On 19 Jan 2004 21:17:49 GMT, Alun wrote:

Harris wrote in news:cLXOb.5393
:

ARRL comes up with a new idea.

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

No code Techs get free upgrade to General.

Newbies get 100W on HF phone via 25 multiple-guess test.

CW (5 WPM) only required for Extra Class.

CW/data sub bands shrink.

Still too hard? Hey, just wait another year. They'll make it even easier.

Art Harris, N2AH
Extra Class since 1971


Sounds awful. Luckily, I think the FCC will just abolish Element 1, tidy up
a few loose ends, and leave it at that. Not a perfect licence system, but
better than the league's version.

That makes more sense to me, Alun - I don't see why the ARRL would
propose moving almost 400,000 people to a higher licence class just
because the ITU made morse code testing optional.

73, Leo