FCC Invites Comments on ARRL Technician Enhancement Proposal

[WA8ZTZ]

Yawn... more of the constant tinkering with the Tech class license.
Maybe the so-called "incentive licensing" scheme was relevant 50 years ago but it is an anachronism today.
Just have one class of license and let water seek its own level.
Let hams self-regulate themselves workable band-plans to accommodate the various modes.
In the end, ham radio is what it is and will survive (or not) based on its own merits and not on
multi-tiered license schemes based on what some consider to be "privileges".

 

[rescue161]

When I was stationed in Japan, I had a reciprocal license. I was a no-code tech in the States, but had full privileges in Japan. My power output was limited to 10 Watts PEP. At that time, I was too poor to buy an HF radio, so I didn't get into HF until later in life. I would welcome allowing full frequency privileges for all classes, but limit PEP to 10W for Tech, 100W for General and 1500W for Extra. It would allow whatever ERP each licensee could generate based on their abilities in antenna building, etc.

 

[alcahuete]

When I was stationed in Japan, I had a reciprocal license. I was a no-code tech in the States, but had full privileges in Japan. My power output was limited to 10 Watts PEP. At that time, I was too poor to buy an HF radio, so I didn't get into HF until later in life. I would welcome allowing full frequency privileges for all classes, but limit PEP to 10W for Tech, 100W for General and 1500W for Extra. It would allow whatever ERP each licensee could generate based on their abilities in antenna building, etc.

But why? Why the absolutely unnecessary arbitrary power limits?

 

[rescue161]

Well, you typically don't need anymore than 10 Watts to work a repeater and if you do, then it forces you to build an antenna that will increase your ERP. It teaches you ham radio and reinforces the principles. You start applying the math equations to design better antennas. Once that sinks in, it begins to make you a better, more knowledgeable ham. I'm a General and have been for a while. I see people all the time that go from nothing to Extra in a very short time and they constantly ask questions to which they should know the answer. When looking at a 6-inch quarter wave UHF NMO antenna they'll say, "Is that for 2-Meters?" Or, "Is that oil in those lines?" when pointing to RG-142 interconnection coax cables on a duplexer.

People have turned the amateur class steps into a contest and they think that just because they are an Extra, that they somehow, all of a sudden, know more than someone that has been doing radio for a long time. I watched a guy go into a testing session, take and fail the Extra test over and over until he passed. The VE team kept letting him pay every time. He just kept guessing until he got it. I don't know how many times he took that test, but it was at least 5. That's just wrong. It was wrong of the VE team to allow him to keep going and it was wrong on behalf of the test taker, because he knew he didn't know or understand the material. An Extra used to be someone that you went to for help. Now, I have Extras coming to me for the answers. They don't want assistance, they just want the answer. They don't care what process is used to get to the answer, they just want it given to them.

I'll close with some numbers. Say a Tech has a 5W HT and just can't seem to get into the repeater, so he finds the plans to build a Yagi that has 12dBd of forward gain. After coax loss of 2dBd, he magically has 50 Watts ERP. There are no arbitrary limits when you know how to overcome the problem with the power of knowledge.

 

[spongella]

As per KB7GJY's comment I do remember Novice classes. They were held in the basement of my Elmer's house back in the mid-70's. Along with several others (one who was an elderly female railroad telegrapher) we were coached through the theory needed to pass, along with code practice. The pace of life was slower then, and the advantage of all those months of class plus listening to code (both on shortwave and W1AW broadcasts) is that it gave us time to mull over the basics of radio theory, talk with others about future station equipment, look through ham radio catalogs, plus it allowed us time to know how to conduct ourselves during a CW QSO.

Fast forward 43 years later...new hams that I am Elmering have gotten their licenses a lot faster than the old days but haven't a clue on what to buy, how to set up a station, how to conduct themselves on the air. I can help them with the first two items, but as far as actually initiating a QSO my advice is to listen listen listen. Most are initially interested in VHF/UHF FM, which generally is easier to familiarize oneself with, but once the conversation turns to operating on HF, I'll do a few demos for them but again I recommend they listen to experienced hams on the air before keying the mic. I guess that what we Elmers do hi hi.

This is not a criticism of the new way folks become hams, it just an acknowledgement of the advantages of slower-paced learning methods of years ago.

 

[nd5y]

But why? Why the absolutely unnecessary arbitrary power limits?

Japan has several license classes. One allows only 10 W on HF and 20 W on VHF and higher bands.
Attachment 3

Introduction

 

[rescue161]

I had mine in 1994. I just remember I had HF privileges, but only had a VHF 5 Watt handheld. There was a MARS repeater on the island, but I did not hold a MARS license, so I could use it. All of the local repeaters were UHF, so I was stuck with simplex VHF. A friend of mine also had a 7J6 call and we had pretty good comms all over the island using 1/4 wave mobile antennas. We had to have a sticker with our license on each transmitter. Mine was on the bottom chassis of my FT-411E. I wish I would have kept that radio. My call was 7J6CDD.

 

[alcahuete]

Japan has several license classes. One allows only 10 W on HF and 20 W on VHF and higher bands.
Attachment 3

Introduction

Other countries do a lot of things. Doesn't make it sensible. We (the ham community, regardless of country) are quite literally restricting people for nothing more than the sake of restricting people. Isn't that kinda silly?

Well, you typically don't need anymore than 10 Watts to work a repeater and if you do, then it forces you to build an antenna that will increase your ERP.

We shouldn't have to force anyone to build antennas. This is not 1900. We don't need Morse Code. We don't need to build antennas. If you WANT to learn Morse Code and WANT to build antennas, knock yourself out! I personally have far more money than time, so you will not catch me building an antenna anytime soon. That does not make me any less of a ham. 20 years ago? Sure, I was building antennas, an officer on the college ham radio club, etc. Now? Not a chance. We should not stop someone from becoming a General or Extra simply because they go to the store and buy a radio and antenna instead of building their equipment from scratch.

So I ask again, of all you folks who want restrictions just for the sake of having restrictions, why? Why are you so bent on having unnecessary restrictions? What could possibly be the reason?

If we want some practical standards, since we still give tests manually in person, I would be perfectly okay with handing somebody a radio and making sure they know how to get on a repeater, or get on HF, make calls, etc., etc., as part of the ham test. We have that luxury still of doing tests in person.

 

[zz0468]

Other countries do a lot of things. Doesn't make it sensible. We (the ham community, regardless of country) are quite literally restricting people for nothing more than the sake of restricting people. Isn't that kinda silly?

It is silly, taken out of context like that. To put it back into proper context, you need to go back to the early days of radio, and what was occurring on the airwaves that forced us into tightly regulating them. The mutual interference was awful. Much of it was through incompetence, some through malice. The end result was, a promising new technology that was essentially made useless through anarchy.

The bottom line is, necessity at the time forced regulation of a pristine unregulated environment. The technology has changed, but human nature hasn't. The testing and licensing should reflect those changes.

 

[alcahuete]

It is silly, taken out of context like that.

It wasn't taken out of context at all. To say we should do it because other countries do it is silly, plain and simple.

To put it back into proper context, you need to go back to the early days of radio, and what was occurring on the airwaves that forced us into tightly regulating them. The mutual interference was awful. Much of it was through incompetence, some through malice. The end result was, a promising new technology that was essentially made useless through anarchy.

Go back to the early days of radio? I think we all understand, 100+ years later, why there needs to be rules and regulation on the airwaves. That's not in question. It's like saying we need to go back to the early days of aviation to understand why we need rules and regulation for flying. I think that's just a given at this point, and anybody with half a brain understands why.

What is not being understood is the desire for arcane rules just for the sake of having them. Take the Technicians only being able to use CW on the HF spectrum (minus 10m of course), for instance. Does that not strike you as being completely ridiculous? Now we want to limit these folks to 10w on the HF bands (because Japan does it!) why exactly...because they might cause interference on the airwaves? Could somebody not go in, memorize a test, and test out on Technician through Extra in one session, get on the airwaves at 1500w and cause interference? Are there not Generals and Extras who could cause interference on the airwaves? Just because they can memorize answers and pass a test does not mean they are going to be good operators. It just doesn't. And trying to equate the higher license classes to better operators is just plain nonsense, to be honest. Go on 80m SSB or AM any night of the week and you'll see exactly what I mean. Those are not Technician class operators.

So let's just call it what it is. We want all these crazy restrictions and limitations because we have people in our community who just want to say that they are better than everyone else. We should have a license class for the electronic elites, right? That's all it is. There is absolutely no reason we can't have one license class, where everybody gets all the privileges, except for the fact that a group of vocal elites doesn't want people to have the same privileges that they do. What a shame.

 

[rescue161]

Wow, didn't mean to strike a nerve. You seem very passionate about the subject at hand. Have fun with trying to make everyone agree with you.

 

[alcahuete]

Wow, didn't mean to strike a nerve. You seem very passionate about the subject at hand. Have fun with trying to make everyone agree with you.

Not trying to make anyone agree with me at all. Don't care if anyone agrees with me, TBH. Simply adding to the discussion. I'm definitely passionate. Ham radio has been a hobby of mine for almost 25 years. I would hope we all share the same passion when it comes to our hobby and its future.

I'm personally just tired of all the obstructionists in our hobby, who simply don't want others in their sandbox. Thankfully for the hobby, the obstructionists have been wrong every single time. They were wrong with the No-Code Tech. They were wrong with the elimination of the Morse Code requirement. They will be wrong this time as well, as I'm almost certain the FCC will agree.

 

[KE0GXN]

I made my comments known to the powers that be and they will ultimately decide how they see fit. Like I said in another well known forum...

I am starting to lean towards just a one license concept. Test for everything on one test and be done with it. Just cut the upgrading issue out of the equation...You get tested and licensed for all aspects.

You pass a 100-125 question test of relevant operational practices and your are granted a full Amateur Radio license.

 

[kb7gjy]

I made my comments known to the powers that be and they will ultimately decide how they see fit. Like I said in another well known forum...

I am starting to lean towards just a one license concept. Test for everything on one test and be done with it. Just cut the upgrading issue out of the equation...You get tested and licensed for all aspects.

You pass a 100-125 question test of relevant operational practices and your are granted a full Amateur Radio license.

Then I ask, how do you implement that change into the current classes of licenses.

Further everyone might be missing something. If any of our suggestions are taken, please take into account the reciprocity with other countries and all the fish hooks that are involved.

Honestly, if we as a group, could come up with a solution, a workable solution, I think it would hold more weight.

 

[belvdr]

Then I ask, how do you implement that change into the current classes of licenses.

The same way Novice and Advanced licenses were handled when they were decommissioned: you stay at your current level until you upgrade. All new licenses fall under the new rule.

 

[dfw1193]

Instead of just giving them privileges for the sake of giving them, perhaps it's time to just have a major overhaul of the tests. People aren't upgrading to General or Extra, because quite frankly, the information on the tests is completely asinine. That's coming from an Extra. The material is stupid. Nobody really needs to know probably 95% of what's on the test. Change the test to FCC rules and operating practices and I bet we would see a ton of people upgrade. But of course, that will just further infuriate the old crusy hams who still think you should know Morse Code to progress. Too bad. Get over it.

It's time to move on. It's almost 2020, not 1920.

Dont need to know the material just have a good memory and ability to memorize keywords in the published answers to the math and other questions. With a good memory and minimal time you can upgrade to gen in a wwek and extra the following week, once you got the license you never have to retest as long as you dont let it expire theres no reason younger techs shouldnthave an extra license since there memory is very sharp.

 

[dfw1193]

What they need to do isretest the old hams over 70 who think they own the frequencies and rag chew for hours at a time really thats what cell phones are for.

 

[AK9R]

You pass a 100-125 question test of relevant operational practices and your are granted a full Amateur Radio license.

100-125 question test? Seems like a huge barrier to entry.

Currently the Technician and General tests are 35 questions each and the Extra is 50 questions. Are you suggesting that we eliminate the current low entry barrier and substitute one license examination equivalent to going from nothing to Extra in one exam?

 

[marjam49]

I am going today to try and get my tech license. I have studied for a couple of months all the questions. If you mean just add more questions from the current pool from the general exam and not add anymore to learn, that isn't too bad, but to learn comfortably the current question pool for the tech license took me a couple of months. If more were added to learn, you would still have some test regardless, but someone like me maybe would not. And you need more people into the hobby, to keep it going for the people that get out of the hobby, pass away, etc. Network radios are one component of the future that can either hurt or help amateur radio, it just depends on the innovation of how far companies want to develop it. I see lots of different Network radios for sale out there, and if it has no barriers for people in terms of having to get licensed, then you already have an alternative for prospective new hams. In my opinion, I wouldnt make it harder for new people to get their license.


Sent from my LG-H931 using Tapatalk

 

[KE0GXN]

Then I ask, how do you implement that change into the current classes of licenses.

Technicians and Generals would take the test and be granted a full amateur radio license. Since Extras already have full privileges they can be immediately issued the new license.

Techs and Generals who have no desire to upgrade, can stay where they are at, just like the Tech plus and Advanced now and eventually they will be phased out through attraction.