Leo wrote:

On Fri, 06 Feb 2004 05:34:03 GMT, Dave Heil
wrote:

Len Five Decades Over 21 but not acting a day over eleven wrote:

If you're waiting for radio
amateurs to be impressed by your professional credentials, you're likely
going to be disappointed.

I must admit, I've taken a shot or three at Len over exactly the same
issue - no Amateur callsign = no valid opinion on Amateur issues.

However, a little research reveals that this distinction would be
irrelevant in Canada, as we grant full Amateur license privileges upon
request to persons with appropriate Professional license
qualifications.

So all our Leonard needs do is move to Canada and see if professional
credentials are recognized there. Then he can apply for an amateur
radio license.

It does not work that way here nor should it. With Len's professional
credentials, it should be a snap for him to obtain an amateur radio
license in his own country. The fact is, Len doesn't care about
obtaining an amateur radio license. He is only a self-appointed
advocate for change in an endeavor in which he is not a participant.


It would seem to me that this makes perfect sense - radio operation is
radio operation, and the Pros have made a career of it - and invested
considerably more education, time, effort and ongoing training than
would be possible for most hobbyists. After all, it would be pretty
silly for the folks at the local photo club to argue that Yosuf
Karsh's pictures were pretty good, but not up to "Amateur" standards!

I'm not so sure about that. I've had communications professionals try
to have me QSY an RTTY circuit from a 9 MHz frequency in late afternoon
to a 24 MHz frequency for a path which was only several hundred miles.
Most hams with any experience can tell you that such a path regulary
requires lower frequencies, not higher ones.


After all, the testing done for Amateur licences today is pretty easy
to pass, even without a formal education in electronics. Too easy,
I'd say, but that is another issue......(when 7 year olds can pass
exams with questions requiring calculation of squares, logs and
complex numbers - which sure as heck weren't part of my kids Grade 2
syllabus - I start thinking rote memorization of question pools....)

If it is so easy, a (and let me use Len's term) RADIO PROFESSIONAL
should have no trouble at all passing it. What would be the motivation
for a licensing "gimme"?

A question - was a similar arrangement for the recognition of
professional credentials in the Amateur service ever in place in the
US? With the reciprocity agreement between Canada and the US, someone
who has obtained their Amateur licence based on their Professional
qualifications automatically gains full Amateur operating privileges
when travelling in the US. One would think it logical for this
arrangement to be bidirectional, n'est pas?

There is no such mechanism available in the United States. A U.S.
citizen licensed in Canada may not use his Canadian license when
operating from the U.S.

Dave K8MN