"N2EY" wrote in message
m...
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2004/01/19/1/?nc=1

Summary:

3 classes of license: Novice, General, Extra

Ok, so far so good.

5 wpm code test retained for Extra only

I personally would like to see existing Tech, Tech+, and Novice licensees
upgraded to the new Novice ticket. (Tech+ privies.)

Existing Advanceds get free upgrade to Extra

Sounds reasonable.

, Techs
and Tech Pluses get free upgrade to General

Nope.

'Phone image subbands for 80/40/15 widened slightly

Depends on one's interpretation of "slightly," I suppose.

Old Novice subbands replaced by additional CW/data
and 'phone subbands on 80/40/15. Novices also get
privs on 6, 2, 222, and 440

Ok.

Novice power level set below that requiring RF exposure
evaluation

Also reasonable.

Novice test to be 25 questions on "basics"

Surely, they jest?!

, General to be
derived from Tech and General, Extra pretty much as-is.

Ok.

73 de Jim, N2EY

Thanks for the synopsis, Jim. This scenario certainly beats a blank.

73 de Bert
WA2SI

"Bert Craig" wrote in message . net...
"N2EY" wrote in message
m...
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2004/01/19/1/?nc=1

Summary:

3 classes of license: Novice, General, Extra

Ok, so far so good.

I'm against free upgrades.

5 wpm code test retained for Extra only

I personally would like to see existing Tech, Tech+, and Novice licensees
upgraded to the new Novice ticket. (Tech+ privies.)

It's not that simple.

The proposed Novice would have a lot more HF modes and spectrum than
current Novice/Tech+ - but a lot *less* VHF/UHF.

Existing Advanceds get free upgrade to Extra

Sounds reasonable.

I disagree. All it takes to go from Advanced to Extra is a single
written test. Been that way for almost 4 years.

, Techs
and Tech Pluses get free upgrade to General

Nope.

Same as above.

'Phone image subbands for 80/40/15 widened slightly

Depends on one's interpretation of "slightly," I suppose.

25 kHz or so.

Old Novice subbands replaced by additional CW/data
and 'phone subbands on 80/40/15. Novices also get
privs on 6, 2, 222, and 440

Ok.

Novice power level set below that requiring RF exposure
evaluation

Also reasonable.

Novice test to be 25 questions on "basics"

Surely, they jest?!

Not at all. The old Novice was only 20-25 questions, back in the
bad old days (before about 1972).

Of course all the old Novice allowed was 80, 40 and 15 CW, plus
145-147 MHz meter CW and AM. And the AM was eliminated about 1967. 75
watts max input, xtal control only.

, General to be
derived from Tech and General, Extra pretty much as-is.

Ok.

73 de Jim, N2EY

Thanks for the synopsis, Jim. This scenario certainly beats a blank.

Read the entire proposal on the website.

Some good ideas, some not so hot ones.

Better than the "21st Century" paper proposes, anyway.

73 de Jim, N2EY

Bert Craig wrote:



Existing Advanceds get free upgrade to Extra


Sounds reasonable.

Oh great, I get to be an Extra by default. I had rather keep my
Advanced, advanced even sounds more advanced than Extra does.

JJ wrote:

Oh great, I get to be an Extra by default. I had rather keep my
Advanced, advanced even sounds more advanced than Extra does.

Yeah, my son is a Tech Plus. He was thinking of upgrading to General last
year but didn't bother. Now he stands to get a free upgrade. The message
is clear: Don't knock yourself out; be patient and eventually they'll give
you everything without asking you to expend any effort.

Art Harris N2AH

"Harris" wrote in message
...
JJ wrote:

Oh great, I get to be an Extra by default. I had rather keep my
Advanced, advanced even sounds more advanced than Extra does.

Yeah, my son is a Tech Plus. He was thinking of upgrading to General last
year but didn't bother. Now he stands to get a free upgrade. The message
is clear: Don't knock yourself out; be patient and eventually they'll give
you everything without asking you to expend any effort.

Art Harris N2AH

Actually I wonder if the ARRL petition isn't a crafty ruse. It will look
good to people who want what it proposes but has high odds of being rejected
by the FCC since the FCC has a long history of shooting down automatic
upgrades. They get the "attaboy" for "trying" and can then lay it at the
FCC's door when it fails even though they may want it to fail.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE

In article om, "Dee D.
Flint" writes:

Actually I wonder if the ARRL petition isn't a crafty ruse. It will look
good to people who want what it proposes but has high odds of being rejected
by the FCC since the FCC has a long history of shooting down automatic
upgrades. They get the "attaboy" for "trying" and can then lay it at the
FCC's door when it fails even though they may want it to fail.

SHAME!

Thinking improper and vulgar thoughts about the ARRL!

Say 100 Hail Hirams as penance and sin no more.

LHA / WMD

In (Len Over 21) writes:


In article om, "Dee D.
Flint" writes:

Actually I wonder if the ARRL petition isn't a crafty ruse. It will look
good to people who want what it proposes but has high odds of being rejected
by the FCC since the FCC has a long history of shooting down automatic
upgrades. They get the "attaboy" for "trying" and can then lay it at the
FCC's door when it fails even though they may want it to fail.

SHAME!

Thinking improper and vulgar thoughts about the ARRL!

Say 100 Hail Hirams as penance and sin no more.

LHA / WMD


You probably realized that Dee D. may be assuming the role of "devil's
advocate" here (by overplaying an idea to generate further discussion).
In other words, we might not want to take her words at face value until
she clarifies what she really means.

So, Dee D., what did you really mean to say above?

--
73, Paul W. Schleck, K3FU

http://www.novia.net/~pschleck/
Finger for PGP Public Key

In article , Paul W. Schleck
writes:

You probably realized that Dee D. may be assuming the role of "devil's
advocate" here (by overplaying an idea to generate further discussion).
In other words, we might not want to take her words at face value until
she clarifies what she really means.

So, Dee D., what did you really mean to say above?

Paul, I appreciate your "guidance" in newsgroupism, but let's clear
the board and outline a few things -

1. Double-D has claimed that I am on her "killfile." That means
"she doesn't read any of my postings" for whatever righteous
reasons she has (such as puritanism and syncophancy of
some unclear "amateur ideals").

2. Killfiling may be good for removing those mouthing vulgarities
and obscenities ("deleting explitives" like 'heck' and 'darn') but
it is also an ostrich syndrome, burying one's head in the virtual
sand of righteous thoughts of the "ideal" so that "impure"
thoughts (differences from righteous personal opinions) are
filtered out.

3. Those who claim "killfiling" are irresistable open targets for
commentary, taking pot-shots against the syncophants, the
sanctimonious self-righteous self-propelled "experts" and
olde-tymers's ideas. In Double-D's case she has exhibited
Parentalism, that of treating others not thinking as she does
as "little children needing to be taught the Right way..."

4. Hunting Season is ALWAYS open on the Internet. If you wish
to "guide appropriate behavior," there are several in HERE who
are likely recipients of "guidance and counseling." QED.

5. For proper sanctimonity (sanctimoniousism?) of the self-righteous
olde-tymers, you and the newsgroup ruling triad (are you still one
of those?) should CLOSE the public access here, install a
monitor, demand a showing of "papers" for access. That is the
proper way to Control Thought. An ultimate in Ostrich Syndrome.

6. Obvious Pro-Code Test Advocates do NOT play "Devil's Advocate."
Those are hide-bound olde-tyme-thinking PCTAs who are not
only sanctimonious self-righteous self-important self-propelled
"experts" but are all seriously devoid of a sense of humor. They
are so stuck on the "proper" way to act that their rigidity
collapses in the slightest breeze of independent thought...and
they quickly lapse into anger (sometimes hatred) against the
independent person, oft-times jumping into puerile barbaric
behavior of using personal insults rather than arguing subjects.
Quod Erat Demonstrandum by all that is Google and DejaNews.

7. Independence of Thought is a cherished item in the United
States of America since its beginning a scant 228 years ago.
So much so that it is incorporated into the First Amendment
of our Constitution to make it clear what we citizens can say to
our government. By tradition and independent spirit, we
Americans also cherish being able to pot-shoot politician's
opinions and their political parties. ARRL is a political entity
as well as a publishing house and is NOT any sort of agency
of the federal government; they are more open for pot-shooting
than any feds despite the santimony expressed by their devout
followers of the Church of St. Hiram.

8. "The Devil made me do it." :-)

LHA / WMD

"Paul W. Schleck" wrote in message
...
In (Len
Over 21) writes:


In article om, "Dee D.
Flint" writes:

Actually I wonder if the ARRL petition isn't a crafty ruse. It will
look
good to people who want what it proposes but has high odds of being
rejected
by the FCC since the FCC has a long history of shooting down automatic
upgrades. They get the "attaboy" for "trying" and can then lay it at
the
FCC's door when it fails even though they may want it to fail.

SHAME!

Thinking improper and vulgar thoughts about the ARRL!

Say 100 Hail Hirams as penance and sin no more.

LHA / WMD


You probably realized that Dee D. may be assuming the role of "devil's
advocate" here (by overplaying an idea to generate further discussion).
In other words, we might not want to take her words at face value until
she clarifies what she really means.

So, Dee D., what did you really mean to say above?


Basically I think the ARRL Board knows that the free upgrades means that
their proposal probably will not be adopted in this form. The FCC has never
gone along with free upgrades before and there is no evidence that they
would do so now. However, I believe they tossed it in as another idea for
the FCC to consider in developing whatever the FCC decides to do, if they
decide to do anything at all.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE

"JJ" wrote in message
...
Bert Craig wrote:
Existing Advanceds get free upgrade to Extra

Oh great, I get to be an Extra by default. I had rather keep my
Advanced, advanced even sounds more advanced than Extra does.

To the average lay person, I bet they'd agree that of the five
license classes, they think Advanced would likly be the highest.
I've never thought the EXTRA name conveyed the true sense
of the license being the highest overall.

YMMV

Cheers,
Bill K2UNK