"Vince Fiscus, KB7ADL" wrote in
nk.net:

wrote in news:1109689325.032940.133970
@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com:

http://www.arrl.org

scroll down about 3 stories

Article sez FCC is working on NPRM that will address all 18 existing
proposals. Expected to become public about the middle of 2005. With
the usual comment period, etc., Report and Order by maybe late
2006/early 2007.

73 de Jim, N2EY


If the ARRL has a proposal, could you post it here for review. I refuse
to visit their site anymore. TNX 73

KB7ADL


I don't have the full details of the ARRL petition to hand, but basically
it brings back the Novice licence (without the code), makes Techs into
Generals and Advanceds into Extras, and dumps ths code test except for
Extras, who would still have to pass it.

Two comments on the Antique Radio Relay League's news item. Firstly, it's
very telling that they buried it down the page, just as they did with the
announcement that the code test was abolished by the ITU.

Secondly, it does say at the end that "it's possible the Commission could
wrap up the proceeding before that time frame", so IOW the 2006/7 is just
the League's guesswork.

IMHO, the FCC will not adopt the League's proposal as such. The FCC say
that they are looking for a consensus amongst us, and they are also on
record as saying that the code test doesn't serve any useful purpose. There
is no consensus, so I think they will choose from whatever has been
proposed those things that suit their own organisational objectives, i.e.
reducing administrative burden. IOW, fewer tests and fewer licence classes
suits the FCC.

I predict the code test will not be a continuing feature in the NPRM,
whatever else is, since eliminating a test reduces administrative burden
and they are already on record as wanting to get rid of it.

Reducing the number of classes also appeals to the FCC, so maybe they might
even adopt most of the League's proposal but get rid of element 1 as well?
I don't think so, though, as the line of least resistance is to keep the
current test elements as they are. This means grandfathering Novice to Tech
instead of Tech to General, so that is what I predict they will do.

73 de Alun, N3KIP