"Hambone the Magnificent" wrote in message
groups.com...

"N2EY" wrote in message
...
(quoting the NCVEC proposal)

In addition, the NCVEC proposed mandatory low
voltage to the final transmitter amplifier stage

What about the 110 AC line?

Good glub OM, where did you get your technical facts?
110 VAC was the standard line voltage in 1927!
Today the standard is 125 VAC. Update your notes.

and that only commercially
manufactured transmitters be used by Communicator Class licensees.

Might as well call it "Appliance Class" and be done with it.

Sour grapes. Poo-Poohs. Cry me a river.
Same shi+ different day. Blah Blah Blah.
You old ham farts think everyone should know
code just because YOU had to learn it 40+
Years ago in a smoke filled room. OyVey
Bitch-****-and-Moan.....(playing my violin)

Communicator Class licensees must pass a simple 20 question
multiple-choice written exam and will be required to obtain, read and
certify their understanding of the Part 97 rules.

This is the worst part. We must fight this like the plague. What it
*really"
means is that there will be *no* rules and regs questions on the 20
question
test!

How do you know that? You don't even know
what the present day standard Line Voltage is!

The old Novice I took was 20 questions, and we could homebrew. Which I
did from
Day One. If a 13 year old kid with books for Elmers could safely build
transmitters in the hollowstate era, why all these additional limits
today?

That was THEN - this is NOW.

I got my licence in 1969 btw and my first xmitter was
a DX-60B (which I built from a kit) and a Drake 2B.
Would I burden today's hams to do the same? No way.
It's a different era.


But why forbid them from experiencing such an activity?? That makes no
sense in light of the basis and purpose of amateur radio as stated in the
current Part 97. They should not be required to homebrew nor should they be
prevented from home brewing.

As someone said at a Bond Traders Luncheon I was
at 2 Months ago: "Glue-ing feathers to your ass
DOES NOT make you a rooster in the hen house".

NCVEC's proposal makes the ARRL one look good. Which isn't saying
much...

I'll give you that one. The ARRL is trying to backpeddle
big time as the hobby is dying on the vine with ever month
of the full-page listings of SK's. They should have been doing
this kind of restructuring 20 Years ago!! It's probably too
late now. EXAMPLE: Plunk a teenager in front of a new Yaesu HF station
and a 2 gHz Pentium w/DSL, DVD, CD burner and a Kazaa
account and *try to guess* which one he'll want to play with.....(grin)


The problem is NOT in the licensing structure. There is no structure that
will dramatically increase the number of amateur radio operators, not even a
no test license. The non-licensed services have proven that. Today CB
activity is way down. It is so low that there are now people who not only
have not heard of ham radio, they haven't even heard of CB!

The actual problem is stems from several elements. 1) Most people outside
of amateur radio have never heard of it. So even if they might be inclined
to pursue this hobby, they will never be involved. 2) Amateur radio, as
with any specialized activity, is only going to appeal to a limited number
of people in the first place. 3) There is a greater multitude of hobbies
and activities available today than ever before. People have to make
choices on how to spend their time and money.

I've seen no evidence of ham radio "dying on the vine". The listing of SK's
has shown no quantum leap. The number of new licensees exceeds the number
of licenses expiring.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE