[AMPS] Fwd: [Hallicrafters] FCC releases restructuring proposal

Jon Ogden jono@enteract.com
Tue, 11 Aug 98 14:11:13 -0500


Well, here's the latest license restructuring posed by the FCC.

I don't like it.  Even though I am a fan of morse code and feel it should 
be required for HF, under the new proposal GENERAL class would be the 
entry level to HF.  In other words, you'd now have to pass 13 wpm code to 
get on HF.  This is silly and blocks far too many people from getting HF 
priviledges.

I was hoping for better.  The ARRL proposal sounded good.  Hopefully, the 
FCC will modify it's proposal based on public comments.

73,

Jon
KE9NA

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______________________________ Forward Header 
__________________________________
Subject: FCC releases restructuring proposal
Author:  vec@arrl.org at Internet
Date:    08/11/1998 13:12



Dear VE:

The following was just released from FCC.  FCC invites your comments by 
December 1, 1998.

73,

Bart J. Jahnke, W9JJ
Manager
ARRL/VEC

bjahnke@arrl.org

==========================

This is the text of a W1AW Bulletin being run today...

Subject: FCC restructuring proposal
Date: Tuesday, August 11, 1998 12:06PM

FCC proposes to streamline amateur rules

The FCC has proposed to phase out the Novice and Technician Plus class 
licenses, leaving just four amateur license classes in place--Technician, 
General, Advanced, and Extra. The Commission also has asked the amateur 
community to express its opinions on Morse code requirements for 
licensing 
and testing, but offered no specific changes. And the FCC proposed to 
permit 
Advanced class licensees to administer amateur exams up through General 
class. The proposals were among several suggested rules changes and 
invitations to comment contained in an FCC Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, 
WT 
Docket 98-143, made public August 10.

In proposing to phase out the Novice and Tech Plus tickets, the FCC said 
"there appears to be an unnecessary overlap between the Novice, 
Technician, 
and Technician Plus license classes." The FCC also said that Technician 
and 
Tech Plus operators "predominantly" use FM and packet on VHF and UHF. In 
addition, the FCC said Novice applicants last year numbered fewer than 
1000, 
while there were nearly 21,500 Technician applications.

Under the FCC plan, Novice and Tech Plus licensees would retain current 
operating privileges, but no new Novice or Tech Plus licenses would be 
granted. For examination purposes, current examination elements 2 and 3A 
would be combined into a new element 3A. For administrative purposes, the 
FCC would combine the current Technician and Tech Plus databases into a 
single Technician database. The proposal would eliminate the 5 WPM code 
test, Element 1A, as a required element for any class of license.

The elimination of the Novice and Tech Plus license classes would 
effectively raise the bar for future applicants desiring to gain HF 
operating privileges, unless the FCC ultimately reduces Morse code 
testing 
requirements. Since the General class license would become the 
entry-level 
HF ticket under the FCC's proposed rules, applicants would have to pass 
at 
least the 13 WPM code test.

The FCC did not propose to change any operating frequencies or license 
privileges for amateurs. However, the FCC does seeks comment on the 
disposition of the current Novice HF bands, which carry a 200-W output 
power 
limit for all licensees. The FCC invited comment on whether it would be 
"appropriate" to delete the Novice bands and the power restrictions on 
higher-class licensees and permit Novices to operate CW anywhere on 80, 
40, 
15, and 10 meters at 200 W output.

The FCC opened the door to comments on all aspects of Morse code testing 
from the amateur community. In particular, the Commission said it wants 
to 
know if hams prefer the current three-level system or would like to see 
it 
reduced to a one or two-tier system--and, if so, at what required speeds. 
The FCC asked whether hams would be willing to trade a reduction in Morse 
code requirements for additional written elements on newer digital 
technologies "which, in part, are replacing the Morse code." And, the 
Commission asked whether it should consider specifying Morse code 
examination methods, such as fill-in-the-blank or one minute of solid 
copy, 
instead of allowing VEs to determine the testing method.

In a related issue, the FCC also seeks comments on how to deal with 
potential abuses of the current disability waiver for higher-speed Morse 
code tests. In RM-9196, the ARRL had asked the FCC to require anyone 
applying for an exemption pursuant to a doctor's certification to first 
attempt the higher-speed test before examination credit could be given. 
The 
League also asked that VECs have access to relevant medical information 
from 
the certifying physician. The FCC said the ARRL's proposal would place 
"an 
unfair burden on examinees" and raised serious privacy and 
confidentiality 
issues.

The FCC went along with an ARRL petition and proposed allowing Advanced 
class hams to be eligible to prepare and administer license examinations 
up 
through General class under the VE program. The Commission said the 
change 
would permit greater testing opportunities for hams. The FCC also invited 
comments on whether it should change written examination requirements "to 
provide VEs and VECs additional flexibility in determining the specific 
contents of written examinations."

Referring to yet another ARRL petition, RM-9150, the FCC invited comments 
on 
how it can improve its Amateur Radio enforcement processes. The FCC 
applauded the ARRL "for its creative thinking" in that petition, but said 
the specific proposal was "inconsistent" with the current statutory role 
of 
administrative law judges. The FCC raised the possibility of encouraging 
complainants to include a draft order "to show cause to initiate a 
revocation or cease and desist hearing proceeding." The FCC said it also 
wants to hear how it can better use the services of the Amateur Auxiliary 
in 
beefing up enforcement.

The FCC proposed to phase out Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service, or 
RACES, stations by not renewing their licenses. No new RACES licenses 
have 
been issued since 1980, and only 249 valid licenses remain. The FCC said 
RACES stations no longer are needed because any amateur station that has 
been properly registered with a civil defense organization has the same 
privileges as a RACES station.

The FCC also took the occasion to clarify the definition of "power" as 
used 
in the RF exposure table in Section 97.13(c)(1). The FCC said it refers 
to 
peak envelope power (PEP) input to the antenna. It also made clear that 
no 
one holding an FCC-issued ham ticket may apply for a reciprocal permit 
for 
alien amateur license.

The FCC set a longer-than-normal comment period. The deadline for 
comments 
is December 1, 1998. The deadline for reply comments is January 15, 1999. 
The FCC will accept electronic comments via the Internet at 
http://www.fcc.gov/e-file/ecfs.html.

A copy of the complete NPRM will be posted on the ARRLWeb page, 
http://www.arrl.org, as soon as it is available.


---
Submissions hallicrafters@qth.net


----------------- End Forwarded Message -----------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jon Ogden

jono@enteract.com
www.qsl.net/ke9na

"A life lived in fear is a life half lived."


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