OK, guys and gals ... this should get the discussion going.
I'm just the messenger. Check out the full details at
http://www.arrl.org/news/restructuring
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ARRL Proposes Simplified Amateur License Structure
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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.
How Present Amateur Licenses Translate to
New Licenses Under the ARRL Proposal
Present Proposed
Amateur Extra Class A
Advanced Class B
General Class C
Technician Plus Class C
Novice Class C
Technician Class D
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.
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