"Vshah101" wrote in message
...
From: "Carl R. Stevenson"
Still slower growth than desirable by a long shot ...
I'd like to get some of my friends licensed and use it for utility
purposes.
Other than that, what does it matter about ARS license numbers?
Numbers = use of our spectrum = justification for keeping what we have
(and maybe getting a bit more in the future)
Numbers = political influence (also necessary to protect our spectrum)
Numbers (of younger hams) = hams that will survive longer into the
future ... with today's demographic, the sad reality is that a large
percentage of current hams will be SK in the next 10-20 years, resulting
in a major drop in our numbers unless we make ham radio more attractive
and interesting to the younger generation. To do that, we can't force the
PC/internet generation to cling to/embrace some "traditions" (such as Morse)
in which the "older generation" iks so deeply invested (in an emotional
sense).
eliminating Morse testing will help
No, it won't. The entry-level license is already code free. Eliminating
Morse
testing will not cause more people to want to join.
Many folks are interested in HF access as part of their "portfolio" of
capabilities ... the entry level license currently precludes them from
HF use ... that is a major disincentive to many.
Carl - wk3c