[UK-CONTEST] Foundation Licence.

[Daniel Schlieper]

On Tue, 2 May 2006, Ivan Davies wrote:

> Quite a few Foundation licencees locally and some spoken too recently 
> have expressed alarm at the seemingly vast amount of knowledge required 
> to obtain an Intermediate. I see much sense in this and think that the 
> fault is with the Foundation being somewhat TOO easy.There is a big step 
> change in the examination requirements, and perhaps the standard of the 
> Foundation should be increased somewhat as a preparation for proceeding 
> further.
>         Cheers es 73 Ivan G3IZD

Why? What is the problem? Of course the next steps are more and more 
difficult. That's the idea of it. There are elders, tutors and books to 
help.

What is really great about the Foundation Licence is that it allows us to 
introduce Amateur Radio to many people. Some will be bitten by the bug and 
really go for it, others might loose interest sooner or later. But they 
all will have a positive attitude towards the hobby (that might be 
important if you want to put up that big mast).

It is a misconception that all HF operators must be able to copy 25 wpm 
morse, or must upgrade to a Full licences sooner or later. Mabye they are 
happy with the privileges? Maybe there don't want to design home brew 
transceivers as a preparation to a university course in radio engineering. 
What is is wrong with them just enjoying the hobby? There are definitly 
very skilled operators out there with a M3 callsign, all working QRP. 

Only because in the 1960s, the classic carreer was from SWL to PW Reader 
to Radio Amateur to Radio Engineer, that doesn't mean it must be like 
that now.

Why don't you leave the Foundation Licence system alone. As it is, it is 
the work of a genius. It is adopted in many countries all over the world, 
because it actually works. Other schemes with a more difficult entry or 
with less interesting privileges ("better incentives to upgrade") all 
failed to attract more people to the hobby. For example in DL, which has a 
more difficult entry levels, operators moan about the hobby was dying out, 
and contesters complain about the lack of activity during the contests.

Can we get back to contesting now, please?

Daniel M0ERA (ex M3CAX), Oxted, Surrey