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#11
January 25th 04, 02:54 PM
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"N2EY" wrote in message ... In article , Paul W. Schleck writes: In (N2EY) writes: In article om, "Dee D. Flint" writes: 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. That's probably correct, Dee. And that's what bothers me! As you say, FCC has never done free upgrades, and the last time the issue came up (98-143), the ARRL proposal was for existing Novices (!) and Tech Pluses to get free upgrade to General. Of course, FCC said "no way", and has had no problem whatever keeping the closed-to-new-issues classes in their database. So why propose something FCC obviously isn't going to do? Just wastes everybody's time. More important, it diverts attention from the other issues. oh wait, I think I just answered my own question...;-) 73 de Jim, N2EY I brought this subject up with someone in the League. This exact thread, actually. I was told that the ARRL BoD sincerely believes (take at face value, or not) that failure to upgrade licensees in the FCC R&O for WT 98-143 was not a final "no" answer. Maybe it wasn't. But are such freebies really a good idea? Here's your options: We currently have essentially a 6 license system in place (even though several licenses are no longer issued). To go from that system to the one proposed by ARRL leaves three options as I see it: 1. The one-time free upgrade process as put forth by ARRL which takes nothing away from anyone and immediately gets everyone into the new 3 license system, or 2. Go to the new system but "grandfather" those on current but no longer to be issued license classes which takes nothing from anyone but presents a dual system of licenses, rules and regulations which would likly exist for decades until those with licenses no longer being issued as new ended up SK or otherwise dropped from our ranks or, 3. Implement the ARRL 3 licnense system and downgrade some folks to new Novice (i.e. the Techs) or General (i.e the Advanced). This last scenario takes away privileges and we all know how well that went down in the late 60's Incentive Licensing implementation. To me the answer is clear...and, I suspect so is it also to ARRL which is why the proposal includes free upgrades. Rather, it is just one of the unresolved loose ends that was deliberately not tied up until better consensus emerged from the amateur radio community about things like Novice band refarming, etc. The League official noted that the ARRL's band refarming proposal, RM-10413, has been sitting on an FCC official's desk for about two years now (he claims to know the exact FCC official, but did not name him). Because of this, as long a wait, if not longer, is expected on a "final" answer concerning automatic upgrading. I say we should judge by actions. When FCC thinksa proposal is a good or bad idea, they act. How long did the whole 98-143 process take, from initial release of the NPRM to the new rules in April 2000? More important, what would a lack of free upgrades hurt? Is it really such a burden to require an Advanced to pass Element 4, or a Tech to pass Element 3, in order to get the next higher grade of license? See options 2 and 3 above. Cheersm Bill K2UNK |
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