response 1 of 34:

Dec 30 23:01 UTC 1999

This no doubt will upset a lot of people, but I'm not dissapointed with it.
It looks like Advanced licenses will be able to upgrade to Extra, if I read
things right.  I havent read the whole report (which is about 70 pages long,
ther is a link to it from the ARRL site) but I'm curious if the 5wpm req. will
be 'sunsetted' if the ITU drops it's morese req. for HF privliges.

I told my dad about this today and he commented that it was nearly this way
50 years ago.  Three license classes that is, of course code was a req. for
all of them.

Jim, you can hit me later, but I'm glad to see only the 5wpm req....;-)

response 3 of 34:

Dec 31 03:09 UTC 1999

from the arrl website:

The effective date provides a window of upgrade opportunity for current
Advanced licensees. Between now and April 15, current
Advanced holders may take the existing Element 4B, a
40-question test, giving them credit for having passed the current Extra
written examination. Likewise, holders of a Certificate of
Successful Completion of Examination (CSCE) for Elements 3B or 4B dated on
or after April 17, 1999, will be able to qualify for General or
Amateur Extra respectively when the new rules go into effect on April 15,
2000. 

response 5 of 34:

Dec 31 12:47 UTC 1999

This is the final report and order...13 and 20 are GONE.  5wpm for the General
and Amatuer Extra.

I'm glad that you're not a snob about this...there are a lot of hams who
are predicting that we'll have one big 11 Meter fun fest once the 'new'
Generals and Extras come on line.....whatever....

response 7 of 34:

Dec 31 20:10 UTC 1999

It seems to me, though, that there are still some checkpoints needed
to provide some encouragement for hams to increase their CW and other
skills. Perhaps the ARRL will introduce code speed certificates. The
reason, of course, is message handling in emergencies, for which CW
is useful in conditions of poor reception and lack of power and/or of
digital modes.

response 9 of 34:

Jan 1 01:33 UTC 2000

hmmm...my first SWR meter was for CB.

response 11 of 34:

Jan 2 05:44 UTC 2000

I suspect that CW has saved more lives than gapping breaker points, though
I do not minimize the necessity of the latter. CW, though, is probably
less useful than knowing CPR. So, what has almost exactly the same
utility as CW, in the "big picture"?

response 13 of 34:

Jan 3 18:29 UTC 2000

I don't disagree with you, except for your blanket "minimal strides"
remarks. I think of TAPR and their support of and technological strides
in packet and APRS and other digital modes. What I think has happened,
though, is that the level of sophistication has increased so greatly
that the "incidental" ham, who originally would become more quickly
adept at the older technology, now has a longer (if not steeper) learning
curve. That is, technology has marched on - and has gotten so far ahead
it is more difficult to catch up to get in step. Hence most amateurs now
don't get far beyond the elementary levels, where they find themselves
as primarily appliance operators. 

However because a technology is old does not mean it is irrelevant. You
could argue that amateurs don't need to know ohms law either (it was
critical when amateurs built their own rigs, but what use is it to
appliance operators, who send their rigs back to the factory for repair?).
I'm inclined to think that a minimal CW familiarity is still a valid
adjunct to the technology of amateur communication - amateurs are not
supposed to be professonals at the cutting edge, even if some once were.

response 15 of 34:

Jan 4 14:56 UTC 2000

Minimal strides?  I'm sure I said it but I don't know in what context.  You
do not need to know ohms law to get a Amateur Radio license.  You do need
to know CW to get it.

Yes, David.  You are correct about the spectrum issue.  Now and than I get
mailings from the ARRL asking me to write a letter to oppose some bill that
is heading for congress that takes away spectrum from amateur operators.  I
have a hard time coming up with solid points that support the ARRL's point
of view.  We EARN or spectrum.  If we do nothing to earn it than the FCC
has a right to take it away and make better use of it.

Yes, there is some cutting-edge stuff going on in Amateur Radio.  Some.
I recall the ARRL being less than approving when questions of spread
spectrum and other modes came up.  Heck, even my $39, 900 MHz portable
phone has spread spectrum!  Yes, rules need to be re-written and such but
that is what the ARRL should be doing instead of thinking up more
contests, writing letters to hams because more spectrum is being lost
and other silly stuff like that.  Many of the ARRL publications remind
me of Captain Marvel comic books.  I mean, Archie for Amateur radio?
What kind of people are they trying to attract here?

response 17 of 34:

Jan 4 17:37 UTC 2000

Yes, there are ohms law question on the test, but you can probably miss
them all and still pass the written portion.  Not so for the CW portion.

If there were less spectrum than the self policing issue might be
minimized, if not more manageable.  It is not a good thing when hams
interfere with ANY sort of health and welfare traffic.  It is sad to
hear that that was going on.

response 19 of 34:

Jan 5 13:07 UTC 2000

I paid the ARRL.com web site a visit to see if I could find a mission
statement or some-such.  It was not easy to find but I did find the following
in article 2 of their bylaws:

The purposes for which our corporation is formed are the following: the
promotion of interest in Amateur Radio communication and experimentation; the
establishment of Amateur Radio networks to provide electronic communications
in the event of disasters or other emergencies; the furtherance of the public
welfare; the advancement of the radio art; the fostering and promotion of
noncommercial intercommunication by electronic means throughout the world;
the fostering of education in the field of electronic communication; the
promotion and conduct of research and development to further the development
of electronic communication; the dissemination of technical, educational and
scientific information relating to electronic communication; and the printing
and publishing of documents, books, magazines, newspapers and pamphlets
necessary or incidental to any of the above purposes.

I also learned that they have introduced a bill that would require replacement
spectrum for any that is taken away.  Perhaps ham radio will return to its
roots and have to make due with what the commercial interests don't want.  Not
a bad idea as I see it.  The undesirable spectrum will allow some to
advance the radio art by coming up with ways to communicate despite lots
of noise and other RF crud.  I'm sure that Phil Karn, KA9Q, and many
others like him, have already come up with ways of of doing this.

response 21 of 34:

Mar 7 21:39 UTC 2000

Hi Guys,

Just was reading the comments about the amatuer Radio restructering... and
it boils down to one thing. M O N E Y!  The Ham radio Hobby isn't a cash cow
like it once was. people can get on the internet and communcate for FREE, why
should they study? you don't need a license to talk to germany on the
internet. hell you can go to http://www.firetalk.com and get free voice
chat software, I use it all the time! less trouble and less problemsthat come
with setting up a ham station! 

I just hope it isn't too late.

-Chuck

K8CPA

response 23 of 34:

Mar 8 13:22 UTC 2000

There is a bit more to it than that, but money is usually involved in
everything, making it a safe bet.

The one big advantage ham radio has going for it is lack of infrastructure.
You can't say that for the internet.  You can also communicate with a
large number of people at the same time, like on a net.  Working the
internet is also difficult / expensive while portable or mobile.