Our license naming convention is Elitist and Unproductive For a long time I've struggled with the way we differentiate between the different license classes in Amateur Radio. In Australia, the three levels of license are Foundation, Standard and Advanced. Our naming conventions convey that more and more is gained as you progress though the ranks, but they also convey that you are incomplete if you're not at the top of the food chain with an Advanced, Extra or Full license. What if there was another way that would encourage participation, allow participation at their chosen level and offer a progression that made much more sense? Foundations of Amateur Radio is a weekly podcast about the 1000 hobbies that Amateur or Ham Radio represents. You can listen on-line by visiting the website athttp://podcasts.itmaze.com.au/foundations/, listen on-demand via iTunes, search for my call-sign, VK6FLAB, or listen on-air on local amateur repeaters across the globe. Onno VK6FLAB
Who's with me? I'm Onno VK6FLAB HO! HO! HO! Thanks Onno for the worst news story of the past century, maybe even go as far as to say since man first walked the planet. Perhaps I will stop laughing in fifty years time, gee I hope so I'll be dead. You are determined to find a way to upgrade your FOUNDATION licence hook or by crook by doing absolutely nothing. Now you want all the privileges and just reduce your operating power. Hang on I'm laughing and cant type. Everywhere I look there are shacks being operated with illegal power so how can I trust you not to be given it all then watch as you sneak up the power levels. Listen to some advise; You hold a respected Foundation Licence. Now you don't like its name or privileges so upgrade to a nicer sounding one by : (1) Going to a bookshop in town, online or in fact anywhere and start studying. (2) If that doesn't work enrol in a Ham College course, as there are fantastic tutors there. You seem to go quite regularly but never sit down and listen to anyone. I wonder why? (3) If this all fails get another hobby we are not the CB band. As an Australian Amateur Radio operator I'm just one of many that are saying "NO MORE HANDOUTS" You continue to try and change things to suit just one person YOU. Give it a rest.
VK6TY LEE I have been a licensed Amateur for 38 years. I guess this makes me an Old Timer. I got the Radio bug when I made my first crystal set at about 7 or 8. In those days you couldn't go down the road and buy one or the parts off the shelf. That said, it was an inquisitive desire to construct one. That was the beginning and that same fire still burns today. Over the years I have received much help along the way to achieve my goal as a Radio Amateur. In the spirit of AR I have done my best to help others to experience the hobby in the same way. I wanted my licence with a passion even though my technical knowledge was non existent in those days. This meant study and asking questions. I feel if you just want a licence and don't really know what to do with it, but just sit the exam anyway, why did you do it? I see the F call as a stepping stone to a higher level licence not an excuse to wait and hope it will be upgraded with more privileges and bands etc. If we applied the F call principle to a first year Medical intern who completed his first year and then pushed to become a brain surgeon without doing any more study, somehow I don't think that would go down very well. Life is about setting goals and trying to achieve them. We have the best hobby in the world let's not ruin it by pulling the standards down. Achievement is the spice of life. We see hundreds of F call licences issued but where are they on air? I think they know the knowledge they have to have to pass the exam is not sufficient to put themselves on the air, and if they do it's by using a hand held. Then they say "I can do all this with a mobile phone." If you want the F call to succeed increase the standard of the F call so at least people know what they are doing when they get a licence. I find all this talk about bullying very sad. It would appear it has only raised it S head since the F call came about. Over the years if we copped criticism or made a mistake we would suck it in and get on with enjoying the hobby. By the way I like N-Type connectors. If you want to know why, ask. If you put effort into this great hobby it will reward you. 73's Lee VK6TY
