ARRL Proposes New Entry Level License Class w/ HF

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Pestilence76 @ Jan. 23 2004,23:02)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">......However, I do not feel I am qualified to be "grandfathered" into the existing General class license. Current licensees should have to take the standard written test to upgrade to their new privileges without the code requirement.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Technician licensees have not been tested on hf rules and procedures. Grandfathering without such testing of knowledge would be a big mistake, regardless of the code/ no code debate.

 

Been waiting for this a long time.
My dad a gen. class for 50+ years would love to be able to talk to me on HF. In my military days i had to pass 13wpm code being in a signal company. never used it and have now forgot enough to not pass 5 wpm. I understand how the code is a concern to some but my dad nor myself have ever had a need to use code.
Do save the code freqs. for those who use and like it.

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (k6bbc @ Jan. 24 2004,00:38)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Thank you for your comments Gen. Turgidson.

Well, boys, I reckon this is it - nuclear combat toe to toe with the Roosskies....

or...

Mandrake, do you recall what Clemenceau once said about war? He said war was too important to be left to the generals. When he said that, 50 years ago, he might have been right. But today, war is too important to be left to politicians. They have neither the time, the training, nor the inclination for strategic thought. I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids.

K6BBC[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">
Thank you for your comments Gen. Turgidson.

Well, boys, I reckon this is it - nuclear combat toe to toe with the Roosskies....

or...

Mandrake, do you recall what Clemenceau once said about war? He said war was too important to be left to the generals. When he said that, 50 years ago, he might have been right. But today, war is too important to be left to politicians. They have neither the time, the training, nor the inclination for strategic thought. I can no longer sit back and allow Communist infiltration, Communist indoctrination, Communist subversion and the international Communist conspiracy to sap and impurify all of our precious bodily fluids.

K6BBC
[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>

Actually, General Turgidson would be more akin to Wolfowitz or Perle, and Gen. Ripper here can just be any generic Republican.

Do you have anything constructive to add to my comments or are you just going to play Rush Limbaugh and pop some more pills?

I could have added that in 2001, the Bush misAdministration tore up *EVERY* nuclear arms treaty we ever signed. sure makes ya sleep better at night, huh?

If you feel the Department of Defense's own test data is in error, you can make a lot of money explaining how though...Maybe you can enlighten us?

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (k6acj @ Jan. 24 2004,00:49)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Over the years, it has been obvious the ARRL has never mentioned the privileges the general class license holders from the 1950s and early 1960s lost to license
restructuring. Is that because there is nothing to gain with this group of amateurs, perhaps the silent majority? Why not afford us the same attention as the novice and technician classes and grandfather us up to Advanced Class or Extra class, after all, not only did we once qualify for full privileges but had to pass the technical test and 13 WPM CW within the ONE year life span of our Novice ticket, not FIVE years plus renewals later!

Grandfather “The middle group of licensees--Technician, Tech Plus” to General and HF is absurd, we have a bunch of guys in our emergency group ® and they cannot even program their single mode single band walkie talkies for simplex operation! How then, can they be expected to operate across crowded HF bands with competence; tune antennas, debug RFI, and properly adjust transmitter ALC?? So I guess we can expect even more SSB splatter across the bands, Oh my god, will these Licensees have access to LEAN E ER amplifiers too? Move over SSB, CW is going to get more popular!

Bill Prats
K6ACJ (Original call licensed 1957)[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Agreed, it isn't fair to the restr of the Amateur community to grandfather any existing class into a higher class.

You and I both worked hard to pass those tests.

What we have here is yet another case of the "Me Generation" saing "ME! ME! ME!" wanting something for nothing.

At least the hippies had moral values.

 

I don't agree that the new proposal by the ARRL is a good thing.  I think that their proposal is motivated only by a desire to sell more memberships.  It all boils down to bucks, for ham radio organizations and for equipment manufacturers. Over the last 27 years as a Ham, I have seen our hobby "dumbed down", and have had dealings with new hams that have NO earthly idea of what it means to be a part of the Amateur Radio FRATERNITY.  Don't believe me?  Compare the tests of today with the tests of 20 years ago, or 30 years ago, or even 10 years ago.   Here is my sarcastic take on our current "tests":

Since ARRL, and, it seems a number of amateurs, want to "dumb down" our hobby, which I have been a part of since 1976, here is the NEW TEST for just ONE class of license!  Here goes:

Hint:  Disregard A, B and D.  You may use your calculator, laptop computer or phone-a-friend.

1)  What is a simplex frequency on the 2m band?
    (a)  Megaphone
    (b)  14.210
    ©  146.520
    (d)  www.arrl.org

2)  What is the formula for a dipole antenna?
    (a)  Visa Card+Nearest Ham Radio Store+Phone Call
    (b)  Moonraker Beam on my tower
    ©  468/Freq in Mhz
    (d)  None of the above. (What is a dipole)?

3)  What band is 7.253mhz located on?
    (a)  HF
    (b)  One of the knobs on my radio, I think.
    ©  40m
    (d)  Bon Jovi

4)  If a fuse blows on a power supply, you should:
    (a)  Immediately call a repair shop.
    (b)  Replace fuse with a nail.
    ©  Unplug from AC outlet and troubleshoot.
    (d)  Replace fuse with one that is 100ohms stronger.

Ya know, that is MUCH too hard.  Why don't we just get together with a large retail chain store, and offer Amateur Radio Licenses in the electronics department?  We could sell them like phone cards, with temporary callsigns, that would expire in a week, or a month!  That way, the equipment manufacturers could make a boatload of money, the ARRL could get about a gazillion more memberships, and the cost and expense for giving exams would be zilch!  That way, the VE program could be disbanded!  No more buddies "giving away" tests, and, more importantly, no more disappointed guys and gals walking away with just a piece of paper, being FORCED to wait on the FCC to process their paperwork!  OR, why not just let us use our Social Security Number instead of that pesky callsign?  That way, when we buy our license card at the store, no more being FORCED to wait on the FCC!   New applicants would not have to undergo the cruel and unusual punishment of actually PROVING that they demonstrate a knowledge of the rules & regs, have an elementary knowledge of electronics theory, and, could hopefully keep their equipment in good working order and within the band limits.  How insensitive to want new hams actually TESTED on these things!  Well, how about it folks?  Think I am over reacting?  Look what has happened in the LAST 25 years...I don't think that it will EXIST in the NEXT 25 years.  

"GoodBye, Ham Radio.  It sure was fun while you existed.  May your memory rest in peace".

 

One way to get No Code Techs into HF would be to allow them to have 10 meter FM repeater privileges (29.62 & 29.68). Then I could work the W1OJ repeater (near Boston) from here in Atlanta.

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (KF4EON @ Jan. 24 2004,03:23)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">One way to get No Code Techs into HF would be to allow them to have 10 meter FM repeater privileges (29.62 & 29.68). Then I could work the W1OJ repeater (near Boston) from here in Atlanta.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Nah, when band conditions are good, it's bad enough trying to explain to longtime hams that they have to wait for EVERYTHING to key up before replying on the repeater frequencies. the 29.620 frequency you cite is one of the worst for this problem too...gives me a headache just listening to them sometimes...

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (N1YZ @ Jan. 20 2004,04:58)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">ZCZC AG03
QST de W1AW  
ARRL Bulletin 3  ARLB003
From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington CT  January 20, 2004
To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB003
ARLB003 ARRL to Propose New Entry-Level License, Code-Free HF Access

The ARRL will ask the FCC to create a new entry-level Amateur Radio
license that would include HF phone privileges without requiring a
Morse code test. The League also will propose consolidating all
current licensees into three classes, retaining the Element 1 Morse
requirement--now 5 WPM-only for the highest class. The ARRL Board of
Directors overwhelmingly approved the plan January 16 during its
Annual Meeting in Windsor, Connecticut. The proposals--developed by
the ARRL Executive Committee following a Board instruction last
July--are in response to changes made in Article 25 of the
international Radio Regulations at World Radiocommunication
Conference 2003 (WRC-03). They would continue a process of
streamlining the amateur licensing structure that the FCC began more
than five years ago but left unfinished in the Amateur Service
license restructuring Report and Order (WT 98-143) that went into
effect April 15, 2000.

''Change in the Amateur Radio Service in the US, especially license
requirements and even more so when Morse is involved, has always
been emotional,'' said ARRL First Vice President Joel Harrison, W5ZN,
in presenting the Executive Committee's recommendations. ''In fact,
without a doubt, Morse is Amateur Radio's 'religious debate.'''

The entry-level license class--being called ''Novice'' for now--would
require a 25-question written exam. It would offer limited HF
CW/data and phone/image privileges on 80, 40, 15 and 10 meters as
well as VHF and UHF privileges on 6 and 2 meters and on 222-225 and
430-450 MHz. Power output would be restricted to 100 W on 80, 40,
and 15 meters and to 50 W on 10 meters and up.

''The Board sought to achieve balance in giving new Novice licensees
the opportunity to sample a wider range of Amateur Radio activity
than is available to current Technicians while retaining a
motivation to upgrade,'' said ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ. Under the
ARRL plan, current Novice licensees--now the smallest and least
active group of radio amateurs--would be grandfathered to the new
entry-level class without further testing.

The middle group of licensees--Technician, Tech Plus (Technician
with Element 1 credit) and General--would be merged into a new
General license that also would not require a Morse examination.
Current Technician and Tech Plus license holders automatically would
gain current General class privileges without additional testing.
The current Element 3 General examination would remain in place for
new applicants.

The Board indicated that it saw no compelling reason to change the
Amateur Extra class license requirements. The ARRL plan calls on the
FCC to combine the current Advanced and Amateur Extra class
licensees into Amateur Extra, because the technical level of the
exams passed by these licensees is very similar. New applicants for
Extra would have to pass a 5 WPM Morse code examination, but the
written exam would stay the same. Sumner said the Board felt that
the highest level of accomplishment should include basic Morse
capability. Current Novice, Tech Plus and General licensees would
receive lifetime 5 WPM Morse credit.

''This structure provides a true entry-level license with HF
privileges to promote growth in the Amateur Service,'' Harrison said.

Among other advantages, Sumner said the plan would allow new Novices
to participate in HF SSB emergency nets on 75 and 40 meters as well
as on the top 100 kHz of 15 meters. The new license also could get
another name, Sumner said. ''We're trying to recapture the magic of
the old Novice license, but in a manner that's appropriate for the
21st century.''

The overall proposed ARRL license restructuring plan would more
smoothly integrate HF spectrum privileges across the three license
classes and would incorporate the ''Novice refarming'' plan the League
put forth nearly two years ago in a Petition for Rule Making
(RM-10413). The FCC has not yet acted on the ARRL plan, which would
alter current HF subbands.

The ARRL license restructuring design calls for no changes in
privileges for Extra and General class licensees on 160, 60, 30, 20,
17 or 12 meters. Novice licensees would have no access to those
bands.

See ''ARRL to Propose New Entry-Level License, Code-Free HF Access''
on the ARRL Web site, www.arrl.org/news/stories/2004/01/19/1/, for
the specific subband allocations ARRL is proposing for each class.
NNNNARRL News[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Enough alreay.
Perhaps the ARRL, which should consider me to be a former member, ought to simply ask the FCC to issue call signs at birth, along with a SSN, rather than wait until one is old enough to manage a checkbook on their own so they can pay their ARRL dues.
"Recapture the magic" of the novice license? Through another giveaway? I twice held novice licenses, as a 14 year old in the early '60s I was KN3YVT and again in the late 80's as KA3PDR. There certainly was magic at each time - listening to the dx in the extra class allocations and aspiring to someday work it - by earning it.
This hobby isn't for everyone - indeed, it's a privelige, not a right and not everyone should have access to it. I am primarily a cw op and can indeed at least recognize my own call at contest speeds, but that was due to practicing cw, a great part of our heritage.
In short, there is a point at which giveaways can go too far and with this proposal, you, who used to represent me at the ARRL, have reached it.
Perhaps another orginazation could be formed to represent those of us who truly care about this HOBBY instead of apparent sensitivities to anothers percieved rights?!
Very Sincerely,
Bob Hartman
KA3B ex KN3YVT ex KA3PDR ex K3YVT

 

I fully agree with the ARRL’s proposal. Have you checked the novice bands lately? They are practically deserted. People are not motivated to use them. We need a stimulus in the Ham Radio, and I think this the formulae that will help to promote this hobby. I am an avid CW operator and whether they do away with it or not, I will still work CW. To have or not to have CW is not the issue. To promote this hobby is. I recommend the new license be call Apprentice.

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (w7fho @ Jan. 24 2004,04:15)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I fully agree with the ARRL’s proposal. Have you checked the novice bands lately? They are practically deserted. People are not motivated to use them. We need a stimulus in the Ham Radio, and I think this the formulae that will help to promote this hobby. I am an avid CW operator and whether they do away with it or not, I will still work CW. To have or not to have CW is not the issue. To promote this hobby is. I recommend the new license be call Apprentice.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
The problem isn't the testing...we have been here and done that...why do you think the FCC humored the ARRL in Y2K and restructured the testing to be the easiest in history?

Testing isn't the problem.

The problem is with the freaking Nazis, Klan, and extremist right wing militia types that roam the bands... They *REALLY* turn people off.

 

If they can help get this passed I'll be joining the league as a Life Member!

I'd like to take the time to say cheers to the hams who have helped me learn what I do know and to those who will continue teaching. I plan to pass it all on to the younger hams I meet in the future.

To all the grumps who never teach, only complain about the fall of ham radio and pick over everything on hamfest tables mumbling "I had one of those once and they really suck!" Thanks for showing me what I don't want ham radio to be like! You actually do teach see!

K4RJJ Ronny

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (k0qi @ Jan. 24 2004,03:09)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I don't agree that the new proposal by the ARRL is a good thing.  I think that their proposal is motivated only by a desire to sell more memberships.  It all boils down to bucks, for ham radio organizations and for equipment manufacturers. Over the last 27 years as a Ham, I have seen our hobby "dumbed down", and have had dealings with new hams that have NO earthly idea of what it means to be a part of the Amateur Radio FRATERNITY.  Don't believe me?  Compare the tests of today with the tests of 20 years ago, or 30 years ago, or even 10 years ago.   Here is my sarcastic take on our current "tests":

Since ARRL, and, it seems a number of amateurs, want to "dumb down" our hobby, which I have been a part of since 1976, here is the NEW TEST for just ONE class of license!  Here goes:

Hint:  Disregard A, B and D.  You may use your calculator, laptop computer or phone-a-friend.

1)  What is a simplex frequency on the 2m band?
    (a)  Megaphone
    (b)  14.210
    ©  146.520
    (d)  www.arrl.org

2)  What is the formula for a dipole antenna?
    (a)  Visa Card+Nearest Ham Radio Store+Phone Call
    (b)  Moonraker Beam on my tower
    ©  468/Freq in Mhz
    (d)  None of the above. (What is a dipole)?

3)  What band is 7.253mhz located on?
    (a)  HF
    (b)  One of the knobs on my radio, I think.
    ©  40m
    (d)  Bon Jovi

4)  If a fuse blows on a power supply, you should:
    (a)  Immediately call a repair shop.
    (b)  Replace fuse with a nail.
    ©  Unplug from AC outlet and troubleshoot.
    (d)  Replace fuse with one that is 100ohms stronger.

Ya know, that is MUCH too hard.  Why don't we just get together with a large retail chain store, and offer Amateur Radio Licenses in the electronics department?  We could sell them like phone cards, with temporary callsigns, that would expire in a week, or a month!  That way, the equipment manufacturers could make a boatload of money, the ARRL could get about a gazillion more memberships, and the cost and expense for giving exams would be zilch!  That way, the VE program could be disbanded!  No more buddies "giving away" tests, and, more importantly, no more disappointed guys and gals walking away with just a piece of paper, being FORCED to wait on the FCC to process their paperwork!  OR, why not just let us use our Social Security Number instead of that pesky callsign?  That way, when we buy our license card at the store, no more being FORCED to wait on the FCC!   New applicants would not have to undergo the cruel and unusual punishment of actually PROVING that they demonstrate a knowledge of the rules & regs, have an elementary knowledge of electronics theory, and, could hopefully keep their equipment in good working order and within the band limits.  How insensitive to want new hams actually TESTED on these things!  Well, how about it folks?  Think I am over reacting?  Look what has happened in the LAST 25 years...I don't think that it will EXIST in the NEXT 25 years.  

"GoodBye, Ham Radio.  It sure was fun while you existed.  May your memory rest in peace".[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
You think all of USA is chomping at the bit to get a freebie ham tickett? you and all the other self proclaimed know-it alls do the hobby the most harm . You could set-up your booth at the mall and give out free license , maybe ...just maybe 1 out of millions of people might be interested in your FRATERNITY. If this is the character of of ham radio ...its easy to see why the arrl is trying to give away license. Yes ole mighty great smart ham radio gods I am just a stupid tech, that has takin a dumb easy test. Now i feel I need to hurry and up-grade my tech.no code dumb tickett before I get up-graded to a general. Because all these sour hateful old farts will call me a " something for nothin" dumb arse that shouldnt be on there FRATERNITY . My father was 100% right , most posters on here are the bad in the hobby . I come on here to learn and check out the views of fellow hams . What I find is hateful people that think HAM rADIO license future is on CNN everynight . Those that act so smart and show so much hate towards incoming newbies to the hobby , are poor charcters in everyday life and are missing the whole purpose.

I enjoy talkinging to my father on 2 meter every day while I am in my mobile working ..he lives in florida I am in Augusta , GA . Are you smart enough to figure that out ? OH Ya ..we have FUN doing it. He is a extra class and enjoys 2 meter ...go figure that one out eh? you might try to enjoy it some day .

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (N1YZ @ Jan. 20 2004,04:58)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">ZCZC AG03
QST de W1AW
ARRL Bulletin 3 ARLB003
From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT January 20, 2004
To all radio amateurs

SB QST ARL ARLB003
ARLB003 ARRL to Propose New Entry-Level License, Code-Free HF Access

The ARRL will ask the FCC to create a new entry-level Amateur Radio
license that would include HF phone privileges without requiring a
Morse code test. The League also will propose consolidating all
current licensees into three classes, retaining the Element 1 Morse
requirement--now 5 WPM-only for the highest class. The ARRL Board of
Directors overwhelmingly approved the plan January 16 during its
Annual Meeting in Windsor, Connecticut. The proposals--developed by
the ARRL Executive Committee following a Board instruction last
July--are in response to changes made in Article 25 of the
international Radio Regulations at World Radiocommunication
Conference 2003 (WRC-03). They would continue a process of
streamlining the amateur licensing structure that the FCC began more
than five years ago but left unfinished in the Amateur Service
license restructuring Report and Order (WT 98-143) that went into
effect April 15, 2000.

''Change in the Amateur Radio Service in the US, especially license
requirements and even more so when Morse is involved, has always
been emotional,'' said ARRL First Vice President Joel Harrison, W5ZN,
in presenting the Executive Committee's recommendations. ''In fact,
without a doubt, Morse is Amateur Radio's 'religious debate.'''

The entry-level license class--being called ''Novice'' for now--would
require a 25-question written exam. It would offer limited HF
CW/data and phone/image privileges on 80, 40, 15 and 10 meters as
well as VHF and UHF privileges on 6 and 2 meters and on 222-225 and
430-450 MHz. Power output would be restricted to 100 W on 80, 40,
and 15 meters and to 50 W on 10 meters and up.

''The Board sought to achieve balance in giving new Novice licensees
the opportunity to sample a wider range of Amateur Radio activity
than is available to current Technicians while retaining a
motivation to upgrade,'' said ARRL CEO David Sumner, K1ZZ. Under the
ARRL plan, current Novice licensees--now the smallest and least
active group of radio amateurs--would be grandfathered to the new
entry-level class without further testing.

The middle group of licensees--Technician, Tech Plus (Technician
with Element 1 credit) and General--would be merged into a new
General license that also would not require a Morse examination.
Current Technician and Tech Plus license holders automatically would
gain current General class privileges without additional testing.
The current Element 3 General examination would remain in place for
new applicants.

The Board indicated that it saw no compelling reason to change the
Amateur Extra class license requirements. The ARRL plan calls on the
FCC to combine the current Advanced and Amateur Extra class
licensees into Amateur Extra, because the technical level of the
exams passed by these licensees is very similar. New applicants for
Extra would have to pass a 5 WPM Morse code examination, but the
written exam would stay the same. Sumner said the Board felt that
the highest level of accomplishment should include basic Morse
capability. Current Novice, Tech Plus and General licensees would
receive lifetime 5 WPM Morse credit.

''This structure provides a true entry-level license with HF
privileges to promote growth in the Amateur Service,'' Harrison said.

Among other advantages, Sumner said the plan would allow new Novices
to participate in HF SSB emergency nets on 75 and 40 meters as well
as on the top 100 kHz of 15 meters. The new license also could get
another name, Sumner said. ''We're trying to recapture the magic of
the old Novice license, but in a manner that's appropriate for the
21st century.''

The overall proposed ARRL license restructuring plan would more
smoothly integrate HF spectrum privileges across the three license
classes and would incorporate the ''Novice refarming'' plan the League
put forth nearly two years ago in a Petition for Rule Making
(RM-10413). The FCC has not yet acted on the ARRL plan, which would
alter current HF subbands.

The ARRL license restructuring design calls for no changes in
privileges for Extra and General class licensees on 160, 60, 30, 20,
17 or 12 meters. Novice licensees would have no access to those
bands.

See ''ARRL to Propose New Entry-Level License, Code-Free HF Access''
on the ARRL Web site, www.arrl.org/news/stories/2004/01/19/1/, for
the specific subband allocations ARRL is proposing for each class.
NNNNARRL News[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
I thank the ARRL people have completely lost their mind. I was a member for mant years but droped out because of these type of proposels. They may as well give a license to any one that wants one just by asking for it. I do not believe in giving Novice Class all the HF Freo. with out doing something to earn them. Thie is all about MONEY from the big companies to sell Radioes NOthing More. Bob WB4FI

 

Best idea I have heard for many years concerning amateur radio.It's time to do away with the old CW requirements and realize that this IS the 21st century.

 

I think that this proposal is a day late and a dollar short as far as it concerns the code, and on top of that it trys to give away an entry level licence. Just about anyone can pass the Tech theory, but they want to make it easier.

Here's an alternative. Scrap Element 1 and give all the Novices and Techs all Tech Plus privileges. Merge the General, Advanced and Extra together. You could call the new licences Basic and Advanced - sounds a bit like the Canadian system, eh?

And for the record, I am a 20wpm Extra.

73 de Alun, N3KIP