RadioBanter - View Single Post

March 1st 05, 04:31 PM

wrote:
Michael Coslo wrote:

wrote:

some snippage

However, there are well over
50,000 hams in Canada, which is also likely to abolish the

code

test very soon.

Yep. But there are two big points about Canada:

1) The proposal would increase the written test level
This is a biggie. Simply proposing to drop the code test is

*not*

the

same thing as proposing to drop the code test *and* beef up the
writtens.

I'd like that quite a bit.

But that hasn't been proposed in the USA.

True. It would probably not fly either in the land of entitlements.

Where is the "land of entitlements"? Sweden?

IIRC, one of the things proposed in Canada was to make the
code
test optional in that if you passed code you didn't need as high

a grade

on theory to get the license.

Now that just seems strange.

How so? It's simply an option.

Would it be reciprocal? If you did well on the writtens, would they
allow a poor performance on the Code test?

I think the idea was you could get, say a 70 on the writtens (up from
the current passing grade of *60*!) and pass code, *or* get, say, an 85
on the writtens and the code wouldn't be required at all. I'm just
guessing at the numbers but you see the concept.

The test should either be or not be. Not
some kind of bonus that allows you to be less technically
proficient.

Then why require more technical knowledge for an Extra? That
license does not allow the holder to use any more modes, power, or bands
than a General.
Just a few additional slices of spectrum.

Bad question to ask me, since I would prefer more privilege
differences between General and Extra

Me too, but that's not how FCC has implemented it.

(Len will no doubt have interesting comments on that one)

Len's comments are rarely if ever interesting, IMHO. Error-laden, yes,
but not interesting.

I concede the point! 8^)

If the nocodetest folks in the USA proposed options like
those they
might get a lot more support. But instead, we have folks like
NCVEC

telling us we must drop code *and* reduce the written still more.

And how! Let's not forget that NCI also supports lowering the test
requirements.

So do others that support automatic upgrades.

In principle I oppose automatic upgrades

Me too.

All they have to go on is "gut" feelings. And unfortunately, the
first wave of no-code Technicians appear to be dropping like
flies. "Gut" feelings can be wrong.

I don't see *any* license class "dropping like flies". Check the

AH0A

data on renewals - thousands of Techs are renewing every month,

either

before the license runs out or in the grace period.

The numbers didn't seem that way to me. Could be wrong tho'

Point is, reducing the requirements hasn't promoted growth. Recall that
before April 2000, the Tech required passing two written tests
totalling 65 questions. Now it's a single 35 question test - yet we
don't see growth!

My own take on the situation is that there are indeed new people coming
into the hobby, as I hear and see new licensees on the air.

But we are not seeing significant growth. Many of the people that
signed on ten years ago have left. There are some ham related reasons,
and some not, such as increased cell phone usage, which has decimated
the "honeydew" Hams.

But it is indisputable that the reductions in requirements have NOT had
any sort of significant positive impact on the Ham community.

Despite the hand wringing, there is a place for achieving something
that means something. A test that is a challenge? So what? I personally
think that the ARS is only strengthened by attracting people that enjoy
a bit of a challenge.

I think it has been adequately proven that many if not most of the
people that think that Element one needs to go away are also in favor of
reduced overall licensing requirements. Certainly the leading
organization for removal of the Morse test is.

Note that almost 5 years after the 200 restructuring we still
retain more than 50% of Novices and 75% of Advanceds.

Theirs is a failed and incorrect paradigm.

Maybe. The concept of "lowered entry requirements = sustained
growth" just hasn't happened in the ARS.

We don't need hams that thought that maybe it would be kewl to get
a ham license some weekend between coffee at Starbucks and their
Pilates classes, and then forget about it. We need hams who want
to be hams.

Agreed! But of course people have to know what ham radio *is* to do
that!

Someone suggested some short commercial spots on time.

"on time"?

Typo! "one" time...

I wonder if that
has ever been done. Nothing too elaborate, just getting the
name out there.

Good idea, but expensive.

Seems like there are Hams that are professionals in the field that
might be willing to help!......

snip

The same is true of ordinary house current.

Sure. Fortunately most of the public is well educated from a young
age that what comes out of the wall socket can be a bad thing.

Yet people are still shocked and electrocuted doing really dumb things
with electricity.

No doubt! But the idea is to give them the education to make an
informed stupid decision! ;^)

And it's not just voltage. Get a metal ring a high current supply
and the results aren't pretty. If the ring is on your finger.....

Years ago I used to work on a lot of digital electronics that used
massive power supplies at 5 volts. No rings, no metallic glasses (you
should have seen my NASANerd plastic rim safety glasses!) and no
metal belt buckles, no change in the pocket, etc, etc.

Yet the NCVEC folks say the solution is to create a class of ham
that
can't use rigs with more than 30 volts on the electronics...

Goofy, goofy, goofy!

Tell it to NCVEC. They think they know better than you.

From what I gather, their underlying concern was actually that they
think their VE's were having to work too hard.

And it is the wrong approach. The proper approach is to allow access
coupled with adequate education.

Watta concept!

Probably hopeless though! 8^)

RF Safety should be the FIRST order of the day, and NO one should
be

a Ham until they are tested for RF safety to the ability to handle

full

legal limit.

Why? We don't test people on gasoline-handling safety, nor ladder
safety, nor many other things that injure thousands of Americans

every

year.

Familiarity breeds contempt, Jim. If gasoline were "introduced today,

the infrastructure for handling it would be mind boggling.

Shrub says hydrogen is the answer. Oh the humanity.

Hydrogen's energy density issues make for some problems. That Excursion
will have to tack on another 10 miles per hour on trips to make up for
all the fuel stops needed.

And ladder
makers carry huge liability policies. (I had the experience of
having a defective design ladder collapse under me).

I agree that every ham should be safety-aware. But a true test of
safety would be far more extensive than even the Extra writtens.

You can't teach Attitude, eh?

My employers have all taken safety *very* seriously. It's an
attitude that can be taught, but it's a constant thing.

Or the bad attitude gets weeded out...

And those who think that limiting the finals voltage, or some other
weird thing is the answer, are advised to think about things such
as

Technician Hams operating under supervision. It only takes a second
to drop a paper and reach behind a Rig. Less time than the control

op

can react. I want those Technicians to be exposed to full power

safety

requirements.

They are - today, anyway.

And I'd like to add just a smidgen more knowledge to that!

Me too but then it's called "hazing" or some such nonsense.

How wonderful to protect new Hams against the cruelty of learning
something that might be a challenge. i think we have some true bleeding
hearts in the NCT ranks! 8^)

Anything else is criminally negligent.

Umm, Mike, you're saying it's the Govt's role to protect people

from

their own ignorance and unsafe behavior.....

In some cases. When the licensing requirement encompasses the nation,

then so do the responsibilities.

Ya can't outsmart Darwin.

It would be interesting to see what the JA 4th class *written*

exam

looks like.

And as mentioned before, the number of JA station licenses and new
operator licenses is way down.

That's 18, I didn't count both Austria and Australia!

OK. But it's still a small fraction of the number of hams
and the number of countries.

The big questions: Must all countries drop the code test
because a few have decided to? Or can each country decide for
itself.

Each country can do as it chooses, but the trend is to abolish

the

code test.

The trend in most countries is to ban or severely restrict

individual

ownership of firearms, too.

Has the change caused lots of new growth in countries that have
dropped code testing?

No, but it's increased HF activity in those countries

So all it's done is to permit *existing* hams to upgrade. But it
*hasn't* brought in lots of new folks.

Which means the Morse code isn't the "problem" some people make it
out to be.

Of course!

It's the classic case of a red herring diversion. Blame the code

test

for everyhting bad while the real problems are not addressed.

You mean like dragging the gay marriage issue into the Social

Security

problem? 8^)

Yep. The interesting thing is that allowing gay civil unions would
*increase* tax revenue.

And speaking of marriage: One thing I find interesting is that the
divorce rates in the "red" states are consistently and clearly higher
than the rates in "blue" states. Seems those folks who rant and rave
about "family values" and "covenants" can't seem to stay hitched very
long.

All you have to do is meet some of the "reds", and you'll immediately
understand why they have such a high divorce rate......

Here's the kind of thinking being put forth:

One plan being suggested in DC is for the USA to create a special
savings account for each baby born in the USA, starting on a certain
date. The Feds would put $2000 into each account each year until the
kid reaches 18. Total investment $36,000. Assuming about 6% annual
interest, each account would be worth over a million dollars when the
"baby" reached 65.

Nice retirement package, huh? Except it won't work for several reasons
completely obvious to anyone with common sense.

Who pays that 6 percent interest? The last time I checked, the rate
wasn't anywhere near that. Taxes on that money? Capital gains?
Inflation? Your going to have to have some sort of way that the guvmint
pays interest on the account when the prime is low, or you will be
creating a powerful incentive for citizens to want a high interest rate
which is counterproductive to the economy......The list goes on and on.

Also interesting how everyone in the US will retire a millionaire!

Ain't gonna work!

- Mike KB3EIA -