Why are so many defending the proposed automatic upgrade from Tech to General?
 

Until the ARRL proposal came out, I had never heard anyone propose
automatic upgrades of Technician licensees to the General class. Now
that this proposal has come out, many people are defending this part
of the proposal.

I realize this might sound radical, but I believe that the current
licensing system, for the most part, is OK. The only change that I
strongly believe should be made is eliminating the 5 wpm Morse Code
exam for all license classes, including Amateur Extra. Until the ARRL
proposal came out, the Morse Code exam was the main controversy. The
proposed automatic upgrades from Tech to General have now stolen much
of the spotlight.

I oppose the proposed automatic upgrade from Tech to General because
it's too large in magnitude. The General exam material is relevant to
operating as a General licensee and goes into greater depth than the
material on the Technician exam. The proposed automatic upgrade from
Advanced to Amateur Extra is modest in magnitude and can be justified
by the fact that most of the current Amateur Extra question pool was
covered by the old Advanced question pool. But the rationale for
upgrading Advanced licensees to Amateur Extra does not apply to
upgrading Technicians to General. (I realize that there are a few
Technicians who passed the General exam, but the current system allows
them to upgrade to General simply by showing that they earned their
Technician license before a certain date in 1987.)

I realize that No-Code Technicians lack HF privileges, but simply
eliminating the 5 wpm exam would upgrade No-Code Techs to Tech Plus
and also make it easier to upgrade to General. Why not drop the 5 wpm
requirement and then expand the Tech Plus privileges on HF? This
would beef up Technician privileges even more without resorting to
automatic upgrades to the General class. I'm not against free
upgrades, but I believe they should be of modest magnitude.

I may be wrong in saying that the Technician exam is not too difficult
for new licensees. I may be wrong in saying that no new Novice class
is needed. If this is the case, then why not have a 4-class system
instead of a 3-class system? Just split the Technician exam into
separate Novice and Technician exams (which was the case before the
restructuring of 2000) and offer a No-Code Novice license. Going to a
3-class system should involve eliminating the Novice class (with free
upgrades to Technician), not the Technician class. The Technician
class is too important to eliminate.

Believe it or not, I have not changed my views in light of the recent
restructuring proposals. I strongly believe that the Morse Code exam
requirement should be eliminated for all license classes, including
Amateur Extra. (No, Larry, I have not joined your side of the issue.)
However, I do not think that the Technician exam is too difficult.
It seems to me that nobody was complaining about the difficulty of the
Technician exam until the ARRL suggested this. The people who defend
the proposed free upgrades from Technician to General are providing
fodder for the Pro-Code-Testing people who insist that the
Anti-Code-Testing people want to get rid of the written exams. I am
one of the Anti-Code-Testing people, and I think the written exams are
OK.

Jason Hsu, AG4DG

"Jason Hsu" wrote in message
om...

| Until the ARRL proposal came out, I had never heard anyone propose
| automatic upgrades of Technician licensees to the General class. Now
| that this proposal has come out, many people are defending this part
| of the proposal.

People support the ARRL proposal because it gives about 65% of all
existing hams a coupon for a free pass to General or Extra. That
suggests that the proposal would gain 65% support right out of the box.
Even NCI has decided to support it, but then the vast majority of NCI
members are techs who would be eligible for the freebie.

"KØHB" wrote in message link.net...

People support the ARRL proposal because it gives about 65% of all
existing hams a coupon for a free pass to General or Extra. That
suggests that the proposal would gain 65% support right out of the box.
Even NCI has decided to support it, but then the vast majority of NCI
members are techs who would be eligible for the freebie.

Where did you read that No-Code International supports the ARRL
proposal? NCI already submitted a petition, and this petition only
advocated the elimination of the Morse Code test requirement. NCI's
mission is to eliminate this requirement all around the world. It
would not be appropriate for NCI to advocate automatically upgrading
Technicians to General.

Jason Hsu, AG4DG

"Jason Hsu" wrote in message
om...
It
would not be appropriate for NCI to advocate automatically upgrading
Technicians to General.

Jason Hsu, AG4DG

It could be construed as a "natural progression." After all, when you get
right down to it, it's actually about a reduction of effort...the degree of
which is subjective.

73 de Bert
WA2SI

"Jason Hsu" wrote

| Where did you read that No-Code International supports the ARRL
| proposal? NCI already submitted a petition, and this petition only
| advocated the elimination of the Morse Code test requirement. NCI's
| mission is to eliminate this requirement all around the world. It
| would not be appropriate for NCI to advocate automatically upgrading
| Technicians to General.

Here is an excerpt from a message sent to NCI members:

"Almost two months ago we asked for your input on
the major aspects of the ARRL petition (RM-10867)
for amateur license restructuring. You are one of
the 800+ members who participated in the survey.
We thank you for your valued input! The response
was overwhelming as to desiring NCI to support
all the points in the ARRL petition, except, of
course, any continued code testing."

As I read it, that means that NCI is on record as supporting...

.... the ARRL proposal for a new Novice license.

.... the ARRL proposal to immediately upgrade all Technicians to General

.... the ARRL proposal to immediately upgrade all Advanceds to Extra

.... the ARRL proposal to end code testing for General

.... the ARRL proposal for re-farming of the old Novice bands.

In other words, "Let the Great Giveaway Begin".

73, de Hans, K0HB

KØHB wrote:

"Jason Hsu" wrote

| Where did you read that No-Code International supports the ARRL
| proposal? NCI already submitted a petition, and this petition only
| advocated the elimination of the Morse Code test requirement. NCI's
| mission is to eliminate this requirement all around the world. It
| would not be appropriate for NCI to advocate automatically upgrading
| Technicians to General.

Here is an excerpt from a message sent to NCI members:

"Almost two months ago we asked for your input on
the major aspects of the ARRL petition (RM-10867)
for amateur license restructuring. You are one of
the 800+ members who participated in the survey.
We thank you for your valued input! The response
was overwhelming as to desiring NCI to support
all the points in the ARRL petition, except, of
course, any continued code testing."

As I read it, that means that NCI is on record as supporting...

... the ARRL proposal for a new Novice license.

... the ARRL proposal to immediately upgrade all Technicians to General

... the ARRL proposal to immediately upgrade all Advanceds to Extra

... the ARRL proposal to end code testing for General

... the ARRL proposal for re-farming of the old Novice bands.

In other words, "Let the Great Giveaway Begin".


In other words, you can take NCI's previous positions like all they want
to do is elimninate the code test, nothing else and chuck that, eh?
Who'd a thunk it?

Aren't you a member of NCI, Hans?

Heheheheheh.

only the code test, only the code test, only the code
test.....................

"Mike Coslo" wrote

|
| Aren't you a member of NCI, Hans?
|
| Heheheheheh.
|

Aren't you a member of ARRL, Mike? (Which first proposed this "Grand
Giveaway")

Heheheheheh.

With all kind wishes,

de Hans, K0HB

KØHB wrote:
"Mike Coslo" wrote

|
| Aren't you a member of NCI, Hans?
|
| Heheheheheh.
|

Aren't you a member of ARRL, Mike? (Which first proposed this "Grand
Giveaway")

Heheheheheh.


Yes, I am a member of ARRL. But last time I checked, if you don't toe
the party line in NCI, you aren't allowed in NCI.

And that my friend, is no laughing matter.


ARRL appears to tolerate disagreement.


- mike KB3EIA -

"Mike Coslo" wrote

|
| But last time I checked, if you don't toe
| the party line in NCI, you aren't allowed in NCI.
|
| And that my friend, is no laughing matter.
|

Sunuvagun, you seem to be wrong again. I have VIOLENTLY disagreed with
NCI on the notion of free Tech-to-General upgrades, both here in public
and in private email with the directors. Since they haven't
excommunicated me, I guess that the laugh is on you, my friend.

Heheheheheh! (Or is it BWAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!)

With all kind wishes,

de Hans, K0HB