[TenTec] Extra Class Licensing

[Larry Robison]

Hi Duane,

I agree that both skills are part of the definition of Amateur Radio. I 
think the FCC does also. At the beginning of Part 97 the FCC states

"(c) Encouragement and improvement of the amateur service through
rules which provide for advancing skills in both the communication and
technical phases of the art."

I think this is the crux of the problem with the "dumbing down" of the 
service. The amateur license is not just permission to communicate, although 
that is a part of it. Amateur transmitting equipment does not participate in 
the rigorous "type acceptance" program that the FCC places on the equipment 
for other services (CB..FRS) because there is an expectation that the 
amateur is somewhat technically capable. It is inconceivable that an amateur 
should reach the ranks of the highest, most difficult license available to 
the amateur, and not know the basics.

Ahh but what the heck, it has given rise to new industry. Now you can buy 
microphones with connectors already installed and antennas already cut and 
ready to hang and coax jumpers custom made to your exact length requirement! 
Guys who used to read radio publications under the covers with a flashlight 
after bedtime, like me and Scott, and had to put on own connectors and coax 
fittings are rare anymore! My crystal ball is telling me that there will 
come a day when the amateur license will come in the box, with the radio. 
Sign it, drop in a check, and send it in! We're not that far away now!

--Larry W8ER

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Duane A Calvin" <ac5aa at juno.com>
To: <tentec at contesting.com>
Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2004 11:58 AM
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Extra Class Licensing


>I usually don't respond to these discussions, and I don't want to start a
> firestorm, but I have to disagree with this idea.  Ham radio is *both* a
> technical and a communications hobby.  The reason there is a test on both
> technical and operational knowledge is that the licensee-to-be is
> expected to *understand* the material.  It's not a high hurdle set up to
> test your memorizing skills, despite what it may have become.  Once
> licensed, you are authorized build your own equipment and put it on the
> air without FCC type acceptance or other approvals required on commercial
> gear.  Once licensed, when you tell someone you are a ham, they consider
> you a technical expert, not just a communicator.  CB was about
> communications (if I can stretch it that far), FRS is about
> communications, but ham radio is about technology and communications.
> When the emergency communications station goes down, it's expected that
> the ham will have some concept of where to start looking in order to get
> it back up and operational, for example.  So, while we have crash courses
> to get folks on the air in order to get the numbers up, I don't think we
> are doing the newcomers or the existing ham population any favors.
> That's also why we have a graduated license structure so that folks can
> start out at a lower knowledge level and gradually work their way up to
> the higher skills in the science of electronics and communications.
>
> 73, Duane
>
>
> On Wed, 6 Oct 2004 09:46:54 -0400 "Mark Erbaugh" <mark at microenh.com>
> writes:
>> I have to put in my 2 cents worth.
>>
>> > Many of
>> > those now "getting" amateur licenses are only interested in
>> communicating;
>> > not in the technology at all.
>>
>> Technology is only one aspect of amatuer radio. Communicating is an
>> equally
>> important aspect.
>>
>> I don't think it's essentiall that everyone using any technology,
>> including
>> ham radio understand the all the details of the technology. For
>> example, I
>> completely understand the 'technology' of an outhouse (stuff goes
>> into a
>> hole in the ground), but the most important thing I know about
>> modern
>> plumbing is the phone number of my plumber. Does this mean that I'm
>> should
>> stop using my indoor facilities?
>>
>> Seriously, there are probably, few if any people, who fully
>> understand all
>> the technology that they use each day.  An electonics designer may
>> understand the hardware components of his cellphone, but probably
>> wouldn't
>> be able to debug the cellphone's firmware.
>>
>> In an environment where people are free to explore their interests
>> in
>> different areas, such as what we have in ham radio, advances in one
>> area can
>> feed off of advances in other areas.  A technology guy can implement
>> a new
>> feature in the hardware, a software guy can exploit that and create
>> a new
>> mode of communication. A communication guy can see how to use that
>> new mode
>> to provide better communication.
>>
>> Please don't condemn another ham just because their interests don't
>> coincide
>> with yours - instead look for ways to work together to advance the
>> hobby for
>> us all.
>>
>> 73,
>> Mark, N8ME
>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> TenTec mailing list
>> TenTec at contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
>>
>>
>
>
> Duane Calvin, AC5AA
> Austin, Texas
> _______________________________________________
> TenTec mailing list
> TenTec at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/tentec
>
>
>
> __________________________________________________________
> This message was scanned by GatewayDefender
> 12:06:46 PM ET - 10/6/2004