"KØHB" wrote in message thlink.net...
--
ô¿ô 73, de Hans, K0HB
--
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"N2EY" wrote

In the early-to-mid 1970s, the Novice went through a period of quick
changes.
First, the FCC allowed folks who had been unlicensed for at least a year
to get
a Novice, regardless of prior licensure. This meant a ham could be a
Novice
forever - two years on, one year off, new callsign and license each time.
Again
the reason given was "too many dropouts".

See my other post about "too many dropouts".

Will do.

Then the one-year-unlicensed requirement was dropped. And the reason given
was...

Finally the Novice was made 5 years renewable, like all the other license
classes of the time. That was more than a quarter century ago.

You're right, Jim, it was more than a quarter century ago. And over a
quarter century ago FCC thought that 13 and 20 WPM code tests were a good
idea, and a no-code license was a bad idea.

And a lot of other things, like secret tests given by FCC examiners,
extreme limits on vanity calls and repeaters, yada yada yada.

Seems FCC no longer holds those
views, so I think we can safely ignore your argument about what they thought
back then on this matter also.

That's one way to look at it.

Another way to look at it is to note that since that time, FCC has
consistently made it *easier* and *more convenient* to get and keep an
amateur radio license - of *any* class. As long as said changes mean
less work for FCC, that is.

That's been a consistent policy from then to now. Forced upgrading
would go against that tide.

One thing I'm not clear on, though. If an LP reached the end of the 10
years but couldn't pass the upgrade test, could they take the LP test
and get another 10 years (as with driver's license LPs) or is it
one-LP-to-a-customer, as the old Novice was?

Do YOU think learners permits ought to be renewable beyond 10 years?

I think *all* amateur licenses are essentially "permits to learn". And
I think *all* classes of amateur license should be renewable. Just my
opinion.

If your proposed LP is going to allow all authorized modes on all
authorized freqs from 1.8 MHz on up, it's going to need a rather
considerable written test, doncha think? The power limit removes the
need for lots of RF exposure and other safety questions, and the VE
stuff, but what about almost all the rest?

73 de Jim, N2EY

"N2EY" wrote

One thing I'm not clear on, though. If an LP reached the end of the 10
years but couldn't pass the upgrade test, could they take the LP test
and get another 10 years (as with driver's license LPs) or is it
one-LP-to-a-customer, as the old Novice was?

One to a customer. If you can't "get it" in 10 years, then you probably
aren't going to be able to "get it" in 20 or 30 years.

BTW, drivers license permits are not renewable here, although you can retest
for a new one.

73, de Hans, K0HB

In article k.net, "KØHB"
writes:

"N2EY" wrote

One thing I'm not clear on, though. If an LP reached the end of the 10
years but couldn't pass the upgrade test, could they take the LP test
and get another 10 years (as with driver's license LPs) or is it
one-LP-to-a-customer, as the old Novice was?

One to a customer.

Understood.

If you can't "get it" in 10 years, then you probably
aren't going to be able to "get it" in 20 or 30 years.

All depends what's going on in those 10 years.

I know plenty of hams who were quite active until something significant
happened in their lives like military service, a major illness in the family,
marriage, divorce, children, relocation, new career, etc. Then, in accordance
with "The Amateur Is Balanced", they put amateur radio on hold for anywhere
from months to decades. Then, when their lives permitted, they came back in a
big way. A few let their licenses lapse, but most kept renewing and modifying.

Case in point: Amateur licensed in high school, got a bachelor's degree, worked
a year or two, then decided to become a doctor. For the next 7 years his life
was med school/residency/fellowship. Not a lot of time in there for ham radio,
but he had an HT and kept in touch. And now he's an M.D. and hamming in a big
way.

His 10 years as a ham hit somewhere towards the end of medical school. Under
today's rules, he just renewed and kept on going. Under your proposal, he would
have lost his license and had to go all the way to Extra in one go if he ever
wanted to be a ham again.

Is that really what's best for the ARS?

BTW, drivers license permits are not renewable here, although you can retest
for a new one.

Same deal here, AFAIK. So why not the same deal for hams?

73 de Jim, N2EY

"N2EY" wrote in message
...
In article k.net,
"KØHB"
writes:

"N2EY" wrote

One thing I'm not clear on, though. If an LP reached the end of the 10
years but couldn't pass the upgrade test, could they take the LP test
and get another 10 years (as with driver's license LPs) or is it
one-LP-to-a-customer, as the old Novice was?

One to a customer.

Understood.

If you can't "get it" in 10 years, then you probably
aren't going to be able to "get it" in 20 or 30 years.

All depends what's going on in those 10 years.

I know plenty of hams who were quite active until something significant
happened in their lives like military service, a major illness in the
family,
marriage, divorce, children, relocation, new career, etc. Then, in
accordance
with "The Amateur Is Balanced", they put amateur radio on hold for
anywhere
from months to decades. Then, when their lives permitted, they came back
in a
big way. A few let their licenses lapse, but most kept renewing and
modifying.

You can put me in that catagory from about 1961 until 1990 or so. I always
renewed the license, sometimes subscribed and/or bought CG or QST, but
was not on the air at all.

Case in point: Amateur licensed in high school, got a bachelor's degree,
worked
a year or two, then decided to become a doctor. For the next 7 years his
life
was med school/residency/fellowship. Not a lot of time in there for ham
radio,
but he had an HT and kept in touch. And now he's an M.D. and hamming in a
big
way.

His 10 years as a ham hit somewhere towards the end of medical school.
Under
today's rules, he just renewed and kept on going. Under your proposal, he
would
have lost his license and had to go all the way to Extra in one go if he
ever
wanted to be a ham again.

Is that really what's best for the ARS?

BTW, drivers license permits are not renewable here, although you can
retest
for a new one.

Same deal here, AFAIK. So why not the same deal for hams?

Works for me.

Cheers,
Bill K2UNK