In article , ospam
(Larry Roll K3LT) writes:

In article ,
(N2EY) writes:

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

Summary:

3 classes of license: Novice, General, Extra

5 wpm code test retained for Extra only

Existing Advanceds get free upgrade to Extra, Techs
and Tech Pluses get free upgrade to General

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

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

Novice power level set below that requiring RF exposure
evaluation

Novice test to be 25 questions on "basics", General to be
derived from Tech and General, Extra pretty much as-is.


73 de Jim, N2EY

Jim:

This new ARRL Proposal is pretty much what I would expect to come out of
Newington these days.

Except it didn't come out of Newington - it's the result of the BoD's vote. And
the BoD are from all over the country, elected by the members.

And that doesn't mean that I won't support it.

I support parts of it.

However,
I don't see the FCC as being favorably disposed toward adding a new license
class to the ARS licensing structure.

Just a name change. They'd reopen Novice to new issues and close off Tech to
new issues so there would still be only three levels avaialble for new issues.

A better idea would have been to
simply
incorporate the "New Novice" HF phone privileges with the current
Technician-class license, keeping General and Extra as they are in the new
proposal.

Maybe they'll do just that.

I don't see why the Extra-class code test requirement needs to be set at the
current 5 WPM level.

It's a bone throne to those who support code testing. And if you look at the
comments to the various proposals submitted to FCC, those folks are in the
majority.

A 12-wpm code test would be a better idea, and anyone
interested enough in achieving Extra could go from nothing to that level in a
matter of weeks.

Of course.

However, since Extra is already dumbed-down to 5 WPM, I
guess there's no putting the toothpaste back in the tube.

Worth a try, though.

73 de Jim, N2EY