[Fists] re arrl bandplan

[Jim Reid]

> 
> We can sink along with the crowd, but we don't HAVE to.  The code 
> requirement may drop to 5 wpm, or go away altogether, but we can still 
> sharpen our own skills to 20 wpm and beyond.    This hobby, 
> like most hobbies, is a wonderful thing, if we just know what to do with 
> it.

You bet!!  I last had an Original Vibroplex up to 1954,  when I sold
it along with most of my other (even old at that time) radio stuff
to raise funds to get married that year (still married to the same
young lady today!).  Two days ago,  I rcv'd another Original via
Fed Ex from another  Fists club member;  we swapped keys,  hi.

Yesterday was spent ferreting about on the web looking for bug
adjustment instructions.  Bingo...with a lot of help,  found two sets;
one from the US Signal Corp, the other from another amateur,
who wrote a piece about this in QST years ago,  now Vibroplex
is providing it from their web site.

Anyway.....today,  after breakfast, I begin  the set up process!
I can hardly wait.  Have been on the straight key these last many
years,  soon will be practicing with a bug again.  And no,  I am not
doing it for greater speed.  Just more fun!!  As said above,
what an amazing hobby we have!

Yes,  I submitted comments about restructuring a few years ago;
my  comments,  along with everyone else's not in favor,  were
largely ignored,  relegated to a few foot notes in the R&O.  But,
the Kenwood Corp.,  W5YI and that Carolina VEC were highlighted
prominently as "knowing and supporting"  the new way into
the future: more simple license exams,  no code above 5 wpm, etc.
Result:  no more hams,  no great technical explosions into the
future because of all the genius tech's who couldn't get a license
because they couldn't learn CW,  etc.

By the way,  the amateur radio operator population count peaked
back a year ago in March of '01 at 684,359; as of 3/17/02,  per
the FCC, we are at 681,687 license holders.

For details,  see: http://www.ah0a.org/FCC/Licenses.html

At that site,  you will see the huge shift from lower classes of license
to the Extra Class.  Restructuring took effect on 15 April 2000.
On April 14th of that year,  there were 77,530 US Extra Class
tickets;  this month,  there are 99,085 -- an increase of 21,555
Extra Class tickets,  many  5  wpm "extra lites".  At the same time,
the great increase in US amateur radio operator population because
of all those greatly talented folks joining us now that CW at 13 wpm
was out of the way who have brought along all their latent technical
skill -- the total increase in license holders:  5,148!!? 

You can find all sorts of interesting info from fiddling with the deltas
of the various classes of licenses at various times.  But the results,
two years out from license restructuring are certainly a good deal
LESS than the dreamers/planners of our future had believed would
occur.

73,  Jim  KH7M