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December 29th 03, 12:08 AM

(N2EY) wrote in message ...
In article ,
(Brian) writes:

(Steve Robeson K4CAP) wrote in message
...
Subject: Why You Don't Like The ARRL
From: (Brian)
Date: 12/26/03 3:01 PM Central Standard Time
Message-id:

How many amateur radio services do we really need? How many do you
really want?

One radio service with a TIERED license structure, Brain.

It is a "TIRED" radio structure.

Not at all!

It's a "tried and true" license structure.

When "incentive licensing" was re-established in 1968, there were about 250,000
US hams. Today there are about 680,000.

But CW testing was implemented to limit the number of amateurs, not
grow the number. How much higher do you think it would have grown to
if ...

If you want Merit Badges, join the
BSA (or CAP).

License class is not a merit badge.

Not even when you puff out your chest and declare, "I'm a 20wpm
Extra!"

There is no need to have class distinctions between
hams artificially created by the FCC.

License class is not about class distinctions.

Are you positively sure abaout that?

It's about qualification for
privileges. In order to have full privileges, the knowledge to pass the Extra
is required. Same for the other classes. More knowledge, more privileges.

Is that like when the General licence holder had all priveleges?

And when the Tech (General written w/o 13wpm Code) had VHF only.

This doesn't mean an Extra knows everyhting there is to know about amateur
radio because they passed the tests. It just means that said Extra has
demonstrated the *minimum* knowledge required for full privileges.

Then tell Steve about self-training. Even in the scheme of incentive
licensing, the lowest and the highest licensed individuals still have
a lot to learn.

Allow the ham to distinguish
himself or herself, based upon actual achievements.

Such as?

Cop McDonald - SSTV.

Obviously you do not concur with the FCC's "Basis and Purpose" of the
Amateur Radio Service, espeically those that establish the service as one
of "self-training".

I do.

Then why didn't you train yourself on practical antennas for HF?

Oh, I have. What I haven't done is train myself on EVERY practical
antenna for HF, especially those antennas applicable to low visual
impact in a restricted neighborhood, and cannot (or rather shouldn't
be placed against) a house sheathed in aluminum siding. So I looked
outside my personal breadth of knowledge for something new, and ran
into you and Brian Kelly. What a pair.

Some would call that self-training, seeking information and knowledge
outside ones own experience.

-Espeically- "self-training." Obviously you believe that once
you obtain the "Amateur Extra" license that all learning must stop.
There is nothing more to be learned!

Nope, not at all. All it means to have passed the Extra is that said Extra has
demonstrated the *minimum* knowledge required for full privileges.

You and Steve have a lot in common - being wrong.

For Steve's assertion to be true, there would have to be a license
class above Amateur Extra, and when a person achieved that, to fufill
Steve's vision "self-training" there would have to be another level
above that. And so on.

I.E., a merit badge system.

You couldn't be more wrong. Again.

A "single license" concept does not support that premise, Brain.

It does. Unless you believe that once you obtain Amateur Extra that
all learning stops because ther is nothing new to be learned.

See above.

See below your see above.

A tiered one does.

No more than a one license ARS.

Depends on the license.

Amateur License.

Was that too difficult for you?

Trying hard to keep your position at the top of the hill is sooo
transparent.

Allow the ham to show the world his real achievements, not some
government supported and forced Merit Badge system of false
achievements.

Such as what? Number of antennas not erected? Number of details forgotten about
an alleged DX operation?

Again you try to make this personal. I've built HF and VHF antennas,
some from a box, some from a reel of wire and bamboo poles. And I've
operated on HF from Nebraska, ROK, Guam, Illinois, Somalia, Florida,
and Ohio, in that order.

Just don't be so jealous. You could have operated from all those
places, too, if you have been in the service with all the other
blessings that that entails.

Besides, I don't see your name behind "Invented SSTV."

So, what mode, what l/o circuit, or even soldering technique has your
name on it?

How many JOTA stations have you hosted?

How many intro-license classes have you hosted?

How many VE sessions have you hosted?

Certainly you've done something other than DX and belittle you fellow
hams.

Not all hams will distinguish themselves - you certainly haven't. So
let them just be hams, like 99% of all the other Extra class
licensees.

You want one class of license, fine. Here's how to do it:

First, put aside the code test issue and concentrate on the writtens.

No. Bury the code test.

Second, close off the Tech and General to new issues.

What? No learners permit?

Third, combine the existing Tech, General and Extra question pools into one
large question pool. Eliminate any questions that are specific to the Tech or
General license classes because they won't be issued new any more.

Such as operating priveleges?

Fourth, a single new 120 question written exam would be generated from the
combined question pool. All new hams would have to pass this test to become
hams. All would get "Amateur Class" licenses with all privileges.

Just leave out "Class" and call it "Amateur License."

Fifth, all existing hams would have their license terms automatically extended
to 10 years beyond the date on which the new rules took effect. No renewals.

Sixth, all existing hams would have to retest using the new "Amateur Class"
test within the next 10 years or leave the air.

You could even ask to have the pools FOUO, and/or increase the size to
12,000 questions. Just make the subject matter relavent.

At the end of 10 years we'd all have the same license class and all have passed
the same test to get it.

Why not?

Why not, Indeed?

Deal.

You run it up the flag and I'll support it, perhaps with Han's caveat
of a non-renewable learner's permit, limited by power and scope, but
not mode.