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January 25th 04, 03:04 PM

"N2EY" wrote in message
...
In article ,

(Brian Kelly) writes:

(N2EY) wrote in message
...
In article ,

(Brian Kelly) writes:

order" crappola. Call 'em "Tech IIs", call 'em anything which doesn't
infer that a 30 year Novice is just a newbie getting his feet wet in
ham radio.

Asinine.

Yep, that's what arguing over the name really is.

As long as they don't tag you as a "Novice"eh? . . the word outta HQ
is that they're gonna change it anyway so we'll see what they come up
with.

Basic/Limited/Full
C/B/A

Tyros/Middles/Knowitalls

whatever.

All Advanced (currently about 82,000) would get a free pass to

Extra.

Another very bad idea.

WHY??

Because if they want the privs, let 'em take the tests.

Heck, any Advanced who wants an Extra need only take Element 4.
Is it *really* that hard? Heck, the old Extra was earned by an 8 year
old
in 3rd grade. Obviously a bright kid, but c'mon - how hard can the test
really be?

Has nothing to do with it. The point of the propsal is to simplify the
license structure, the testing process and the record keeping.

The structure for new hams is already simplified - Tech/General/Extra.

So changing to Novice, General, Extra shouldn't be a big deal
for the FCC.

The testing process is already simplified - Tech/General/Extra.

Ditto my last.

The record keeping is trivial - one field in the database. N/T/P/G/A/E

It's not just record keeping, it is also maintaining a dual
set of rules and regulations that apply to those
"grandfathered" licennses such as Novice and Advanced today...
or are you suggesting they lose their unique privileges (i.e.
be effectively downgraded)?

It's a needless pushup to combine the classes.

In your opinion.

There
are little to no differences in the levels of difficulty between the
Extra and Advanced writtens and they both cover the same general
material in the same depth.

Then any Advanced who wants an Extra should have no trouble passing the
test.

Both have passed at least 5 wpm code
tests. All of which has clearly rendered the Advanced redundant today
so it should be done away with if we expect any significant
streamlining of the regs.

Coupla lines in the regs say what an Advanced can do and what element
credits
an Advanced gets. Your streamlining would eliminate maybe two paragraphs.

The other side or rules is enforcement. That is likly the more important
issue to the FCC (IMHO).

If it takes a one-shot giveaway to clean up
the mess fine, do it.

How about free Generals for all Techs?

That is what ARRL is proposing.

(SNIP)

Cheers,
Bill K2UNK