RadioBanter - View Single Post - Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse...

January 21st 04, 01:02 AM

On 20 Jan 2004 23:24:16 GMT, (Len Over 21) wrote:

In article , Leo
writes:

That's one way of looking at it, Jim. To me, it looks like a purely
political move - that is, trying to please the greatest number of
members...and voters...and customers...

400,000 upgraded licences = 400,000 happier ARRL members.
Drop code = some number of happy new HF - using members.
Keep code for Extra licence = a 'tip of the hat' to the 'Extra' class
members, to give them something to be happy about (although keeping
code testing as a requirement for a licence class that provides only
additional phone bandwidth as a perk is pretty odd, I'd say...but it
does make the Extra level licence harder to get - that's what
everybody wants, right?).

The problem is that the 15 old men of the BoD have just
disenfranchised themselves from over 200K Technician class
licensees who will now carry the wonderful class name of
"Novice."

The ARRL has less than 170K members now. The number of
existing Tech class licensees here is greater than that now.
Those aren't likely to become members to support a group that
thinks they are all "Novices."

NOT good PR to attract membership.

True enough - I'd sure hate to give up the title of "Technician" for
"Novice". People would think that I became a Nun....well, some
might....

-and- the big one:

New entry level licence with 100W on HF phone, plus simplified test =
a whole bunch of happy new potential ARRL members = lots more
potential members....and voters....and customers.....

"Customers" they already got. Membership is lagging.

ARRL is down to a measly $12 million annual budget (according
to the IRS forms).

All of these proposals are good news for the manufacturers of ham
equipment, and perhaps for us too - if demand is increased, production
will increase and prices of HF radios might do down!

...and Ten-Tec Orion software might finally be completed...:-)

LOL!

Plus, each one of the above members that got something additional
added to their privileges if this proposal is accepted would have the
ARRL to thank for it. In theory, anyway.

Considering that, following the ITU decision to make code optional
most of the world is moving towards removing the mandatory Morse Code
requirement outright, there isn't much else that they could do without
looking like defenders the status quo, and annoying even more of their
members....and denying them the rights being granted to their fellow
amateur radio neighbours in the rest of the world.

They could have changed the Tech class name to something
they must be thinking of...like "Scum of Radio" or "Not Real
Ham" class.

When the BoD met, they must have arrived with their baggage
intact. Emotional baggage.

Like, for instance, those just north of you have proposed to do - and
that's likely to happen fairly soon, I expect.

I hope that powers-that-be in Canada are with those of us in this
millennium, not the fantasyland of olden days as in the League.

The system up here is different. We are not structured in "classes"
like the US model, per se. There are (at present) two licence
classifications - Basic and Advanced - and a 5 wpm Morse Code
endorsement. Each licence gives the user operating priviliges in line
with their technical knowledge.

"Basic" allows full access to all frequencies above 30 MHz - add the
Morse endorsement, and they have full access to all of the amateur
radio spectrum, including the US Extra subbands

O ) . There are
reasonable output power limits, all transmitting equipment must be
commercially built specifically for the Amateur service (no kits), and
they are not allowed to sponsor or act as control operator of a club
repeater. (and a few others).

Pass the "Advanced" test, and these restrictions are removed. You are
assumed to have proven that you have the technical knowledge required
to operate high power equipment safely, or construct (and understand)
your own transmitters, etc. In theory, anyway.

It is possible to hold an Advanced licence without Morse Code - they
are not linked in any way. Because of this, there isn't nearly as
much of the "I'm better than you" mentality here - an Advanced without
code has less operating spectrum than a Basic with code, but he may
only be interested in operating the local club 2-meter repeater -
different goals, different licence. Different attitude.

Our ARRL equivalent, the Radio Amateurs of Canada, has proposed to
retire code completely, and increase the level of knowledge
demonstrated on tests to improve the quality of folks entering the
hobby. An additional level has been proposed - "Intermediate", which
would be the first level allowed HF access here. Testing for this
level would eventually be geared towards specific knowledge required
to operate on HF. I'm not a fan of this one - I'd prefer that if Code
is to be dropped, then drop it and allow those without the Code
endorsement full access to HF. Makes more sense than trying to create
an artificial middle licence - HF really isn't difficult enough to use
to warrant it, I'd say. I figured it out

What will happen is anyone's guess - but there is no rigid class
structure here, and most of the hams that I have spoken to feel that
there won't be any mandatory Morse here for much longer either...that
is just as emotional an issue here as in the US, BTW - but only an
emotional one, all the same. The world is changing, and we have to
keep up!

LHA / WMD

73, Leo