In article , Mike Coslo writes:
Bill Sohl wrote:
I'll have to find that paper and read it.
http://www.qsl.net/al7fs/NCVECplan.doc
I think it is pretty important to read it, Bill. It is a very
interesting piece.
One of the emost interesting parts is that while the NCVEC claims it is
not "official" policy, the name of the doc is NCVECplan.doc.
ARRL cannot possibly "represent all radio amateurs" either, yet
they've said so for years.
and:
"First, who is this committee, this “Gang of Four”? Who are these
people,
and who elected them as “God”? They are the NCVEC “Rules Committee”.
This group of 4 persons consists of: Fred Maia, W5YI, John Johnstone,
W3BE, Scott Neustatder, W4WW, and myself, Jim Wiley, KL7CC.
So this isn't official, but it comes from the committee, it's namedwhat
it is. But they tell us it isn't...................
So...write them directly or, better yet, go comment on their
Proposal before the FCC. Let the world know how you feel.
Just one of the reasons that a few of us are kind of uneasy about the thing.
Yes, I'm sure you FEW are very disturbed.
Ask your doctor about a Xanax prescription. Very cheap and
good for those that get emotionally disturbed.
It takes a few gratuitous potshots at those who believe in the Morse
Code test, as well as a patricularly bizzare dig at homebrewers.
Tsk, tsk, tsk. ALL of them are 20 WPM code-tested Amateur
Extras.
It proposes HF access after taking a 20 question quiz that is passable
by an "average" 6th grader.
There is NO age restriction in US amateur radio. Sixth graders are
12 years old. The youngest hams were only 6 years old.
It proposes the applicant sign a statement that they have read and
understood part 97 - This is a hoot! I envision a "click here" like we
get when we install software and the terms of use screen pops up. And we
all read all of those, don't we? 8^)
You don't like to know and understand the LAW?
That sounds very lawless, Xena...
It wants to take out "some of the math" two or more of the theory
questions because "we aren't making engineers - yet"
Ah so, you think anything more complicated than Ohm's Law
is "rocket science?!?"
It offers some questions like:
"What do you think is better for our hobby – lots of enthusiastic
newcomers, or an ever-declining number of increasingly older hams?"
Let's see, that sounds an awful lot like a "Have you quit beating your
wife?" sort of question.
Well, if you are "married" to your hobby, I'm sure you would be
insulted one way or the other by allowing others to intrude on
your very private domain.
"Morse will probably retain most of it’s exclusive band segments, at
least for now. We are not addressing this issue at this time. This
may change in the future."
I give them half a point for being half honest - whoops, maybe only a
quarter point for being only half right! Just how many "exclusive band
segments" are there for Morse? Which is telling me that as soon as they
have their way with getting the qualifications reduced for HF access,
they will be going after getting the narrowband segments opened up for
SSB. and if that isn't what they mean to do, why would they put that in
the piece?
Have your ears and eyes checked again. There are NO black
helicopters of conspirators waiting to attack old, cherished values.
Their proposal to "slide" the bands down to take over the Novice
segments and give the upper part of the bands to the "communicators"
isn't removing anything from the data bands is it?
You tell us, mighty keeper of the private domain that only belongs
to old-values, anal retentive long-timers.
Finally, in one of the most strange bits of reasoning I have ever seen:
"All existing Techs will be upgraded to General. Assuming that the
Morse requirement is removed first, our opinion is that most of the
Techs will take (and hopefully pass) the element 3 exam as soon as
they can, thus becoming General class licensees."
They are telling us that the existing technicians will study for, test
for, and pay for something that they will get even if they flunk the
test, or not take it in the first place!!!!!!!!
Someone who make a statement like this has no place throwing out the
gratuitous insults they make towards those who believe that the Morse
tests should be retained. It is plain stupid, can't sugar coat that one!
Tsk, tsk, tsk...how dare those 20 WPM code-tested Extras
insult all you Extra-Lites, right?
Some things I wonder about:
Is a person who is granted HF access on a 20 question very simple test
that the hypothetical average 6th grader going to be all that worried
about staying within the allotment given him or here? My guess is that
they will not be too worried about straying outside their allocations.
It happens already with generals in the Extra segments.
Have you been in another universe for a decade? In HERE, there
was a MIGHTY HUE & CRY about age restrictions proposed by
someone in 1999! CAN'T HAVE THAT!!!! cried the multitude!
If a 6-year-old can pass an Extra exam, they are QUALIFIED!
That's been said by the multitude in here, too. :-)
Will they be amenable to OO's? some will, and some probably won't. It
won't take too many to make a mess.
Your tinnitus must be very bad today, hearing all those black helos.
If I were to hazard a guess, I suspect if a plan like this is adopted,
there will be a rush of people getting the lowest level license. They
will be on HF, and won't feel much reason to upgrade. They will very
likely spread out from thier allotted segment of band, and talk where
they like.
How dare they?!?!?
And not even "approved" by the long-timer morsemen!
"You know, fresh ideas, new blood, people that can actually see their
radios without having to put It pon (sic) glasses – what a concept!"
Sometimes fresh ideas are not what we may want them to be!
Of course not. Old, aged, long-time-in-the-bottle vintage
morsemen can't possibly accept that!
Why do they go on so about conspiracies?
Tsk, tsk, you've named at least TWO such. :-)
With a few notable exceptions, I think that those of us who wish to see
Morse CW testing continued DO care very much about our great hobby. I
take exception to the apparent belief on some NCTA's that we do not.
NCTAs understand that you, as a PCTA, want a Living Museum of
the Airwaves to Preserve and Protect morsemanship forever and ever.
If this isn't NCVEC opinion, they should get it off the title and quit
referring to it so much. This is like the person that says "not to
interrupt you as they interrupt you. If it isn't the NCVEC, then don't
talk about the NCVEC. But it is.
For many more years ARRL has said it "represents ALL radio
amateurs" yet they obviously do NOT.
Last I looked there were 14 Volunteer Examiner Coordinators in the
USA. Four does NOT equal 14, does it?
I apologize for using mathematics too complicated for you...
What's with the gratuitous potshots? Want to turn people off?
159-year-old morse code hasn't "turned on" many new folks... :-)
Nobody in any VEC is required to kiss up to some long-timers who
think they own amateur radio and can use their squatters rights to
tell all they "know what is good for ham radio."
Start
accusing us of seeing black helicopters or needing "It pon glasses" as
if it is something bad to wear them (maybe we're genetically inferior?)
Let's see...YOU just accused THEM of "conspiracies." :-)
Or even better, infer that the only people who care about Ham Radio are
those who want the code test removed.
Oh, my, how COULD they, those heinous 20 WPM code-tested Extras?
This is a bold step, to improve something by radically simplifying the
requirements for admission. I haven't seen it work yet, but perhaps
there is something different here?
Oh? You do NOT believe amateur radio has ALREADY been "dumbed
down?"
Why don't you go argue with Broose, the "Extra-Lite CB-plusser?"
LHA