Red Wave Radio

This is real. Just went to arrl web page. All Novices and Tech + to
become Generals in essence if this goes through.

ARRL Proposes Simplified Amateur License Structure

The ARRL Board has agreed to propose a simplified Amateur Radio
licensing
structure with four classes. Lengthy discussion and
debate during the Board's meeting July 16-18 led to majority support for
a plan
for four written examination elements to establish
amateurs' operational and technical qualifications instead of the
present five,
and two Morse code examination elements instead of
the present three.

Under the plan adopted by the Board, the entry level to Amateur Radio
would be
known as Class D and would convey the
privileges of the present Technician license. The written examination
would be at
the same level of difficulty as that of the present
Technician examination, but consistent with the privileges of the
license. All
amateurs now licensed as Technicians would become
Class D.

The next step would be known as Class C and would convey the privileges
of the
present General license, but with phone
subbands expanded by 50 kHz on 75 and 15 meters and by 25 kHz on 40
meters. Class
C would be the entry level to high
frequency (HF) operating privileges. To upgrade from Class D to Class C,
an
amateur would pass a written examination on the
operational and technical qualifications required for HF operation and a
5 word
per minute Morse code examination. All amateurs
now licensed as General, Technician Plus, and Novice would become Class
C. The
expansion of the telephony sub-bands would
result from "refarming" of the Novice CW bands that are no longer
required for
their original purpose.

The third step would be known as Class B and would convey the privileges
of the
present Advanced license, but with phone
subands expanded by 50 kHz on 75 and 15 meters and by 25 kHz on 40
meters. To
upgrade from Class C to Class B, an amateur
would pass a more advanced written examination similar in difficulty to
the
present Element 4A and a 12 word per minute Morse
code examination. All amateurs now licensed as Advanced would become
Class B.

The final step would be known as Class A and would convey the full
privileges of
the present Amateur Extra Class, with
telephony sub-bands expanded by 50 kHz on 75 and 15 meters and by 25 kHz
on 40
meters. To upgrade from Class B to Class A,
an amateur would be required to pass the most difficult written
examination in the
sequence. Consistent with the practice in many
other countries, no additional Morse code examination would be required
beyond 12
words per minute. All amateurs presently
licensed as Amateur Extra Class would become Class A.

In their discussions, Board members emphasized that the objective is to
rationalize and simplify the amateur licensing structure
without reducing the requirements for any class of license. Where
reductions in
Morse code requirements are proposed, there
would be a corresponding increase in written examination standards. On
the other
hand, Board members were adamant that
simplifying the structure should not come at the expense of privileges
already
earned by amateurs. Therefore, present Novice and
Technician Plus licensees, having earned entry-level HF operating
privileges,
would be granted the new entry-level HF license.

Adoption of the simplification plan marks the culmination of 30 months
of work by
the Board, during which time the input of
literally thousands of ARRL members and other amateurs and prospective
amateurs
was considered. The Board debated a wide
variety of options including both smaller and larger numbers of license
classes,
higher and lower qualification levels, and different
privileges. Nine of the 15 Directors voted in favor of the plan, with
six opposed.
Following the meeting ARRL President Rod
Stafford, W6ROD, observed, "The debate was at times contentious and the
result was
not unanimous. Some Board members
preferred greater simplification; others were uncomfortable with some of
the
changes being proposed. However, every Board
member, without exception, left the meeting knowing that each of his or
her
colleagues did what they believe is best for the future
of Amateur Radio."

Members are urged to contact their ARRL directors to comment on this
proposal.
E-mail addresses are on page 10 of any issue of
QST. Members also may comment on the proposal via the ARRLWeb site,

--

73's
Robert E. Dodson

WB5APD/EM84AK
"ex-WA4WQC, ex-WV6SKV"

I guess it is true that successive generations of Americans are getting
"more stupid" and less capable, and therefore need to have things made
easier for them.  Gee, now the Tech minuses can sport a "class D" license
just like the legal CBers used to.  What's next, a driver's license with no
written or driving test, or maybe a PhD in Theoretical Physics without
having to go to college?

Reid, K7YX
Physicist, Engineer, and "Class A" Amateur Radio Operator

There is nothing wrong with having strict standards for licensing, but
they should be relevant to the end of the 20th century not the
begining.

On Tue, 21 Jul 1998 12:46:20 -0700, Reid Simmons

I never thought anything on this newsgroup could pull me into getting
involved.

I think I speak for MOST of the older hams.  We don't care whether you
can send SOS on CW.  Just learn SOMETHING before you get on the air.
I will welcome you into this hobby (code or codeless), if you are able
to pass a test on the theory without knowing the answers beforehand.
Let's face it..  This VE program along with the Q&A question packages,
have gutted this hobby.  If you hate the code, but still think an
interest in electronics has something to do with what's left of ham
radio, join me to make a change in the way these exams are prepared and
given.

Thanks

Dan
W5VJ

Just more of the current generation way of thinking, "I shouldn't have
to work for and earn it, I deserve it!!"

never continue. I quit when I got fed up with old timers telling me how lazy
and stupid us kids were. Fire up any HF band and listen to the
conversations...Where are all the members of the "less stupid" generation?
They are on 40m complaining about there back problems, knee problems, rectum
problems, RV problems, or describing the latest Japanese microprocessor
controlled rig they bought. I can have a much more intelligent conversation
with my 5 year old son, and I won't get a lecture about how hard life use to
be in the old days.

Us "stupid" ***agers are now running the new world of electronics, and
generally are NOT hams.

Ham radio competes with the internet, video games, soccer, etc. A hobby
changes with the times, or it dies. For me, it died.  

Dodson,

I checked the ARRL website, and you do have it correct.

As an extra class op since '64, I realize that something must be done,
and suppose this plan is as good as any, knowing full well that there
will be changes & revisions.

One revision would be mandatory. General class ops who have passed 13
wpm MUST be granted credit for the new 12 wpm test, or "grandfathered"
if you will

Also, a general overhaul of the VE system is in order. In years gone by,
the form 610 was mailed in before the test, and a sealed envelope with
the examinees name on the outside was mailed to the examiner. At the
test session, the examiner tore open the envelope, the examinee
completed the papers inside, and the examiner resealed the envelope and
mailed it in, without grading or comment. Seemed simple to me and
relatively cheat-proof. Something like that  brought up to date would be
a boon to paper-work ***d VEs.

Thanks for bringing this to our attention.

Bob, w6lac

end
Johnsonburg, PA  15845  (814)965-2634
W6LAC, Elk County, PA USA, Grid FN01pl
http://www.redwaveradio.com/;  

I purchased a Globe Hi-Bander for a father-son project, and it is a
basketcase ( read - FUN).  I had a question about the crystals... are
the crystals for this unit fundamentals or not?   If not, what range of
freqs should the crystals be at.. I have boxes of them and don't know
where to start.

THanks

Paul,

N3PEE

Bob,

As long as the Q&As are published like they are now, it is pure folly
to try and prevent cheating. Anyone can pass a multiple-guess test for
which the answers are published with a very minimal amount of study if
they know how to do it (and it's dead simple, and, no, *I* won't tell
you how it's done) and not have the ability to actually retain or apply
any of the knowledge. The current written tests are a sick joke if you
are looking to screen ops for knowledge of theory and regulations. They
are just a minor hoop to jump through.

73,

Casey

Quote:>Something like that  brought up to date would be
> a boon to paper-work ***d VEs.

> Thanks for bringing this to our attention.

> Bob, w6lac

> end
> Johnsonburg, PA  15845  (814)965-2634
> W6LAC, Elk County, PA USA, Grid FN01pl
> http://www.redwaveradio.com/

--
Casey, KS7J, FNW #1, FISTS #3648, CC #450
Trustee, FISTS Northwest, K7FFF, FISTS #4400, CC #457
http://www.redwaveradio.com/

Crystals for that rig are FT243 type and in the 8 "MC" (read MHz) range.
Frequencies below 8.333 multiply to 2 meters, and above 8.333 multiply
to 6 meters. [...thats a rule of thumb; better multiply out the actual
numbers to be sure you're in the band or sub-band.]

I owned one of those many moons back, and it did work quite well. Should
make a good father-son project alright, but better find a diagram for a
roadmap around those circuits.

Good Luck,

Bob, w6lac

end
Johnsonburg, PA  15845  (814)965-2634
W6LAC, Elk County, PA USA, Grid FN01pl
http://www.inergy.com/BearCreek_Cabin