[SECC] W5XX on the ARRL License Restructuring Plan

[Bill Coleman]

On 1/30/04 8:40 AM, Macie, Gordon at GMacie at innotrac.com wrote:

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

No doubt. However, the choices for phone segments is somewhat limited. 
Any segment given will must overlap the existing priviledges for General, 
and these are exactly the segments where the nets have concentrated.

>>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 was a convincing argument right up until the CB slang part. The CB 
craze is long since dead, having died out almost two decades ago.

>> This is truly 
>> going to be a
>> lose-lose situation.

Is it? As I listen to the bands during the week, they seem awfully empty 
most nights.

The other thing we have going for us is Riley Hollingsworth. The bands 
are a lot more clean and courteous now that the FCC enforcement arm has 
some teeth.

>>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, if you remember, it failed miserably. The ARRL started publishing an 
article entitled "Your Novice Accent" as a pamplet and mailing it to new 
Novices. I still have mine, almost 30 years later.

The problem was, the newcomers copied each other's bad habits, 
reinforcing them rather than learning proper operating procedures from 
more experienced operators. Making Novice ghettos was a huge mistake. The 
Novice license might have been more successful, had Novices intermingled 
with more experienced operators.

>> The current proposal does exactly the reverse.  The "New
>> Novices" will be free to descend on the "Old Timers" without 
>> any restraint.

Exactly. Who better to learn proper operating procedures from than the 
old timers?

>>  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.

So, you're going to move the Novices down below the Extra portion of the 
band, where they will have to contend with higher class licensees trying 
to work intercontinental DX, instead of up in the Net region? And when 
the Novice licensees move up to General, they won't be able to use any of 
the same frequencies, instead having to move to the General suburbs?

I don't think this is wise spectrum management. 

Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
            -- Wilbur Wright, 1901