Dee:

You might be right, I think I have a defective crystal ball anyway, never has
worked with 100% accuracy, not even close

However, I have been on CB channel 17--27.165 a lot, informing the truck
drivers, they seem very interested, about 1 out of every five want to know
more. In reality this probably translates to 1 out of every 10 which will
actually do something about it (quite possibly even lower). Still, if word is
gotten out effectively, should produce quite a "bump" in new licenses. Those
guys carry the word to many states.

Also, first time I catch Art Bell on 3.840Mhz, I will try to get him to mention
it on his show (I certainly don't have special influence with the man, but if
enough of us prompt him, hey!), the discontinuance of CW, perhaps even give a
little chat on the benefits of the hobby, that show reaches millions! He
should be able to create quite a "bump" all on his own! Be nice to see him do
an hour or so with a couple of hams "friendly" to these new changes and stoke
the hype up a bit...

Let's make this "bump" as BIG as we can!

I have posted a flyer on all the bulletin boards at the college too, and an EE
professor extra has offered to assist newbies to amateur radio. He has gotten
the ok to use the college facilities and even set up some kind of summer course
(~1 unit) to prepare in obtaining a general ticket.

We will be keeping our fingers crossed here...

John

"Dee Flint" wrote in message
...

wrote in message
ups.com...

Dan/W4NTI wrote:
"Dee Flint" wrote in message
...

"John Smith" wrote in message
...
N2EY:

I think at this time, the tech ticket can be dropped, let 'em go general
to start or forget it!!! Just combine tech&gen tests to one...

John


As I've mentioned before, in my classes in the future, I'll be
encouraging
my students to do that extra bit of study and go straight for the
General.
Apparently some of the proposals to the FCC did suggest this but they are
not ready to go this route just yet.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE

That is a good idea Dee. With the massive desertion of V/UHF for HF, it
will be a vast wasteland. Yes indeed, standby for the giant sucking
sound.

All us present users of HF will have to make room, we will have phone all
the way down to 14.010. The FCC will be deluged with demands, yes demands
for more spectrum.

Maybe not, Dan.

The license is just the first step. Then comes building a station,
putting up
an effective antenna, getting on the air, learning the characteristics
of the
various bands, etc.

How many folks are actually going to do all that? Particularly during
sunspot minimum?


Yeah I think we won't see any major changes. There will be a noticeable blip
in upgrades but that's about it. Actually the fact that it is being
implemented at the time of a sunspot minimum means we are at risk of losing
hams as they upgrade, find the HF bands difficult and then drop out. We'll
really need to do some exra Elmering to help the new people and keep them in
the hobby.

Even 11 meters will be turned back into a ham band.

A lot of folks are going to be surprised that all of HF isn't like 11
m.

After all that is what all the anti-code is all about, right?

We'll see.

---

One report I read is that in Germany, where the code test was dumped
some time back, there has been an *increased interest* in Morse Code
operation! Apparently a sizable number of newcomers want to use Morse
Code, test or no test, simply because it's different, takes skill, etc.

73 de Jim, N2EY

313

I hope so. Again perhaps the fact that the change in the code requirements
comes as we approach a solar minimum will affect how people view the code.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE