RadioBanter - View Single Post

October 12th 03, 05:09 AM

In article , (N2EY)
writes:

All age groups showed a majority to be procodetest, but the *most*
procodetest
group were the youngest! Hams under 24 at the time were 85% procodetest/15%
anticodetest. Almost a 6 to 1 ratio!

73 de Jim, N2EY

Jim:

Very interesting, indeed.

Yep. Remember, though, that those are the results of a scientific survey done
in 1996.

It does, however, contradict the claim that young people don't want to take
code tests.

Jim:

Yes, indeed...ironic, isn't it, since that has been one of the NCTA's most
well-used arguments.

Even if it can be shown that the majority of hams and other interested
parties
favor continued code testing, there's no obligation for FCC to follow that
majority.

Unfortunately true. And, IMHO, they will not. I already consider code
test abolition to be a done deal. What matters now is what happens
next.

A majority of those who commented to FCC on 98-143 wanted *at least* two code
test speeds. But FCC went to 5 wpm for all classes of license and set the
stage for complete code test elimination.

Indeed they did. All they're doing now with the current petitions is just
going through the motions so nobody can accuse them of not following
their own procedures before the pull they plug on code testing.

This could provide excellent support to replies
to the code testing petitions recently assigned RM numbers by the FCC.
Can you provide a URL?

It was in QST back in 1997. If it's online anywhere, it should be on the ARRL
website.

73 de Jim, N2EY

I'll take a look-see. Quite frankly, my response to the latest petitions will
probably just be the "I agree with the FISTS petition" variety. I can't think
of anything new to add, and I believe the FCC already has it's mind made
up. Moreover, I'm not sure that a meaningless 5 WPM code testing
requirement is worth saving. If there were a chance of keeping 5 for
General and bumping back up to 12 for Extra, I'd be willing to fight for it,
but that's simply not going to happen. Like all good liberal socialists,
the NCTA doesn't want to compromise...they want the world handed
over to them on a silver platter. I've never seen an encouraging level of
passion on the part of the PCTA, and again using a political metaphor,
they, like the Republicans, can't seem to get their act together. Even
the FISTS petition is too little, too late. Nancy Kott gave us a good
start at the '97 Dayton Hamvention, then ran out of gas. The ARRL's
support for code testing has been half-hearted at best. If a couple
hundred thousand ARRL members had told the League that they'd
cancel their individual memberships and club affiliations if code testing
were reduced in any way, we probably wouldn't be looking at a future
ARS without code testing. We will now have to live with the consequences.

73 de Larry, K3LT