KØHB wrote:
K4CAP/K4YZ wrote: (about license fees)


I think fees in the $25/year range would not be inappropriate.


So let's take a poll:

Q1: If it cost $250 (plus testing fees) for a 10-year license would you
have become a new amateur radio operator?

--- or ---

Q2: If it had cost $250 to renew your license each time over your ham
radio career, would your license have lapsed by now?



Here are my responses:

Q1: Not a chance.

Q2: When raising a family, spending $250 on a discretionary avocational
item would have been out of the question.


There are probably better ways to make a poll like this, Hans. Your poll
tips all off to your opinion, and won't allow for a good answer from the
pollees. (is that a word?)

Since opinions vary in intensity even among people agreeing on a
subject, it might be better to use a agree disagree scale with say 5
possible answers:

Q1. The Ham license fee should be $250 for a ten year period.

A - Strongly disagree
B - Disagree
C - Neutral or don't know
D - Agree
E - Strongly agree

Q2. I would support a $250 Ham radio license fee if it was tied to
increased enforcement

A - Strongly disagree
B - Disagree
C - Neutral or don't know
D - Agree
E - Strongly agree

Q3. I would never support a $250 Ham radio license fee.

A - Strongly disagree
B - Disagree
C - Neutral or don't know
D - Agree
E - Strongly agree

Q4. I would pay $250 for a ten year Ham license.

A - Strongly disagree
B - Disagree
C - Neutral or don't know
D - Agree
E - Strongly agree

Q5. A ham license is worth $250 for a ten year period

A - Strongly disagree
B - Disagree
C - Neutral or don't know
D - Agree
E - Strongly agree

Q6. $250 is too much for a 10 year Ham license.

A - Strongly disagree
B - Disagree
C - Neutral or don't know
D - Agree
E - Strongly agree

Q7. If the fee for a Ham license were $250 for a ten year term, I would
allow my license to lapse.

A - Strongly disagree
B - Disagree
C - Neutral or don't know
D - Agree
E - Strongly agree

Q8. I would prefer to pay for a $250 license fee once every 10 years, if
it was the case.

A - Strongly disagree
B - Disagree
C - Neutral or don't know
D - Agree
E - Strongly agree

Q9. Paying for a $250 license fee at the rate of $25 per year is the
best way of financing the fee, if it was the case.

A - Strongly disagree
B - Disagree
C - Neutral or don't know
D - Agree
E - Strongly agree

Q10. There should be no license fee, ever

A - Strongly disagree
B - Disagree
C - Neutral or don't know
D - Agree
E - Strongly agree

Then allow a section for comments.

This way you'll get your answers, but without tying the person to a
digital yes/no response. Digital responses are usually way too broad to
be of much use.

My response to this new poll would be:

1 - C
2 - D
3 - B
4 - E
5 - E
6 - D
7 - A
8 - A
9 - B
10 - B

So this puts me down as a person that is neutral on the idea of a $250
dollar fee, but would support such a thing if it were tied to increased
enforcement. I'd never say I would never support such a fee. I think the
fee is too much, but would not allow my license to lapse if the fee were
that much. I'd also prefer to pay the fee at once, rather than spread it
out. And I'd never say there should never be a fee.

Or to answer your poll:

1 - yes
2 - yes


- Mike KB3EIA -