[AMRadio] "AM Ghetto"

[rbethman]

There is a LOT to be said for this philosophy.

Yep, I am a General Class.  Licensed in Oct '80.  Passed Novice in June 
of '80.  Spent endless hours on CW with a straight key.

Don't have one single lick of desire to go an fiddle as a satellite 
control operator, nor ANY digital nonsense.

Took my test in the Atlanta FCC office.  I was proud as heck to have 
done so well on the code and the written..

I can't recall all the times I've sat down and helped other hams work on 
antennas, repair their tired old hollow state or hybrid rigs, and helped 
them get through the code when it was still in the "game".

Now I get visited infrequently by one of these no code wonders that 
hasn't a clue how to fix anything, buys an antenna cause he has no idea 
in the world how to build one, and simply buys a plastic radio and goes 
off doing PSK31 or some nonsense with the rig tied permanently to a 
computer.

I have far better understanding of bandwidths, modes, and what is going 
on inside my radios than they ever will.

I get poked at for not upgrading to Extra.  I really don't see squat for 
a reason to do so.  Yes, iy would give me a wider choice of operating 
frequencies.  So what?  I see getting Extra as simply putting me in with 
the "Kids and Lids".

All my hollow state gear won't interface with a computer.  More likely 
fry one with the BC-610s anyway.

A simplified two tier system would make a whole lot more sense to me 
than this zoo that currently exists.

I'm not likely to study or memorize the test to go Extra.  I got my call 
the old fashioned way!  I'm darn proud of it!

At least I can diagnose and fix my own station.  Plenty rosin snorted 
here.  Even resurrecting an old HRO-50-T1.

Okay, my $0.02 worth, and take it for what it is worth!

Bob - N0DGN




On 11/7/2013 8:37 PM, manualman at juno.com wrote:
> I think here in the 21st century,  the Extra, Advanced, General class
> distinction, which really only prevails on 80, 40, 20, and 15 meters, a
> worthless activity for the FCC to maintain. I don't see any point to it
> any more. There should be a beginner's license class (Notice/Technician)
> and a class (whatever you want to call it) that gives full access to all
> amateur frequencies and modes. Adjust the testing requirements somewhere
> in the middle to cover it.
>
> Pete, wa2cwa
>