GB> FCC NPRM

[Stu Lyon]

I've spent my life designing highly technical things for the aerospace
industry. But as an Advanced class ham because I could not copy 20 wpm.
Meanwhile many Extra class hams I knew who didn't know one thing about the
technical aspects of radio were busy enjoying the privilege because they had
somehow mastered an obsolete means of communication.

I was finally able to "ace" the Extra class written exam when they lowered
the code requirement to 5 wpm in April 2000. Incidentally, I found the Extra
technical exam to be less difficult (and certainly less pertinent) than the
General class exam I took in 1956. In those days you actually had to draw
schematics. The current Extra exam is all about earth-moon-earth
communication, phasing of three to six vertical anntennas and other subjects
that don't apply to most ham's operations.

Let's face it, at the rate we are going, ham radio is a dying art. When I
took the General class exam, I was the old guy there at age 22. This time
when I took the Extra, there was just one person there under 50 - and he
failed his Tech exam.  In 30-35 years all these arguments about "code/no
code" and "bandwidth allocation" will be non-starters because there will be
no one around to participate.

Just my thoughts...
73, Stu W6CUX
Winnetka, CA
w6cux at earthlink.net

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Scott Johnson" <scottjohnson1 at COX.NET>
To: <BOATANCHORS at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV>
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2005 7:07 AM
Subject: Re: [BOATANCHORS-TEMPE] GB> FCC NPRM


> How does knowing morse code make one more technically savvy?  Morse code
> requires only the same attributes that make a good musician, not brains or
> technical expertise.  The fact is, amateur radio does not have the appeal
it
> once did.  Kids don't stare in awe at an amateur station, and dream of
> talking to someone thousands of miles distant.  They can do that with a
cell
> phone.  A bunch of nerdy, overweight, stinky guys don't make much of a
dent
> in an emeregency, either.  The fact is, our numbers are dwindling, the HF
> bands are wide open, and there is no beacon calling to fresh, young
members
> to our ranks.  About the only strange phenomenon I have witnessed is the
> recent upsurge in vintage equipment by young operators, but this is fairly
> isolated to the circles I travel in, I'm afraid.  The code reqiuirement is
> silly, makes little difference at this point, and I believe prevents some
> potentially very interesting people from joining our ranks.  I also
believe
> that the FCC (and most of the world) could care less about amateur radio,
so
> it would seem best to not anger them further.
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Bill Fuqua" <wlfuqu00 at UKY.EDU>
> To: <BOATANCHORS at LISTSERV.TEMPE.GOV>
> Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2005 6:32 AM
> Subject: Re: [BOATANCHORS-TEMPE] GB> FCC NPRM
>
>
> >     The code test is the only test that does not have the questions and
> > answers published so that  anyone can memorize them.  How ever it is
still
> > multiple choice.  The answers are  A or B or C or D.............or T or
U
> > or V or W or X or Y or Z  and numbers etc. So what is the problem.
> >     I think the FCC (Administration) believes the hams are in the way of
> > their plans for the spectrum.  And by reducing the requirements for
> > getting license they can create a self fulfilling prophecy. That is at
> > some point they can say that today hams are not as technically qualified
> > as they were years ago and their services are not needed.
> >
> > 73
> > Bill wa4lav

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