[50mhz] A leter to President Haynie concerning entry level proposal

[John Geiger (NE0P)]

Here is a letter I just email to ARRL President Haynie concerning his recent comments about the need for an entry level HF license.  If you feel the same as me, maybe you could drop his a line as well.  

Dear President Haynie,

I am writing you regarding some comments of yours about proposing an entry level HF license which were reprinted in Worldradio.  Since I am reading the Worldradio copy of them, I apologize in advance if I am misstating something you said since I am getting them from a secondhand source.

You refer to a "Two-meter ghetto" which I fully agree with, as 2 meter FM is a very segregated and limiting mode of operation.  I agree that limiting oneself to 2 meter FM quickly causes many new amateurs to lose interest and leave the hobby.

However, you also state "to only open the door ajar to allow for 2M operations for new licensees doesn't go far enough".  This is the statement which I take issue with.  Last time I checked the FCC rules, Technician licensees were allow to operate on all frequencies above 50mhz, at up to 1.5KW PEP output.  I believe that the problem is not with the privileges given the Technician class license, but how we advertise and promote the license.  There is no reason why any Technician licensee should limit themself to 2 meter FM, except out of ignorance.

I have held an Extra class license since 1984, but in the past few years, 75% of my operating is on frequencies available to the technician class license, and I don't feel that I am being limited in any way.  This has been by choice instead.  I have 2 friends locally (1 a general class and 1 an extra class) who show similar patterns of operating.  The frequencies available to the Technician class ham show a wonderful variety of operating activities and opportunities.  My preference recently has been for 6 meter SSB and satellite operation, both of which are available for Technician class hams.  Getting on either one of these operating modes is less expensive and easier than getting on HF.

I have worked all states on 6 meters from my current location in Lawton, OK, and have worked 49 states on 6 from my previous QTH in Iowa (lacking KH6).  I have worked around 425 grid squares on 6 from this QTH, and have 29 DXCC countries worked on this band.  On satellites I have worked 45 states, 130 grids, and 9 DXCC countries.  On 2 meters I have worked 39 states, and have my 2 meter VUCC with a 125 grid endorsement.  So you see that Technician privileges do not limit one in terms of working beyond the line of sight, or even for DX.  Last year (2005) I worked 8 different DXCC countries on 6 meters.

My station is not something that is beyond the reach of any newcomer to ham radio.  I am using a Yaesu FT100D with a 2 element mini products Miniquad on 6, a Cushcraft 10 element yagi on 2 meters, and a Cushcraft 19 element yagi on 70cm.  All antennas are mounted on radio shack tripods using radio shack TV rotors.  I have never run more than 180 watts on 2 meters, and more than 100 watts on 6 or 70cm.  My total investiment in this setup is around $1000.  

I help teach an amateur licensing course once or twice a year, and I always try to promote what you can do with a Technician license, and cite some of the above accomplishments I have made on those frequencies.  I find that the "Now You're Talking" book which most hams use as a study guide is slanted much too heavily towards 2 meter FM.  That is probably a large part of the problem for too many new hams believing that they are limited to 2 meter FM or as you put it "only opening the door ajar."  We need to educate these hams on what they can do with a Technician class license, rather than what they can't do with it.  We need to more effectively promote how easy it is to get on amateur satellites, and the weak signal VHF/UHF modes.  I have been very successful on the amateur satellites WITHOUT using elevation rotors, circularly polarized antennas, or rotors interfaced with software for automatic tracking.  In fact, I have worked many hams on AO51, AO27, and SO50 who are using HTs. We need to make this known to new hams who may feel intimidated by some of the setups they see for satellite operation, and believe that a large complicated setup is needed. 

In closing, I also find it interesting that the ARRL now is interested in bringing back a Novice license.  We had a Novice license up until 2000, and from 1991-2000 the ARRL virtually ignored it as a point of entry in favor of the Technician license.  I always felt that that was a mistake on the ARRL's part, and still feel that way.

73s John Geiger NE0P 

 

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