RadioBanter - View Single Post

June 9th 05, 05:00 PM

wrote:
wrote:
.. . . .

In other words the League has ducked out of the code test war
this time and put in the hands of the FCC.

They realize a no-win situation when they see it. Also, the ARRL
BoD has a wide range of opinions on the issue, so they came up
with a compromise and went on to other issues.

On one hand they really didn't have any choice, enough was enough. On
another hand that's the way things work in democracies.

Frankly, I'm simply amazed that FCC didn't just dump Element
1 two years ago when the treaty changed at WRC 2003. All they
needed was a one-paragraph Memorandum Report and Order saying
that they'd dealt with the issue back in 2000, and pending further
changes, everybody who passes any of the written tests
for a US ham license gets code test credit too. Or some such verbiage,
just like they did when they waived the code sending test.

My guess is that the FCC didn't move on the code test when the ITU
dropped the requirement because they had a major restructuring in mind
back then and decided to bundle any changes in the code test into the
overall restructuring package per the Incentive Licensing
restructuring. Which is typical regulatory "behavior". Or they had
already decided to retain the code test into the future. With 98% of
the world's population still subject to code tests and given the small
number of countries which have abandoned the code tests it just might
be that the decision to retain the code test here was quietly carved in
stone 4-5 years ago. Conversly though the waivers problem is still out
there . . .

But FCC didn't do that, even after getting a pile of proposals
to do so. In a month or so it will be two years and there isn't
even an NPRM out yet. If they go the entire NPRM cycle, it
could be a year or more before the rules change - *if* they
change.

The NPRM is obviously enroute whether it shows up later this year or
sometime next year doesn't matter much and I expect it to be a real
gooder. Gonna be some nuclear explosions in this NG when it finally
does get published. Heh.

Tune down the low ends of the HF bands, in the evenings when most
of the younger folks aren't tied up with work, school, kids, etc.
There's a lot more going on than the voice modes on the high ends.

Even in the phone bands the U.S. geezer nets are usually well up the
bands to accomodate the Generals, there's very little of that sort of
operating in the Extra/Advanced segments.

73 de Jim, N2EY

w3rv