On 6 Jul 2003 22:27:00 -0700, (Steve Robeson, K4CAP)
wrote:

Once the official FCC changes are made, by whatever method, I wonder
how long it will take the unlicensed to become licensed...Now that
there's NO excuse remaining?

It has long been my opinion that the single biggest quality that
distinguishes most hams from most operators in the personal radio
services such as CB, MURS, Marine VHF, GMRS, and so forth is that we
hams are not only interested in our own enjoyment of radio, but we
also have a genuine interest in others enjoying their use of their
privileges as well. There are of course exceptions on both sides of
the dividing line that one might consider the licensing process to
represent, but in general, most hams really want "the other guy" to
have an enjoyable experience when he (or she) goes on the air. We care
not only about ourselves, but about others as well.

As for those that do not, well, we've all seen troll messages posted
in this and other NG by such persons many times in the past. If such
folks continue to shun the ARS in the future, this is probably a good
thing for all parties concerned. Pirates - whether they are on the
so-called "freeband" or are simply bootleggers on the ham frequencies
or elsewhere, have that status by their own choice. I seriously doubt
that we will see a major influx of new hams from the ranks of people
who feel they are above such conventions as getting a license,
operating according to a set of regulations, and conducting themselves
in accordance with good amateur practice and gentlemen's agreements
and so forth.

Nevertheless, there most definitely are many operators in the other
radio services who do in fact possess this quality, and it is my hope
that we'll see them streaming into the VE sessions en masse once the
changes take effect. In fact, I'll be working to convince them to do
just that, and to get them into the club meetings and to help them
learn what they'll need to learn to fully enjoy their new privileges,
and I'll be encouraging others to do the same. As with other
opportunities given to us by such simplifications of the regulations,
it's up to us to either make the most of it or let the chance to do
some good on behalf of the ARS just slide on by...and I do believe
that those who are not part of the solution are part of the problem.

73 DE John, KC2HMZ