On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 11:46:45 +0000, Walt Davidson
wrote:

On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 10:35:52 GMT, Fred Atkinson
wrote:

To some degree, you are right. And that is what comes with
relaxing the standards. Don't get me wrong, I agree that Morse is
antiquated. But, I also agree that it shouldn't be replaced without
coming up with a plan to require other proficiency.

That's right, Fred. In the UK, the standards have been steadily
relaxed to the point where they are now pretty much non-existent.
The Morse issue is only a very small, insignificant part of it. We
now have a so-called "Foundation Licence" that gives full access - all
modes - to every HF band except 10m, plus most VHF/UHF bands. There
is a nominal 10 watt power limit which is neither enforced nor
enforceable. It is an open secret that the vast majority of
Foundation Licence holders run at least 100 watts from Day 1. To be
honest, they do not have the technical ability even to know what power
they are running! Where is the incentive to progress to higher
licence levels?

The Foundation Licence course and "examination" are a mockery. It is
easily possible to do the entire course AND pass the exam in a single
weekend. There are now numerous Foundation Licence holders aged 7 and
8 years old. If they do contravene the licence conditions, they are
below the age of criminal responsibility. Yet some adults continue to
complain that the entry standards are too high!

Code-free licensees, formerly restricted to VHF/UHF bands have been
upgraded to "Full Licencees" without any further formality. To add
insult to injury, the Full Licence has been renamed the "Advanced
Licence" without any need for further tests of proficiency or
technical knowledge. Where is the incentive licensing scheme we were
promised 3 years ago?

The amateur bands in the UK - the whole range from UHF to Top Band -
are now effectively multi-band CB .... and boy, does it show!

Now I see the USA is about to be led down the same path of folly by
the ARRL. I am sorry you have not learned from the UK's mistakes.

73 de G3NYY

I didn't realize it was that bad. I knew it was a big
problem, though. Let's say that the FCC has not learned from the UK's
mistakes. And possibly the ARRL.

Some years ago, I was at a ham club meeting in Maryland.
There was a 'silent auction' going where equipment was being sold to
the highest bidder. There was an old vacuum tube voltmeter on the
table.

Several folks were gathered around it, curious to know what it
was all about. I started explaining the technical advantages of using
a VTVM over a VOM.

One of the men responding by saying, "But, that's technical!".
Sad when the newer hams don't realize this *is* a technical hobby.



Fred, WB4AEJ