These are the numbers of current,
unexpired FCC-issued amateur
radio licenses held by individuals
on the stated dates, and the
percentage of the total number
of active licenses that class contains:


As of May 14, 2000:

Novice- 49,329 (7.3%)
Technician - 205,394 (30.4%)
Technician Plus - 128,860 (19.1%)
General - 112,677 (16.7%)
Advanced - 99,782 (14.8%)
Extra - 78,750 (11.7%)

Total Tech/TechPlus - 334,254 (49.5%)

Total General/Advanced/Extra - 291,209 (43.2%)

Total all classes - 674,792


As of February 20, 2007:

Novice - 22,893 (3.5%) [decrease of 26,436]
Technician - 293,177 (44.8%) [increase of 87,783]
Technician Plus - 30,881 (4.7%) [decrease of 97,979]
General - 130,092 (19.9%) [increase of 17,415]
Advanced - 69,040 (10.6%) [decrease of 30,742]
Extra - 108,205 (16.5%) [increase of 29,455]

(percentages may not add up to exactly 100.0% due to rounding)

Total Tech/TechPlus - 324,058 (49.5%) [decrease of 10,196]

Total General/Advanced/Extra - 307,337 (47.0%) [increase of 16,128]

Total all classes - 654,288 (decrease of 20,504)

Note that these totals do not include licenses
that have expired but are in the grace period.

They also do not include club, military
or other station-only licenses.

Note also that effective April 15, 2000, new Novice,
Technician Plus and Advanced licenses are no longer
issued.

Since April 15, 2000, FCC has renewed all
existing Technician Plus licenses as Technician. By May of 2010, the
number of Technician Plus licenses
should drop to zero, because all of them will have been renewed as
Technician or allowed to expire. It is therefore
informative to consider the totals of the two classes,
since the Technician class includes a significant
number of Technician Plus licenses renewed as Technician.

73 de Jim, N2EY

On Feb 25, 7:45?pm, wrote:

I think there are a considerable number of US hams who
are inactive, and a considerable number who don't
know about the rules changes. Within the past year
I have had occasion to explain the *2000* rules changes
to several licensed hams who were not aware of how that
restructuring affected them. In a couple of those cases,
an upgrade resulted.

Sure would be nice if the League made a one time mailing to ALL
existing licensee with a "State Of The Amateur Service" along with
some invitation to get active again but WITHOUT the "...and while
you're at it, send us $40..." part. THAT might get more folks back on
the air AND impress them enough to join up.

73

Steve, K4YZ

On Feb 26, 12:02�am, wrote:
On Feb 25, 6:45 pm, wrote:



I think the Tech/Tech Plus total serves a useful purpose,
because it is an automatic license class change upon
renewal.

"Tech+" was dropped some time back, is not recognized at FCC as a
license class, and as of 2/23/07 there is no distinction in privileges
or any other practical difference between it and plain old "Tech". *A
Tech is a Tech is a Tech.

Wasn't the point of Jim's segregation of those numbers to show the
distinction between coded and non-coded licensees, Hans?

73

Steve, K4YZ

Hi everyone:
wrote in message
ps.com...
On Feb 25, 6:45 pm, wrote:
A Tech is a Tech is a Tech.

True Hans. Except you're forgetting one very important thing. That is that
while one Tech may have morse code credit, another Tech may not.

73,

Pat Cook, KB0OXD
Denver, Colorado
WEBSITE - http://www.qsl.net/kb0oxd/
**NEW VIDEO SECTION - http://www.qsl.net/kb0oxd/cybershacktv/

On Feb 28, 2:50 pm, "Pat Cook" wrote:


True Hans. Except you're forgetting one very important thing. That is that
while one Tech may have morse code credit, another Tech may not.


FCC rules for the Amateur Service no longer have any provision for
"morse code credit".

73, de Hans, K0HB

On Feb 28, 2:30�pm, wrote:
On Feb 26, 12:02�am, wrote:
On Feb 25, 6:45 pm, wrote:

I think the Tech/Tech Plus total serves a useful purpose,
because it is an automatic license class change upon
renewal.

"Tech+" was dropped some time back, is not recognized at FCC as a
license class,

This is not exactly correct.

FCC records still distinguish between Technician and
Technician Plus. When a Technician Plus is renewed as
a Technician, the "former license class" says "Technician
Plus".

and as of 2/23/07 there is no distinction in privileges
or any other practical difference between it and plain old "Tech".

There's no distinction in privileges, and in a few years there
won't be any difference in name, either.

*A Tech is a Tech is a Tech.

* * Wasn't the point of Jim's segregation of those numbers to show the
distinction between coded and non-coded licensees, Hans?

No, it wasn't.

When FCC stopped issuing new Tech Pluses, and began renewing all
existing Tech Pluses as Techs back on
April 15, 2000, it was no longer correct to say that
all Techs weren't code tested. So that wasn't why I listed
them separately as well as combined.

I listed Techs and Tech Pluses separately because:

- that's how FCC lists them in the database
- it documents the numerical decline of the Tech Plus as a separate
license class due to renewal, upgrading and attrition
- at some point, the number of Tech Pluses will drop to zero,
and listing them separately shows that event approaching.

The main reasons I have posted, and will continue to post,
the ARS License Numbers is so that interested folks can
watch the trends, and so there will be a consistent record
available to all with Usenet access, for as long as those posts are
archived.

73 de Jim, N2EY

Hi everyone:

wrote in message
ps.com...
On Feb 28, 2:50 pm, "Pat Cook" wrote:


True Hans. Except you're forgetting one very important thing. That is
that
while one Tech may have morse code credit, another Tech may not.


FCC rules for the Amateur Service no longer have any provision for
"morse code credit".

If this is the case Hans, then I should be able to legally get on HF (When I
get my radio fixed that is) because I've *NEVER* passed a Morse Code test.

I hate to say it Hans, but you haven't got your facts straight. If you do,
would you care to quote the part you are referring to or point us to the
website where you're getting your information from?

Curious minds would like to know.

73,

Pat Cook, KB0OXD
Denver, Colorado
WEBSITE - http://www.qsl.net/kb0oxd/
**NEW VIDEO SECTION - http://www.qsl.net/kb0oxd/cybershacktv/

On Feb 28, 2:30�pm, wrote:
On Feb 25, 7:45?pm, wrote:

I think there are a considerable number of US hams who
are inactive, and a considerable number who don't
know about the rules changes. Within the past year
I have had occasion to explain the *2000* rules changes
to several licensed hams who were not aware of how that
restructuring affected them. In a couple of those cases,
an upgrade resulted.

* * *Sure would be nice if the League made a one time mailing to ALL
existing licensee with a "State Of The Amateur Service" along with
some invitation to get active again but WITHOUT the "...and while
you're at it, send us $40..." part. *THAT might get more folks back on
the air AND impress them enough to join up.

Maybe. Have you suggested this to the ARRL BoD and the
Hq staff? Only takes an email.

73 de Jim, N2EY

On Feb 28, 10:57�pm, "Pat Cook" wrote:
Hi everyone:

wrote in message

ps.com...

On Feb 28, 2:50 pm, "Pat Cook" wrote:

True Hans. *Except you're forgetting one very important thing. That is
that
while one Tech may have morse code credit, another Tech may not.

FCC rules for the Amateur Service no longer have any provision for
"morse code credit".

If this is the case Hans, then I should be able to legally get on HF (When I
get my radio fixed that is) because I've *NEVER* passed a Morse Code test.

In case you missed it, Pat, the FCC completely eliminated Morse
Code testing for all classes of amateur license back on Feb 23, 2007.

If you have a Technician class license, you now have the same HF
privileges as a Technician Plus, without taking any more tests or
filing any kind of paperwork. If you have a Technician license and
want to upgrade to General, all you need to do is pass the General
written exam (Element 3). If you have a Technician license and want to
upgrade to Extra, all you need to do is pass the General and Extra
written exams (Elements 3 and 4).

The HF privileges of a Technician/Technician Plus license consist of
Morse Code only on parts of 80, 40, 15 and 10 meters, and SSB only on
part of 10 meters. Getting more spectrum, power and modes on HF/MF
requires upgrading to General or Extra, but as previously stated,
those licenses now require only written tests.

Hans' point is that, as of Feb 23, all Technicians and Technician
Pluses
have exactly the same operating privileges and upgrade credits,
whether or not they passed a Morse Code test.

I hate to say it Hans, but you haven't got your facts straight. *If you do,
would you care to quote the part you are referring to or point us to the
website where you're getting your information from?

Take a look at:

www.arrl.org

for starters.

Hope to work you on HF!

73 de Jim, N2EY