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On Mar 4, 10:25 am, "Dee Flint" wrote:
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On Mar 4, 9:10 am, "Dee Flint" wrote:
"KH6HZ" wrote in message

...

There will ultimately be two classes of ham radio license.

Tech, and Extra.

Or Class A and Class B. A VHF+ entry-level license, and a license
with
all
privileges.

Just as I suggested in my Y2K NPRM restructuring comments, I might
add.

I disagree. My bet is that we'll indeed have a de facto two level
license
system but I think they will be General and Extra.

I've been on record for a long, long time advocating a one license
"system." However, I've compromised with Hans suggestion of a simple
entry level license, and a full license. Whover said we needed more
license classes ought to have his head examined.

Well it's hard to say what the right number of classes is. I would
advocate
two licenses: a 50 question General exam and a 50 question Extra exam.
The
material in the Tech & General tests has enough overlap and is basic
enough
that it would not be a big hardship on applicants to master the combined
material. Going straight from a Tech or other entry level test to Extra
is
a huge jump in both quantity and complexity of the material. It would
certainly discourage a lot of people and might increase the drop out
rate.

I disagree. The "top" license, Amateur, should be the current General
exam, and the entry level license, Limited Amateur, should be
something much less.

Already our club is planning for future licensing classes to combine
these
two. Of course, we'll have to create our own syllabus and figure out how
best to present the combined material. At this point in time, there are
no
combined manuals that already address the material for both license
classes.
In principle it would be similar to the Now You're Talking book that was
available prior to the 2000 changes, which combined the Novice and
Technician material in one integrated study guide such that a person
could
study for both Novice and Tech writtens at the same time. Our goal will
be
to not only help them get licensed, but to try for General right out of
the
box.

As I see it, there simply is no longer a need for an "entry level"
license.

Why not?

As I suspected, and Len asserted, "It's all about Morse Code" with
some of you's guys.


Not at all. There is such a wide range of enjoyable activities available
that I want people to be able to explore them. For the same reason
(expanding one's range of activities and knowledge base), I've dragged Extra
class licensees over to the VHF station at Field day to show them what can
be achieved on those frequencies. While there are many Extras familiar with
the VHF/UHF possibilities, for some reason the Extras in the club I belong
to it have not really explored them.

With the dropping of the code test requirement, the difference between the
Tech license material and the General license material is just not that
great. In the exam sessions, we actively encourage a person to try the
General when they pass the Tech exam. Those applicants that have chosen to
develop an understanding of the Tech material (i.e. learn the antenna
equation and how to use it rather than memorizing the lengths for the
questions that might occur on the test) usually come within a couple of
points of passing the General. Some would have passed the General if they
had simply known to also memorize the General frequency priviliges along
with the material they already knew.

The material on the Tech and General is straight forward enough that it can
be grasped by just about anyone with a moderate amount of study. If one
looks at it in terms of return (license & range of privileges) versus
investment (study), the General is perfectly reasonable as a first license
step.

On the other hand, let's look at an "entry level" license and exam. You
have got to cover rules, safety (including RF radiation safety), and good
operating practices as a bare minimum. By the time you do this, you've
already got a significant portion of what you would need for a General class
license. Your return (license & privileges) versus investment (study) for
an entry level license, is just not that worthwhile.

Those countries that have folded their two license classes into one class
often had a written test that was equivalent to our Extra not our General
for both and the only differentiating item was the code test. Thus they
really had no "entry" license. They had VHF/UHF licenses and full licenses.
The US has been somewhat unusual in that there is a license (General) that
has a significant range of privileges on all bands with a moderate level
level of testing.

Dee, N8UZE