Subject: License Fees --- a poll
From: Jack Twilley
Date: 8/11/2004 12:28 PM Central Standard Time
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"K0HB" =3D=3D groupk0hb writes:

[... the poll ...]

K0HB So let's take a poll:

K0HB Q1: If it cost $250 (plus testing fees) for a 10-year license
K0HB would you have become a new amateur radio operator?

K0HB --- or ---

K0HB Q2: If it had cost $250 to renew your license each time over
K0HB your ham radio career, would your license have lapsed by now?

Of course not, but it's a straw man you've assembled. You're the only
one that I've noticed who has assumed that a license paid for with
fees would continue to have a term of ten years, and you're the only
one that I've noticed who has assumed that said license would require
payment in full.

Of course it was a strawman. Hans is as bad about being unifocal on his
own views as he accuses others of.

Hans' "poll" was along the lines of "Do you enjoy beating your wife"...

Here are some options that would have better assayed the demographic:

Would you be in favor of a yearly license fee for your Amateur Radio
license

(1) Yes

(2) No

If a yearly license fee were imposed, it would:

(1) Be no problem

(2) Be of little problem.

(3) Negatively impact my finances, but I'd work it out

(4) Would preclude me from Amateur Radio licensure

If you would be ameniable to a license fee, assuming a commensurate return
of service, what would you consider a reasonable fee?

(1) $1 to $5 a year

(2) $6 to $10 a year

(3) $11 to $15 a year

(4) $16 to $20 a year

Of course these options would not have provided Hans with the desired
"See, MY opinon was THE right one..."

I'd easily pay $50 every two years for my amateur radio license. If
my license required $250 for ten years, I'd budget for it. Now, if
the FCC wants to get the cash and continue to encourage new hams,
they'd make the first ten-year license free, with each subsequent
ten-year license renewal costing $250. In that case, you'd have to
budget for it if you wanted to renew it, but you wouldn't be dropping
a large chunk of change for an untested hobby.

That's an idea. Or another idea...Your operator license and simple
station license are free...(make 2 meters an automatic "gimme"), then each
additional band you want to operate is "extra".

Personally, I don't think "having a large number of licensed amateur
radio operators" is necessarily a good thing for amateur radio, at
least in the USA.

It's four times bigger than it was when I was first licensed, but it's
harder to strike up "routine" conversations on 2 meters anymore...Other than
being a rough guideline for the government to judge "occupancy" by, I don't
think it much matters...

I would personally prefer to see one-tenth as many
operators with each of those operators being active in at least one
common facet of amateur radio (contesting, rag-chewing, emergency
services, et cetera) and one uncommon facet of amateur radio (spread
spectrum, innovative antenna/rig design, alternative power, et
cetera). At least then the assertions that amateur radio operators
advance the state of the art of technology and contribute to the
health and safety of the community at large would have as much weight
as the assertions that hams are just a bunch of overweight balding
white men wasting valuable spectrum by discussing their colostomies
and deviated septums. Sure, the ARRL and other lobbyists would lose
"the power of numbers", but quality's worth more than quantity to me,
and I suspect the FCC might actually agree, given a moment's freedom
=2D From the political and economic overtones of every word that passes in
and out of their offices.

I think there should still be a requirement to have a minimum amount of
activity logged at each renewal period.

But those are just my personal opinions, of course.

And well stated.

73

Steve, K4YZ