In article , "Dee D. Flint"
writes:

Total all classes - 673,994 (decrease of 798)

This is the first time a decrease in the total number of individual
licenses has been observed since the restructuring of April 15, 2000.

73 de Jim, N2EY

Interesting.

Very!

Someone needs to make it clear to the overall population that
with the reduction of the code requirement to 5wpm across the board (none
for Tech) that they were supposed to jump into ham radio in overwhelming
numbers and lead to magnificent growth in the number of hams.

Or maybe it wasn't the code test after all....

Jim, any way to determine whether the decrease is due primarily to drop outs
or to silent keys?

Not really. Here's why:

1) The "Silent Key" listing in QST isn't necessarily complete nor timely. Many
hams pass away and are not recorded in that column, because it depends on
proper documentation. Which also takes time.

2) FCC also requires documentation to cancel a license due to death. So unless
somebody sends in the right paperwork, the license is simply allowed to run its
term. In an extreme case, a ham could send in renewal paperwork, pass away on
the way home from the mailbox, and yet be carried on the FCC database for 12
more years - 10 of them as an active licensee.

3) Changes in the renewal process and the 10 year license term mean that many
hams are unwittingly letting their licenses expire, then renewing in the grace
period. You only have a 90 day window at the end of a 10 year term to renew
without being counted as an expiration. (Of course you have two years to reup
after the license runs out, and you'll get the same call, etc.)

73 de Jim, N2EY