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#12
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Will "no code" license result in meaningful growth?
Mike Coslo wrote:
One possible fly in the ointment is that just as there are Hams who wouldn't upgrade to Extra because their advanced license proved they took a higher speed code test, there are some who will probably do all they can to have their dire predictions be a self fulfilling prophecy. - 73 de Mike KB3EIA - Count me as an Advanced Class licensee who plans to upgrade (and keep my 2x3 callsign). However, *before* doing so, I intend to obtain a = 20wpm Morse proficiency certificate. 73, Bryan WA7PRC |
#13
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Will "no code" license result in meaningful growth?
"Dee Flint" wrote:
I have met many people who have heard little to nothing about ham radio until I start talking about it. Most non-technical people I run into, where the topic of ham radio comes up, end up saying one of two things. Either 1) "Oh, you're one of those guys with the unsightly cell tower in your yard" or 2) "Yeah my neighbor had one of you guys next door, and he couldn't watch his tv or vcr any longer cuz you you guys" 73 kh6hz |
#14
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Will "no code" license result in meaningful growth?
On Feb 1, 10:23 pm, "KH6HZ" wrote:
"Dee Flint" wrote: I have met many people who have heard little to nothing about ham radio until I start talking about it. Most non-technical people I run into, where the topic of ham radio comes up, end up saying one of two things. Either 1) "Oh, you're one of those guys with the unsightly cell tower in your yard" or 2) "Yeah my neighbor had one of you guys next door, and he couldn't watch his tv or vcr any longer cuz you you guys" 73 kh6hz My neighbor wanted to become a ham, but I told him all the calls were used up. |
#15
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Will "no code" license result in meaningful growth?
My group is already working to make sure that the new folks don't feel shunned, and in recognition that many of the new folks will be inexperienced as compared to years past, we plan on some pretty extensive Elmering. It should be great fun. A similar situation happened back in the Spring of 2000, when 5WPM coders could become generals and extras. Lots of new hams on the HF phone bands. I was one of 'em. Aside from a few various newbie errors, we learned pretty quickly. I would expect the same to be true of the no code hams who become generals and extras in the spring of 2007. |
#16
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Will "no code" license result in meaningful growth?
"robert casey" wrote in message link.net... My group is already working to make sure that the new folks don't feel shunned, and in recognition that many of the new folks will be inexperienced as compared to years past, we plan on some pretty extensive Elmering. It should be great fun. A similar situation happened back in the Spring of 2000, when 5WPM coders could become generals and extras. Lots of new hams on the HF phone bands. I was one of 'em. Aside from a few various newbie errors, we learned pretty quickly. I would expect the same to be true of the no code hams who become generals and extras in the spring of 2007. Yup and I'll do my best to welcome them (and perhaps coax them to try cw) and answer any of their questions that I am capable of or point them to someone who can answer them.. I've NEVER subscribed to the filter theory. My reason for wanting to keep code testing was that I believed it to be a basic skill that all should learn at a basic level. Nothing more and nothing less. Dee, N8UZE |
#17
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Will "no code" license result in meaningful growth?
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#18
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Will "no code" license result in meaningful growth?
On Jan 31, 11:03 pm, "Carl R. Stevenson" wrote:
Information from within ARRL indicates that last year the ARRL VECs, whose teams handle over 70% ov al VE sessions, per their claim (which I am not confirming nor disputing), performed over 5,000 VE sessions (with each session handling multiple applicants/testees). According to the report, the average session was 5-10 applicants/testees ... (25-50k testees) "Reservations" have now jumped to 50-75/session!!! It appears that no-code WILL result in significant growth. (as I predicted) Carl 'ole bean you're making some some very dicey assumptions and extrapolations here. What evidence do you have which indicates that this latest lurch will result in anything beyond just another bubble of upgrades a la 1991 and 2000? The simple fact of the matter is that we're into a very mature avocation based on an ancient basic technology which lost it's sex appeal in the general population years ago. I agree with others in this thread, we'll be lucky to regain the 18,000 the hobby has already lost since the head count peaked. I do hope you're prepared to eat some crow if your predictions don't come true. While some who want to keep our bands "to themselves" (at least until they're reallocated for lack of/diminishing use) As you well know the HF ham bands are not under any threats, they're not going anywhere for a very long time. It'll be interesting to see if the upgraders actually generate a noticeable increase in HF band activity levels. Techs have been able to become licensed without a code test for 15 years, they spend say spend $175 for a 2M FM rig and a few bucks for a little easy-up 2M antenna and they're on the air. Which is good and now they can upgrade to nocode Generals and Extras. And oops, they run into the much higher costs of HF equipment and all the hassles related to putting up HF antennas. If they weren't previously interested enough in ham radio to do the work required to pass the 5WPM code test will they now be interested enough in ham radio to spend the bigger bucks and get HF antennas up in the new regime? will bemoan this, I am elated! From what I've seen, the ARRL BoD is "Getting It" about the need to welcome new hams and strongly discourage any berating/insulting/bad treatment of them just because they didn't have to take a Morse test. BRAVO! When was the last time anybody paid any attention to the ARRL's unending stream of admonitions about playing nice? 1928? I hope that ALL hams will "get with the program" and act like decent human beings/Elmers towards the impending, apparently significant influx of newcomers. Treat them right and they will assimilate - treat the crappy and you'll regret it in the long run. This whole topic area is worn out overblown nonsense. There are 600,000 licensed hams in the U.S. with maybe 150,000-200,000 actually active. Of this group there are some misfits, maladroits and nutcases whose influence on the welfare of the hobby has been hugely overrated. This BS is nothing more than an excuse, a copout, a handy rationale of covenience which blames the lack of growth of the hobby on these anti- social types. I don't believe for one minute that their behavior has any really measurable impact on the growth - or lack of growth of the total head count. Bits and pieces of anti-social behavior are everywhere we go, out on the streets, at meetings, in this NG, on the job and yes on the ham bands too. That's life and we deal with it in other sectors without whining about it like too many do when ham radio is involved. Adapt or find another hobby because thee, the ARRL and I are not going to "fix" them. As far as elmering and "assimilation" of newbies is concerned one of the first points I'd make to a newbie is to simply spin the big knob in the panel and go somewhere else when they run into a jerk. How difficult is that?? And by the way Carl the volume of misbehavior in the hobby today is no worse than it was a half century ago. Back when ham radio grew every year . . . 73, Carl - wk3c w3rv |
#19
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Will "no code" license result in meaningful growth?
On Feb 2, 7:10?am, Cecil Moore wrote:
wrote: But what if it doesn't? Ham radio still has a lot to offer but not nearly as much as it once did. What can we do to make it more attractive? -- 73, Cecil,http://www.qsl.net/w5dxp Sell diet plans and make-up kits at hamfests? :-) Get Jenny Craig to sponsor a ham gathering? LA |
#20
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Will "no code" license result in meaningful growth?
"Mike Coslo" wrote in message 36... wrote in oups.com: On Feb 1, 12:49�pm, Dave Heil wrote: wrote: On Jan 31, 11:03?pm, "Carl R. Stevenson" wrote: Information from within ARRL indicates that last year the ARRL VECs, w hose teams handle over 70% ov al VE sessions, per their claim (which I am n ot confirming nor disputing), performed over 5,000 VE sessions (with each session handling multiple applicants/testees). According to the report, the average session was 5-10 applicants/teste es ... (25-50k testees) "Reservations" have now jumped to 50-75/session!!! That's excellent! It appears that no-code WILL result in significant growth. (as I predi cted) Well, maybe. W3GEG told me that this past week's VE session in Morgantown resulted in five fellows who took and passed Morse Code exams in obtaining their new licenses. I seem to recall that you'd commented some time ago that some people might want to take such an exam before the elimination of Morse testing. Yep, that's right. In fact Carl, WK3C, was a major contributor to a local radio club prize for the *last* person in the club to pass Element 1. (See his earlier posting at the start of a different thread for details.) --- Hopefully, the upcoming changes to the license requirements will result in a new era of long-term growth in amateur radio, as has been repeatedly predicted and promised by many of those in favor of the changes. But what if it doesn't? A question might be "what are you going to do to insure that it doesn't? (Not you specifically) My group is already working to make sure that the new folks don't feel shunned, and in recognition that many of the new folks will be inexperienced as compared to years past, we plan on some pretty extensive Elmering. It should be great fun. One possible fly in the ointment is that just as there are Hams who wouldn't upgrade to Extra because their advanced license proved they took a higher speed code test, there are some who will probably do all they can to have their dire predictions be a self fulfilling prophecy. - 73 de Mike KB3EIA - Not really. I was advanced, thus proving 13 wpm, and I upgraded to extra last year to a 5 wpm call sign. All you need to do is keep your old call sign if you want to prove you passed a higher speed. I would like to see a special format of vanity call signs that require you to have an ARRL certificate of proficiency for 20 wpm, which is quite a good achievement. Like all vanity signs, you would have to pay and it would not give you any special priviledges. It might be useful for reciprocal licenses in certain countries like China (pop. 1.2 billion) that still require code. |
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