ARRL Proposal to Give Technicians More Operating Privileges

That's one.

Here's another:

It used to be that if you wanted HF 'phone privileges - ANY HF 'phone privileges - you needed at least a General license. And what you got with a General wasn't all that much - it took an Advanced to get most, and an Extra to get all HF 'phone privileges.

And the Technician used the same written test as the General - only the code was different.

Over time, those requirements were changed. Technicians and Novices got some 10 meter 'phone....then the Technician written became a subset of the General written - then medical waivers for 13 and 20 wpm code - then 5 wpm code for all classes - then the Advanced and Extra writtens were merged.....

Some folks see that trend and want it stopped.

 

So, keeping Technician privileges below 25 MHz as CW only maintains the ability of the service to advance in the communication and technical skills? Enhances international goodwill? Even when large numbers of international operators are not required to know Morse code? Keeping the status quo enhances the ability of the service to contribute to emergency communications?

The FCC in 1951 agreed that to obtain an Amateur Extra license meant needing to demonstrate the ability to send Morse code at 20 WPM by hand and receive it by ear. 50 years later the FCC agreed such testing was no longer necessary. The FCC makes adjustments to Amateur radio privileges and testing every few years. We can't make assumptions on what the FCC agrees with today based on past opinions.

 

You can argue whatever points you like. The bottom line is that the FCC is against changes such as those proposed, and has rejected them many times. Most recently, was the relatively tiny TMRA petition in 2012/2013.

I agree with FCC. If you don't like their position, make sure to explain that to them in your comments to the petition.

 

INCORRECT assumption on your part.

The FCC didn't make any changes to satisfy people that wanted "stuff" for free.

The FCC changed in order to comply with the WARC 03 changes in the ITU regulations

 

I just checked my watch and it's not 2013 any more. Also, the TMRA petition was basically two pages saying, "Gee golly, it sure would be nice if..." They did no real analysis of the impact it would have on Amateur radio, did little to gauge the opinion of how this would be met by the community, and just generally didn't make much of an effort to make an argument. Again, it was 2013, just a half dozen years from the ending of the Morse code testing. The FCC was still trying to figure out the impact this change would have on Amateur radio. This impact is clearer now.

How can you agree with the FCC before they've even given their opinion on this petition.

 

Plenty of people disagree with that assessment. I recall plenty of comments submitted to the FCC when the Morse code testing requirement was up for debate that the only reason people wanted the Morse code testing to go away was to get a "free" upgrade without having to work for it.

The WARC-03 change made Morse code testing optional, it did not mandate it's removal. Keeping the Morse code testing requirement in place would have been in compliance with those changes, something that was brought up often in the debate.

The FCC decided that it's previous opinions on needing a 20 WPM, or even a 5 WPM, Morse code testing requirement did not apply. We cannot take their opinions from the past and project that on a future decision.

The ARRL did their homework on this. The surveys they conducted was not of Technician license holders asking if they wanted "stuff" for free. The people surveyed had a majority of Extra license holders, and a majority of the balance holding a General license. Few people with a Technician license responded to the survey and so this petition is not people begging for a hand out. This petition is a plea from experienced licensed Amateurs for expanded Technician privileges because they see newcomers to the service not getting the introduction to Amateur radio that they were promised. Privileges that they were tested upon, on bands they were tested upon, and at power levels that they were tested upon.

I can't say that this is a "slam dunk" petition like the Morse code testing removal was. The FCC is not as clear on this. They have made it clear that they have no concern on Amateur radio operators demonstrating skill in Morse code. They have also made it clear that they do not wish to disturb the incentive licensing structure.

I don't know if the FCC sees this petition as disturbing the incentive to upgrade, or as a new foothold for future Amateurs to upgrade like the ARRL does. I do believe the FCC is looking for an excuse to dispose of the CW only sub-bands for Technician. Just how long did everyone expect the FCC to keep these CW only sub-bands for Technician after the very clear dismissal that Morse code operations in any way advances the basis and purpose of the Amateur Radio Service?

 

That was part of ARRL's argument back in 2005, too. "Things have changed since..."

It didn't work then, either.

You and ARRL and a bunch of other people are missing FCC's entire point, and since the failed arguments continue, so do the failed petitions.

Their current standing opinion is well documented.

Again, you're arguing with me about FCC's point. You're wasting your time. Argue with them if you don't like my position, because I got it from them.

 

I'm not having this debate to convince you of anything. That might sound like a waste of time to you but I see it as a means to better craft my own argument. I'm trying to figure out where people see the future of Amateur radio. What concerns me most is that there seems to be no consideration of the future, only the opinion that in the present there's a gaggle of licensed Amateurs that didn't "earn" their privileges because they didn't take the exact same testing as they did decades ago.

You can claim that the FCC is opposed to any changes in Amateur radio licensing but what I saw in the well documented opinion from the FCC is little concern for protecting Morse code and CW operation. How much longer does anyone expect the current Technician privileges below 25 MHz to remain CW only? Or, more generally, how long can we expect the FCC to keep privileges for all license classes as it is currently? One answer I got was that the status quo will remain until the FCC gets a "better" petition than this one. That I can agree with, only that I see nothing really wrong with this petition. We can see this petition become part of the FCC rules, and then later have something "better" come along to change it again.

 

800 posts when all ya gotta do is memorize 35 questions.

 

Your comment assumes that this petition is a bunch of Technician license holders begging for more privileges. It is not.

Again...
How much longer does everyone expect the current Technician privileges below 25 MHz to remain CW only?
Or, more generally, how long can we expect the FCC to keep privileges for all license classes as it is currently?

 

Then maybe you should stop quoting me.

Yes, full stop. They have repeatedly challenged ARRL, et al, to present evidence to them that they are wrong, and to date, nobody has taken up the challenge.

Indefinitely.

Indefinitely.

No, it will continue until somebody submits a petition that has the evidence FCC seeks to justify the changes requested.

Then again, you aren't the regulator. They have repeatedly said it is an unjustified idea. And it's their judgment that matters.

 

That works both ways, you know that don't you?

 

As AC0GT says " Lighten up, it's just a hobby "

 

I just spoke to a young Ham today, an excellent operator, N0JSD, he wanted to be a Ham and studied hard to pass his test.

 

I know many Techs who don't upgrade because they only want VHF & UHF for their use with the red cross or other emergency communications. Then there are others who do have an interest in operating on HF and advancing so they study and upgrade but all have the option to progress right up to extra if they wish to, if they don't that is their choice.