, FM, digi), less need for rigourously controlled nets to pass NTS message traffic, DX Cluster / RBN and other internet integration.

In my youth I was part of a regional midwest OTA group that hung out on the then 75m phone band edge at 3803 khz. We were running SSB, which was still talked about as novel; about 50% OTA radiotlephone then still used AM with carrier modulation.

SSB rigs of that time introduced a feature called VOX. Us whippersnappers dared to use that, quite effectively, for a conversational free form of rapid turn over QSO, so called "fast break-in" style of round-table operation. A far cry from the traditional long winded monologue with station ID at each end.

This was met with great disdain from many "veteran" hams of that era. We would often get lectures either OTA or at club meetings regarding how it was not proper, even so far as to suggest the infrequent ID's were illegal (a rule clarification reinforced the "10 minute" standard)

Another interesting aspect was if you drilled down on these older gen complainers, what was really bugging them was not just how we operated, it was the predominant subject matter of our QSO's. Often they pertained to our real lives as young adults, ie, social life, and not just radio and electronics. This also was considered by many older hams then as being "taboo" or at least a gray area, and they desired to heavily censor such activity.

When that didn't work they and the ARRL turned to creating so called "Incentive Licensing", which was a huge debacle (like the current QUESTION POOL). That mistake re-aligned band edges to license classes, driving many out of ham radio entirely, and broke us up OTA to some degree. But it didn't succeed in repressing us totally, and most went on to lead very professional lives, often aided by their early ham radio experiences (like me) and are still active.

I read with interest the recent post on ARRL News about how the current gov't in Cuba has recently revised their amateur radio rules, which include a content warning, "... new Cuban regulations stipulate that communications with Amateur Radio stations in other countries be “in clear language” and limited to messages of a technical nature that do not justify the use of public telecommunications. Messages of a technical nature should refer to the exchange of information regarding experiences or experiments carried out during radio communications, and the coordination of schedules."

Reminded me of those good ole bygone days; and guess I still shouldn't ask my CO prefix friends OTA for recipe tips on Ropa Vieja ....

73 de John - WØPV

 

My four year is starting to read so if they make it even simpler I think he has a good shot of taking it and passing the exam. Someone loaned me a FTDX1200 and he was tuning it last night and asking me questions. I want him to catch the 6m bug like I have.

 

Yes, that is correct.

It seems to me it will only be a matter of time before the international agreement will change due to obsolescence. I have not read that information so, this might be wrong, years ago I seem to believe VHF did not require the code or technical prowess.

Already and has been for many years, the technical aspect is moot..... radios are plug in and talk, the FCC has made sure the radios will be compliant out of the box.

A good place for a new entry level would be on the 2 meter FM band.

 

Sounds good to me. I kind of like it the way it was when I got licensed. It was fun learning the stuff and then taking a class trip to the FCC in Kansas City. When you study with your peers in high school no one wants to make that trip back home after failing an exam. We had a lot of fun as a bunch of kids working on it together. Our teacher was great at helping us learn the stuff.

 

OOTers like you and me started out with the "mail order" ham licenses; then moved on to take the 50 question General Class (old element 3) written exam and 13 wpm code test before a FCC examiner at a district office. And it wasn't like the Q&A books for amateur licensing available today but from the ARRL License Manual which only covered a generalization of what might be asked on the written exam.

 

They cheat themselves.

Now enough people have cheated themselves that people think we should make it easier for them to do so.

 

Yup.

Still shudder if I think too hard about my mom driving me to the intimidating Federal Building in downtown St. Paul MN, then trekking up alone to the coldly ominous FCC office for the General exam.

The sender used for the Morse code exam was some bizarre punched-tape electro-mechanical "steam punk" black box that I swear SPED UP during the run! But I made it through first time.

Then had to sweat out the written that included remembering and drawing the SCHEMATIC (see previous post #1110 by W1YW)

Even then none of that material really mattered to being a good ham. It was just a gov't supported INITIATION HAZING!

That was then, this is now. Times change as should the objectives and methods for qualifying those that seek the privileges of the license. The current QUESTION POOL SIZE is even more bogus.

 

The question pool size is irrelevant to the people that learn the material. It is monumental to those the memorize the questions and answers.

Does the question pool need to be updated? possibly, but certainly not reduced to make it easier to memorize.

Memorization was not the intent, it is a loop hole. Those that can and do take advantage of the loop hole so be it and good for them. Those that don't there are plenty of resources available from books to tutors and even classes.

It is not the 1960's very few people do not carry the internet in their pockets these days, so it is a matter of choice study for a ham ticket or not.

It is a matter of desire not difficulty.

 

That was a really good post, enjoyed it a lot. I could read some more of that stuff.

My first CB experience was on a 10/11 meter radio in the 70's, I thought it was a regular CB and I was talking to truckers in Arizona on channel 19 thinking that was normal. I was in the UK at the time.

Anyway, this is off topic, but like I said I really enjoyed reading your post. Thanks for that.

73,

Andrew
AD5KO

 

Perhaps, and I have no problem with any testing that complies with the regulations, and ensures that applicants possess sufficient knowledge in the subject matter. However, under the current rules. It appears, a non-technical test, would not comply with current regulations.

Jim AB4D

 

You're very welcome Andrew, thanks for the kind reply.

Actually, IMO, your early 11 meter DX'ing experiences as a "G" were probably in many ways a better autodidactic operator skill exercise then the current Tech question pool provides to become a "W".

 

Today I actually have a radio room because of it, built last year, still not finished but getting there.

You should have seen my confusion when I realized the people I was talking to were in the USA. This is a good point about getting younger people into the hobby, the current sun spot cycle isn't helping us is it, DX was shockingly easy back then. For me it was DX that got me hooked, talking to people in another country, something I could not do on a telephone on my own. Perhaps we should be showing young people that aspect of the hobby, today most everything else we can do on a mobile phone but not that so easy. May be setting up schedules for DX demo's would work, not easy now but doable.

73.

 

Things were a simpler back in the 60s as far as amateur radio is concerned. "The New Frontier" (1961-63) "The Age of Camelot" (1963) and the "Great Society" (1965-1968) were the themes back than. The acceleration of the Vietnam War was forefront in the minds of the public during that time.

And in the 60s was the golden era of American made tube radios--Collins, Drake, Swan, Hallicrafters, Gonset, Clegg and Heathkit. Many hams got on the air with Heathkits--you built the radio on the metal chassis with the supplied electronic parts in the kit. You could repair a radio by replacing a defective tube back then. But today its all surface mount technology on boards; so when the multi-function radio goes south. It's a UPS shipment to the manufacturer for repair.

You got your start in amateur radio by obtaining your "mail order" Novice or Technician Class license back then. Novice ticket was good for one year; non-renewable. It was possible to simultaneously to hold a Novice and Technician License--both available by "mail order". Most of the Technician licensees that could not master the 13 wpm code test for the General Class remained there.

To pass the license exams; you needed a basic understanding of the material present since the ARRL License Manual only covered a generalization of the material that might be on the actual exam--not an exact Q&A format with today's study guides.

You might say the 60s was the "golden age" of U.S. amateur radio. Sunspots were up; good dx contacts were made on 15 and 10 meters with relatively simple radio set-ups. Many of the high schools had amateur radio clubs within, and these students received their first exposure to amateur radio communications. It was primarily an HF hobby back then, however; there was AM phone activity from 145-147 mc with local hams chatting with each other.

 

He don't forget the preppers too! They fall into the same category.
In this area we had a surge of them( just-in-case) too but I don't even know them because they never get on the air!
I order to become somewhat proficient , these "just-in-case" hams need to get on the air once and awhile don't you think? Sure they are welcomed but good luck trying to get them on the air.

 

OK. Onomatopoeia ?