ARRL Proposal to Give Technicians More Operating Privileges

For a long time, ARRL membership has declined. They stopped representing its members and focused on the money. SHAME ON THEM. I think this nothing more than a "Look at Me" drive to increase initial membership and get more hams. However, once they see the ARRL doesn't really represent them, they'll quit, repeat cycle.... If ARRL really wants to improve things, scrap all of upper management, enact term limits (if they don't already have them) and go back to representing the ham operator, this includes NTS & ARES.... not that joke insult they recently came out with. Seriously? What were you thinking? They had to pass a resolution recognizing functions that have been around for more than 25 years? I know we all feel better about ARRL & ham radio now that they wasted that time trying to look good.

 

Why weren't we crying when the original Technician class was meant to encourage development on the bands above 50 MHz, in exchange for an easier CW requirement? I thought this "incentive licensing" was supposed to grow the hobby. Now it seems because it's raining outside, (Technician class holders are "unhappy") suddenly we wanna reverse the poles. If you look at amateur radio growth in the period between 1968 and 1978 compared to the growth between 2000 and 2010 .... growth exploded in the millennium. So how big does the explosion have to be? Hobby not growing fast enough for you? Sheesh!

 

Maybe it's the elitist Generals and Extras that won't give the "newbies" so much as the time of day, let alone actually TALK to them on ANY band!!!

 

How much further do you plan to aid the downslide of Ham Radio?

 

I'm not a ham (yet) so maybe I'm spitballing.
Allow the Techs voice privileges on an unused/underused portion(s) of the HF band, just say about a 250 kHz segment or so, with a power limit of say 50 watts, that way, they can still work digital modes and local voice DX, those portions open to Techs ONLY, so they don't have to worry about hearing the "figure it out yourself, like I had to" Generals and Extras...

 

Every HF band will have 40 channels?

 

If the powers that be grant techs some limited slots on the other HF bands, it's no big deal. We are at the bottom of the solar cycle so there will be limited impact for several years. As propagation begins to fill out, the tech HF slots will become full and techs will either upgrade to more open ranges or stay there and it will become the CB of HF on each band. They will wallow in their own mud or move up.

Main thing is the bands stay utilized to the extent of the regulations.

 

What would be wrong with one license covering all bands? Too simple?

 

No. I cut the cable in 1995 and sold my TV and VCR in 1997.

Nope. I work too hard for my money to give it away to the native Americans, mafia, or amalgamation thereof. I don't buy lottery tickets, either.

 

That has started already on 60 meters.

 

No "maybe" about it. You're spitballing.

 

If we don't get new hams on the air, soon there will be no one to talk to.

 

Since when is it our job to get new hams on the air?

 

For what it is worth here is my take on it! When I took my Technicians exam I already had it in my mind to go for my General and Extra as soon as I could. The reason is I wanted those frequencies and bands so I studied and learned what I needed to make sure that I passed my exams. While I did not have to have code to pass any exam I am working on that as well. So keep that in mind when you are saying that you need to give more to the Technician class. You are only giving the wrong idea when you give this away. I wanted it from the start and for that very reason I studied and worked to learn what I needed to gain those bands I did it in 5 month periods of time and I now hold my Extra Class License and I have my VE accreditation with both the ARRL and W4VEC and have been in exam sessions from the first of the year. I have wanted my license from back in my childhood and I worked to get it. To me part of the fun of it was the knowledge it takes to advance and the reward for learning and all the hard work is I get those Extra class bands I put the time and work in to get. Leave it alone and if the person taking that Technicians exam is serious and a real Amateur Operator they will want to advance to gain more bands and abilities to do more and different modes.