"Radio Amateur KC2HMZ" wrote in
message ...
**** Post for FREE via your newsreader at post.usenet.com ****

On Tue, 30 Sep 2003 23:51:00 GMT, "Dee D. Flint"
wrote:
[snip]
If the simplest approach
is taken to this change (simply dropping the code requirement), we would
actually have an immediate increase in people with access to the Novice
subbands as all Techs, not just Techs with code, would now be able to
operate there. So this should increase the need to keep these bands
allocated to the Novice/Technician groups.

I think it will create a need for even *more* spectrum to be allocated
to those groups - and bear in mind it's not an exclusive allocation;
General, Advanced and Extra licensees can operate there as well, as
long as they stay at 200 watts or less - but the question is, how many
of them are going to be using CW absent a code testing requirement,
and how many will be on other modes?

Nope don't give them more room. If they don't want to be restricted to the
current Novice subbands and privileges, they can go pass the General test if
they want more space. NO FREEBIES. The General test is almost a repeat of
the Technician test. The additional material between Tech and General is
pretty minimal.


We're told by some PCTAs that once the test is eliminated, the stock
of CW operators in the ARS is going to dry up - to hear them tell it,
like a wet lawn on a sunny day in July. If they're correct (and with
the way some of those folks toss around insults I have to admit that
if I was a Technician the last thing I'd be interested in doing is
learning code just so I could get on the air and work the same guy who
just raked me over the coals in this NG), there's going to be a need
for more space for all the new phone ops the PCTAs seem to be fearing
the arrival of. Meanwhile, CW is already authorized on any frequency
where an amateur has operating privileges, so why continue to have
subbands at all?

If the code "monster" is eliminated, they can get more room by upgrading to
General. Again I repeat, NO FREEBIES.

Why have subbands? Well simple, there are 600,000+ amateurs in the US.
This is more than all other nations combined (if Japan is excluded). US
voice operators could conceivably make too much noise worldwide for foreign
operators. At least this way they foreign operators have a section that
they can use voice while we are restricted to CW or data.

Also given the way people are very poor at following the existing band plans
that overlay the mandated subbands, I wouldn't trust the 600,000+ operators
to follow a mere band plan.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE