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

[Bob Scupp]

Pete and Everyone-
   
I have been anxiously reading everyone's postings on
the above topic.
   
Pete I am with you and others like you 100%! For
example you said:

"An entry level license that allows access to more of
the 
HF bands is a good thing. Settling in to only the
VHF/UHF region of the amateur spectrum can lead to a
blurred vision of the entire amateur radio service."
   
Amen! If we who have been around the block for awhile
let this happen it will. As John  Geiger NE0P
mentioned in his January 11, 2006 letter to ARRL
President Jim Haynie W5JBP.
   
" 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."
   
These are a few items I have been both promoting and
practicing for decades. That is ELMERING to the "Nth"
degree, FOLLOWING UP and trying my best to be a good
volunteer and example..I have myself been an ARRL and
W5YI active VE for 20 years. I also publicize that I
can do the same both within and outside the Amateur
Radio Service licensees.
   
The main point here is that as many of us as possible
must step up to the plate and ELMER and FOLLOW-UP.
This is for both new comers and existing licensees to
assist them and set an example of ourselves for them.
This is our ultimate challenge for the present and
future.


73's,

Bob K5SEP

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