[Boatanchors] Novice Redux

[Robert Nickels]

On 2/8/2017 7:28 PM, Rob Atkinson wrote:
> ARRL is looking for input as the ARRL Board considers a petition to
> FCC to establish an "entry level" license, possibly "an additional,
> but simpler, license with privileges that would give a newcomer a
> taste of most facets of ham radio from HF to VHF and UHF."

At first this sounded a bit like a marketing gimmick, since the barrier 
to entry is so low already as Al says.   But the truth is, lots of 
people are doing "wireless stuff" based on technologies like Wi-Fi, 
Bluetooth, and sub-Ghz radio for things like robotics and IoT - plus new 
services like Outernet that are essentially "data broadcasting".    The 
future of all radio from DC to daylight is software-defined radio,  and 
most hams know less than non-ham users of these technologies.  Maybe it 
is a matter of marketing what ham radio has to offer.

When I was involved with industrial wireless monitoring and control in 
years past, I started doing presentations on "Elements of Radio" that 
were well-received (pun) by customers, because they had no idea about 
how things like antennas worked or what could be done to mitigate 
interference or improve SNR.    Every bit of that material was derived 
from my ham radio experience, and just as applicable to the industrial 
environment as to the ham shack.  RF is still RF.

Amateur radio needs to attract the younger demographic and the hobby 
would benefit from having more skilled technical contributors - maybe 
something like this could be a way to get them.   It might also be a 
smart way to strengthen the fences around our spectrum allocations.

73,  Bob W9RAN