[AMPS] ARRL and QST

[John Brosnahan]

At 12:01 PM 1/27/99 GMT, Bill Turner, W7TI wrote:
_____________________________________________
>Ham radio is the only hobby I can think of where one is "forced" to
>learn a skill they don't want and will probably never use.  If you're
>taking up photography, are you forced to learn developing?  If you're
>taking up woodworking, are you forced to learn the art of inlays?  I
>could go on and on, but you get the point.  I have an extra class and
>am proud of it, but I don't see any point in forcing someone else to
>learn something against their will.  The operative word here is HOBBY,
>remember?
>
>73, Bill W7TI


Bill, I must disagree with you on this one because of your flawed logic.
You have compared amateur radio and its licensing requirments with
other hobbies that have no licensing requirments, such as woodworking
or photography.  Woodworking and photography do not use any public
"property" such as the air waves and you can choose whatever you
want to learn.  The corresponding electronics hobby would be building your
own stereo equipment or test equipment.

Amateur radio should be compared to something like driving an automobile
where you also use public property.  Why should I have to take a driving
test that involves parallel parking?  I never do any parallel parking--not
at home, not at work, not at the shopping malls.  So lets just do away
with it.  It is still included to show a certain level of competence in one
of the many skills required to be an accomplished driver, using the 
public roads.  I don't need a drivers license and the associated competency
test if I am only going to drive around my own property and not use the 
public roads.  You don't need a ham license and the required competency
test if you are only going to tinker with electronics and not use the public
airwaves.

In an era of "dumbing down" lots of things around us, I value MY license
because I had to work for it.  That work expanded my knowledge and
interests and opened my mind to lots of new areas. Giving the licenses
away would destroy their value and the licensees would not be as 
committed to the hobby.

But this is really no place for this sort of discussion and I will not respond
publicly on the AMPS reflector again about this topic and I suggest it
be taken to a more apporpriate venue.

73,

John  W0UN


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