(N2EY) wrote in news:c2356669.0401191008.a3c8376
@posting.google.com:

http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2004/01/19/1/?nc=1

Summary:

3 classes of license: Novice, General, Extra

The _only_ merit to that is that testing was free for Novices, so it would
reintroduce a free licence class. Provided the new class that happened to
be called Novice had Tech Plus privileges and they had to pass the current
Element 2 I would have no trouble with that


5 wpm code test retained for Extra only


Predictably, I do have a problem with that. Morse skill testing for voice
privileges is illogical and should be dumped. Moreover, it can be now,
since it has not been required by the ITU for the last six months.

Existing Advanceds get free upgrade to Extra,

OK

Techs
and Tech Pluses get free upgrade to General

Not OK in this scenario, given my comments above


'Phone image subbands for 80/40/15 widened slightly

Good. Some phone below 7100? No? Why not?


Old Novice subbands replaced by additional CW/data
and 'phone subbands on 80/40/15. Novices also get
privs on 6, 2, 222, and 440


See above

Novice power level set below that requiring RF exposure
evaluation


OK

Novice test to be 25 questions on "basics",

Not OK

General to be
derived from Tech and General, Extra pretty much as-is.


73 de Jim, N2EY

What do you actually think of this proposal yourself, Jim? You don't say
here.

73 de Alun, N3KIP