"Bill Sohl" wrote


They may be more realistic then we may think. How many actual
"homebrew" Novice or Tech rigs have you seen?


Realistic? Surreal-istic is more like it!

This is the same mantra sung by NCI's ex Executive Director,
W5YI, and his fingerprints are all over this thing. He has
stated publicly that he feels that since people
who acquire entry level ham tickets invariably purchase their
equipment assembled these days, and send them in for
repairs when broken, they no longer need to possess the
knowledge needed to build good "home-brew" stations, nor
the knowledge to determine if their repairs/adjustments result
in proper on-the-air signals. Because of this fact, he thinks that
the majority of questions regarding math and theory (knowledge
mainly needed to build/repair/adjust equipment) should
be removed from entry level tests, and simply replaced with
questions on operating technique and regulations. If he had
his way, math and theory questions would only be part of
Amateur Extra examinations.

While I can't remember the last "fully homebrew" shack I saw (probably KG6AIG
back in the 60's, and even Luis had *some* commercial test equipment items lying
about), it is extremely uncommon to find a shack where every item is commercial
(or in it's original commercial state.) Homebrewing and modification to
commercial designs is especially alive and well in the QRP, contesting,
satelite, and microwave communities.

The QCAO (Quarter Century Appliance Operators club) and ASSOOBA (Amalgamated
Simple Shacks On Our Belt Association) would love it, but this idea would put
our service on an immediate slide into nothing more than another consumer
orientated Family Radio Service, and the consequent abolishment of Amateur
Radio.

The *single* unique element which differentiates our service from all the other
radio services is our authority to experiment, build, modify, and generally
tinker around and operate equipment which is not type accepted. The "technical"
aspect of our hobby comprises 3 of the 5 reasons (paragraph 97.1) for the
existence of the ARS, and removal of this requirement for licensing would tear
the heart and soul out of the hobby.

If amateurs were to be licensed without any requirement for electronics
knowledge, then it follows that type acceptance of all amateur equipment would
be a requirement for sale. Used equipment, if sold to "no-Tech" amateurs would
need to be recertified and "mod-free", and repairs could only be accomplished by
FCC-approved service facilities. The cost of new equipment would rise to
commercial-service price levels, because of type-acceptance issues, and most
vendors would probably leave the market.

Sorry, but you guys are out to lunch with this cockeyed notion.

Code-Free, then Tech-Free .... what next, license free? CU on eleven, good
buddy.

73, de Hans, K0HB