"Carl R. Stevenson" wrote in message
...
"an_old_friend" wrote in message
oups.com...

robert casey wrote:

I still like my suggestion......bottom 25 of ALL HF bands....CW ONLY.
No
digital, etc. That way those that want can.


We could and should do this as a gentlemen's' agreement. No
need for FCC micromanagement here.

well in the eyes of those that see CW under attack they do see still
see a need for a coded reservation, and they fear that they will lose
everything out side of it


It seems true that many, if not most, CW fans fear that other modes will
"over-run" them if the ARRL's "plan" for regulation by bandwidth goes
forward in its present form. I have always stated truthfully here that I
would never support any proposal to ban or restrict the use of CW in any
way, shape, or form and that position still stands. I *also* firmly
believe that CW and other modes should NOT be "squeezed out of existence"
or "over-run by Winlink/PactorIII robots" as many fear will happen if the
"plan" adopted by the ARRL BoD in July were to become FCC regulation.

As a candidate for the ARRL Atlantic Division director's position, I have
gone on record publicly (on the QRP-L reflector and on qrz.com and now
here on r.r.a.p) that, had I been on the ARRL BoD in July, I would NOT
have voted for "the plan" because I believe that the fact that virtually
NOBODY seems to like it indicates to me that it's broken and needs to be
fixed if it's to go forward at all.

Bandplans and band usage are complicated issues where the ARRL or anyone
else is highly unlikely to be able to please everyone - the objective
needs to be to work with the different interest groups towards compromises
that allow us to get to something that at least a significant majority can
accept and say "I can live with that." If I become a member of the ARRL
BoD I would work with all of the interested parties in an effort to forge
that sort of result.

In addition to significantly improving the general level of technical
knowledge and skill of hams, growing our numbers (both licensees and ARRL
members), protecting our spectrum, and getting more people trained for and
involved in emergency communications, one of the MOST pressing problems we
face is to reverse the trend of "compartmentalizing" ourselves into
"factions" whose whole world revolves around one mode or one activity,
because the resulting "turf wars," suspicion/mistrust/paranoia,
in-fighting, and attacks on each other divide us in ways that both are bad
for the ARS as it's seen externally and bad for the ARS internally as we
get along with (or don't) each other.

We should ALL be "hams" (period) and work together cooperatively and
constructively going forward into the future on the truly important issues
facing ham radio and the ARRL. ALL hams should treat each other with
respect and courtesy, regardless of license class or operating
preferences. Experienced hams need to welcome new hams with the spirit of
patience and helpfulness that "Elmering" embodies, rather than treating
them as some inferior form of life.

As far as "dumbing down" goes - I don't buy it - as Ed Hare, W1RFI
(someone who I think most here respect), has recounted ... the "beginner's
test (novice)" in his day had a 3-1/2 page study guide, the general study
guide was 16 pages (I had mis-remembered and stated 12-14 pages in a
couple of presentations, but that was an honest mistake and doesn't really
alter the point). Today, the "Now You're Talking" - the study guide for
the "beginner's test (tech)" is on the order of 200 pages or slightly more
and covers MANY more topics than the study guides of Ed's test-taking days
ever covered.

The point is that things have NOT been "dumbed down" ... there is more to
study and learn than ever before - just to become a "beginner." I was
licensed long enough ago to have been a member of QCWA for some time, and
I am FIRMLY convinced that those who complain about "dumbing down" of the
testing are either being disingenuous, or more likely simply remember the
tests that they took many years ago as being MUCH harder than they
actually were. Besides, the test isn't a proof that you "know all there
is to know," nor SHOULD it be.

I'd ask older hams with higher class licenses to think back to the
mistakes that they made when they first went on the air many years ago -
and how the more experienced hams of the time (generally) were patient,
tolerant, and helpful. Show the newcomers the way in polite, respectful,
and constructive ways, rather than slamming them and telling them they're
no good!

If anyone (particularly from the Atlantic Division) wants to see
information on my background and qualifications and some issues material,
it's available on my personal website at http://home.ptd.net/~wk3c.
Questions and comments via direct e-mail are, of course, welcomed (again,
particularly from ARRL Atlantic Division members).

73,
Carl - wk3c
Good luck to you Carl.

One parting shot ..... now a days the new comers are not like we used to
be. The new hams today are educated by using Cobra's and kickers, and all
the assorted crap that goes along with that mindset.

Dan/W4NTI