ARRL Proposal to Give Technicians More Operating Privileges

NO, NO, HELL NO!!! Everyone seems to want something for nothing. I passed 5 written test and 3 code tests and gained a lot of knowledge in the process. They can earn their privileges the same as I did.

 

Let's just drop the technician license all together? Maybe in five or ten years we can similiarly just drop the general and have one universal license? Does it really matter what class license anyone holds these days. How about two classes of operators? Those that are vintage pre-no-code and those post no-code with all the band allocations being divided right down the center. 50% cw only allocation for the first half of every band and the top 50% all other modes.
Everybody is allowed on the top halves and the CW ops get exclusive use of the lower half. Now nobody is better than anybody else and if someone doesn't like it they can still have INCENTIVE to learn CW and can chase the DX on the lower half of the bands. EZPeazy k.i.s.s.
Two classes of licenses,,,, the no code ham license and the incentive based license with CW endorsement.

 

RM-11828 provides no proof its methods will increase participation in amateur radio or promote upgrades.
Neither does it present data for growth trends. Growth is steadily upward, and Extra upgrade growth is also good.

RM-11828 does not grant 10 meter privileges to Techs that they are qualified for: FM, AM, repeaters, and satellites.
This should be changed to give parity with Tech's existing privileges, granting nearly 2 MHz more HF spectrum for Techs.
It will provide the opportunity for Techs to experiment, advance their skills, and interact with higher class amateurs in a variety of modes, to be mentored. Local contacts are possible, but some modes allow long distance. Construction of simple transmitters is possible on 10 meters. Antennas are not so large for 10 meters as other HF bands.
Some Techs know more about satellites than a lot of Extras.
RM-11828 does not include this important benefit of full 10 meter access. It should be revised for a number of reasons.

The current Technician can be obtained after a one weekend course.
My son passed at age 10. Average kid. So did several others in the class our club provided.
The General exam is not a burdensome barrier to upgrading to HF privileges either.
My son passed at age 11, with 13 WPM code.

Both Tech and General are 35 question tests, with similar size question pools.
The question pools cover material unique to each class.
Maybe people are being told to prepare for the wrong test.

Study the correct material. pass the correct test, as incentive licensing already provides.

HF antennas are difficult to install for apartment or condo dwellers, or those with restrictive HOAs.
Solve the real problem instead of tampering with the licensing structure.
The FCC rejected similar proposals, and still favors incentive licensing as a policy.

 

I think some of you are jealous that CW is no longer required. But expertise in getting a spark gap transmitter to work is also no longer of use.

Ham radio will never be like it was 'in the old days' because most of that is just like 'the good old days' for how everything was 'in the past'. Its just all a daydream that never really existed.

If I live long enough to see ham radio operators on Mars, or the Earth's moon, there will be people claiming 'they didn't take the test I did ! They aren't hams !' even though they took and passed the test they were given.

And no, I did not find the 3 tests I took to be easy. I took calcluls at university, I had better luck with that. Thankfully I have forgotten calculus.

 

Actually, I have friends who build spark gap transmitters, for display in a museum. It might be a useful skill if you needed to contact civilization, if you did not have a radio or parts to build one.
And yes, I like CW. But I like FT8, SSB and AM too. I want to try out freeDV soon.
But I supported the move away from sink or swim code testing when those changes went in.
I think they could have retained 5 WPM for Extra.

Ham radio today is BETTER than it was in the "good old days" except the sunspots are not like the legendary cycle around 1958.
Ham radio is what you make of it.
If you put nothing in, you don't get much back.
Writing some code (or at least understanding how it works) is more useful than the Calculus these days.
Kids know a degree in computer science will open a lot more doors than RF engineering, unless its a specialty in millimeter wave technology.
In order to "make" something, a "maker" has to know the basics, by studying the material, and getting the experience.

 

I'm a little tired of people acting like this on EVERY divisive subject in amateur radio. Everyone has an opinion on the matter, and the ZED gives an opportunity to state their case. This one is a little over the top, with pictures and videos and "I write for.....so clearly my opinion matters more". But that's par for the course. People stand on a soap box and say "This is what I want", end of discussion. The world does not work that way...at least not the mature, adult world I live in.

State your case, have a discussion, then come up with a COMPROMISE. The Stones said it best: "You Can't Always Get What You Want, but if you try some time, you just might find, you get what you need". Everyone wants to piss and moan about what they want, but nobody is willing to discuss the issue and come up with a compromise, a way to make both sides happy and give them what they need.

My thought was to give Techs phone privileges on a small portion of the bands with QRP power.

Do the Techs get something for nothing? Yes. But I'd remind you that in 2003 we all got 60m "for nothing", and more recently 630m and 2200m, also "for nothing". I didn't hear any belly aching from Tech operators when they didn't get anything....did you?

What about the knowledge gap? The long-term solution is to change the Tech question pool to contain information about HF Phone operation. By taking parts of the General exam and moving them to the Tech question pool, won't that make the entry level exam a little harder? Won't it also create room for more technical questions on the General and Extra tests? Viola....it's harder to get your entry-level license.

How do Techs learn how to operate HF phone. Great question, and I'm glad you asked. This could be a gold mine for the ARRL, W5YI, and all publishers of radio information. Their will be an increase in sales on radios, antennas, tuners, etc....supply and demand would suggest the price of equipment will drop. Everyone complaining that equipment is too expensive and the ARRL dues are too high....well, it's a step in the right direction at lowering costs.

Your local club might get a few new members looking to join to learn HF by doing, on a club station or with a club member. There will certainly be a few who will want to build their own gear. They will need help building a station, putting up antennas, etc. Complaining that all the old hams are dying off and the younger hams aren't getting involved? There's an opportunity to reverse the trend. Get to work.

Why CW always enters into this conversation is beyond the limits of my medication, but since it always does, let's roll with it. Realistically, how likely is it that a Tech would purchase a rig to use a mode they do not know? A Tech would likely drop over $1,000 just to see if he liked CW, or could even learn it for that matter. It takes a great deal of time and effort. That's not a gamble I would take. Give the Tech voice privileges and many will take the plunge. And here's the kicker....since he's limited to QRP on Phone, many will likely slide on down to the CW portion where they can use more power and get more miles per watt. There's the incentive to learn CW. So, the "No Code Tech" garbage can be a thing of the past, and we solve the "All the CW operators are dying off" problem.

And finally, the whole "There will be no incentive to upgrade" complaint. With QRP power on HF, Techs will be able to make voice contacts, and if conditions are just right, they might even work some DX. Some will love it and upgrade to General in order to use more power, get into contests and have more bandwidth, while others will not enjoy it and go back to the other interests they were pursuing in amateur radio. But, the incentive is there if the interest is there.

Is this solution perfect? Probably not. Does everyone get everything they want. Certainly not....that's what makes it a compromise. But it does address a lot of the problems that people on the Zed constantly whine about. Instead of flaming me, let's hear your solution.

 

It wasn't just the ARRL that started on this slippery slope that we have got ourselves into,,,, well maybe not? I am unsure?
The way I see it the slip down the slope all started with multiple choice questions.... SHEESH!
Even the CW portion became multiple choice! MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS AND THE VE PROGRAM SPOILED AMATEUR RADIO! AND WTF?
PUBLICATION OF THE QUESTION POOLS!?!?!? How did that happen?
Remember publication of the question pools used to be illegal as was revealing the subjects of the test pools questions and what was contained on your test after exiting a test session? Didn't they actually develop rulemaking to prevent exit interviews of test participants?
DAMN YOU DICK BASH!
DICK BASH IS THE GUY WHO STARTED US DOWN THIS SLIPPERY SLOPE! DICK BASH RUINED HAM RADIO! DICK BASH BASTARDIZED THE WHOLE TEST SYSTEM. The VE program is the result... with it's public question pool and this allowed for commercialization and exploitation by various "radio school" pay for play guaranteed test sessions to pop up everywhere! This brought the non-technical tickets to everyone, literally insuring the xyls , boaters , rv'ers, off roaders and all the other cb'r, freebander , bootlegger and rouque radio pirate station operators would be welcomed aboard with only investing a weekend of time and the tuition to essentially purchased the ticket at the end of the session! This is when about ??? Mid 80's ??? That was when you first noticed the lids and the stoopidifying of ham radio! Don't tell me things didn't change and a whole dumber less RF saavi and complete change of protocol and informal uninformed operator style, swiftly took over after the great novice enhancement program and swiftly slipped downhill with techplus debacle? Maybe it is ARRL to blame? We did have terminally technician class operators and the class served well. MAYBE
WE don't need tech class license anymore . There is a active GMRS community And MURS service along with FRS.
What happened to the pre no code novices anyways? There are still many novices that are licensed no? Do they operate CW or what? Do no code techs have CW hf privledge? Do no code extras have CW privledge?
SHeesh ham radio is not the privledged hobby of the elite like it really should be,,,, for sure....
What happened to practice of the radio arts and contribution to the technical advancement of radio and electronics state of the art? Didn't ham radio once be the leader in radio experimentation and adaption of new technique . Did not most radio modes in fact begin within the ham community?

 

I think I have a good solution for the Techs that want more band privileges, now think about this, to some this might seem unreasonable but we are in the 21st century. How about let the Techs take a 35 question exam so as to upgrade to a General class, I know that is kinda far out there, but it works and has worked for many years.

 

The word here is Incentive, Think of each classification as a time to soak in what you have learned in order to get your ticket, then when you have gained more experience for the classification you are in and are ready to move on to the next level of advancement , it will make it easier for you to pass the test for the next level and so on. The tests are not difficult if you really want to advance.

Here is something to think about as a Tech licence holder is any one going to answer your CQ on the traditional General or Extra band portion?

 

I appreciate your posting this thread. I hope my comments were tempered.
I am not a diehard CW person, I like it, but you don't have to. Again, I supported the no code testing change.

Speaking of compromise:
RM-11759 had a hidden Tech enhancement. 80 & 15 data. No 40 meter data or voice. That had a small chance of succeeding.

RM-11828 escalates Tech expansion beyond the tolerance of many. Its provisions include:
55% of the total General HF VOICE allocations.
50% of the 80 meter General VOICE allocation.
60% of the General VOICE allocation on 40 meters.
Substantial portions of the useable IARU Region 1 & 3 40 meter DATA AND VOICE allocation to Tech DATA.
IARU region 1 & 3 only has 200 KHz for both DATA and VOICE, some of it secondary.
At night, the upper 100 KHz of 40 meters has foreign broadcast interference with only a few open channels for existing Generals.
The 40 meter DATA and VOICE is not a good idea.
The 80 meter VOICE could allow some emcomm Techs to participate in NVIS HF traffic nets.
ANY Tech DATA on HF should be limited to non ACDS modes, and certainly not allow them to become a control op of an ACDS store and forward email system.
For these reasons, people should make their comments on RM-11828.
https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/search/filings?proceedings_name=RM-11828&sort=date_disseminated,DESC
Click on + Express in the left hand box, and a form pops up. Fill it out, and type your comment in the box.
It takes about 10 minutes.

 

No tech has ever asked for more.

It is 2019.

It will pass.

Move ahead not back.

73

QRP steve

 

Have you Techs given any thoughts that if you are given more HF band space, I mean given more of the HF portions of the Bands that has been earned by the General and Extra class, that when you call CQ, CQ, CQ, anyone will answer your call? Just a thought.

Oh just in case you are wondering what I mean by earned, well I mean the ones that have studied and passed the General, and Extra Exams.

When you pass these exams it tell every one you know most of the in's and out's , how to conduct your self and know at least a little about what this hobby is about, all of the technical points, radio operation, antenna, propagation, circuit boards, experimenting. It is much deeper than picking up a mic and start jabbering. We take pride and we are honored that we can belong to a group of AMATEUR RADIO OPERATORS . We have a good thing going and some of use want to preserve what we now have.

Please If you wan't more band privileges, take the time and study, and there are plenty of Elmer's out there would be more than glad to help you along.

 

Where ever did you get the idea that the VE system designed the public question pool concept?

All the various VEC's were told how to operate their testing by the FCC and public question pools were required.

You do know that the VE's don't actually create the element question pool, don't you?

that is a function of a select NCVEC group.

 

I want to make sure this statement is clear to me and others. Are you suggesting that, out of spite, Techs won't be answered or acknowledged?

 

One thing I would like to see changed, and I know this will cause outrage, if not a riot...
With the amount of commercially built ham gear now, it is not required to build your own anything. There are a lot of people that would like to simply operate, and not build, fix, or modify their commercially purchased equipment. Many of these people are also excellent operators. I personally think there should be an "operator" exam for all amateur bands, where you can only use factory built equipment, NO home brew anything, NO repairing or modifying of any equipment. from the factory, and strictly just operate the commercially produced equipment. That's it, That's all.
Then also have a separate class of licence for people that want to "play around" with electronics. They will have a separate class of license that will allow them to "home brew" equipment, modify equipment, repair radios, etc.
Basically;
Operator: commercially produced equipment, and don't even open the covers.
Tech: build it, fix it, modify it.
I know a whole lot of people that have the amateur privilege of building, fixing, and repairing, that have absolutely no idea what they're doing, and going beyond the regulations of bandwidth, emissions, causing a danger to themselves and others, etc. and that's okay, because they passed the test?
Technology is changing. Commercially produced equipment is abundant, and affordable. Why should we remain with our antiquated regulations, that yes, at one point were practical, and necessary, but now are obsolete?
It's time we got away from the "Old Boys" club, and adapt to the advances of modern technology.