[SECC] W5XX on the ARRL License Restructuring Plan

[Macie, Gordon]

FYI


> From: "Malcolm Keown" <w5xx at vicksburg.com>

> Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2004 7:18 PM
> Subject: W5XX on the ARRL License Restructuring Plan
> 
> 
> I was out of town last week visiting relatives in Tennessee.  When I
> returned and opened my mailbox last Saturday Night all sorts 
> of fire and
> brimstone rolled forth regarding the proposed ARRL License 
> Restructuring
> Plan along with some comments that strongly support the Plan.  After
> thinking about this issue for a few days, talking to several 
> folks on the
> telephone, and reading the email traffic, below is my opinion 
> that I sent
> to K5UR.
> 
> See y'all in Jackson!
> 
> Best 73 de W5XX
> 
> 
> Hello Rick,
> 
> I have studied the proposed ARRL License Restructuring Plan.  
> There are two
> points which I think need refinement:
> 
> (a) two of the SSB HF band segments proposed for use by the 
> "New Novices"
> are undoubtedly problem areas.  Specifically, 3900 to 4000 and 7200 to
> 7300.  The 75 M segment is wall to wall nets and ragchewing 
> 24 hours a day.
>  To a lesser extent the 40 M segment is the same during the 
> daylight hours.
> (the ARRL Net Directory lists 327 Nets operating between 3900 
> and 4000 and
> 102 between 7200 and 7300).  When the "New Novices" begin to 
> descend on
> these band segments with cursory knowledge of HF operating 
> procedures and
> the operational protocol of established nets, conflict will 
> ensue.  Heated
> exchanges will probably occur when KG5XXX insists on 
> continuing his QSO on
> frequency past the net start time for a given net or KG5XYZ with his
> lingering CB slang tries to QSO with W5XYZ.  This is truly 
> going to be a
> lose-lose situation.  In the early days of the Novice license, band
> segments were reserved for Novice use from 3700 to 3750, 7150 
> to 7200, and
> 21100 to 21250.  This in effect allowed newcomers to learn 
> among themselves
> and with the benefit of experienced hams who chose to Elmer 
> in these band
> segments.  The current proposal does exactly the reverse.  The "New
> Novices" will be free to descend on the "Old Timers" without 
> any restraint.
>  Seeing that we have Novice segments still in place on 80, 
> 40, and 15, I
> would propose that this spectrum space be allocated (or an equivalent
> space) outside of the existing SSB Bands for "New Novice" 
> operation.  If an
> "Old Timer" chooses to Elmer in these band segments, then that is his
> choice.  This approach will preserve the dignity of the current ham
> community and hopefully eliminate the clashes that are sure 
> to occur if
> proposed ARRL Plan is implemented.
> 
> (b) the  ARRL Plan indicates that the "only substantial 
> difference between
> the Technician and General Class examinations was the Morse 
> requirement."
>  Thus, the "elimination of the Morse requirement for General 
> Class makes
> upward merger of a Technician a natural and minor step."  I 
> beg to differ.
>  A review of "Now You're talking" (5th Edition) and the "General Class
> License Manual" (4th Edition) indicates there are many 
> technical topics in
> the General Manual that are either not included in the 
> Technician Manual or
> receive only cursory treatment.  In particular testing transmitter
> performance, SSB power measurements, Kirchhoff's Law's, power 
> gain, loss,
> and decibels, impedance and reactance, transformers, power supplies,
> filters, modulation techniques, test equipment, etc.  It is 
> difficult to
> draw the conclusion that the current Technician and General 
> Exams are truly
> comparable.
> 
> Request that the Executive Committee revisit these two 
> critical points.
> 
> Best 73 de W5XX
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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