[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline 1385 - February 27, 2004

[ham-news-admin at mailman.qth.net]

Amateur Radio Newsline 1385 - February 27, 2004

The following is a Q-S-T.  Another proposal on restructuring and more on 
the fight against B-P-L highlight Amateur Radio Newsline report number 1385 
coming your way right now.
 
**

RESTRUCTURING:  A COUNTER PROPOSAL TO THE ARRL

Just as we all thought it was quieting down, restructuring of the United 
States Amateur Radio Service is front and center once again.  This, as a 
small group that opposes the quantity over quality approach takes a massive 
counter proposal to the FCC.  The group is headquarted in Florence, Alabama 
and Amateur Radio Newsline's David Black, KB4KCH, is at our South-East 
Bureau in near-by Birmingham, with more:

--

Robin Gist, K4VU, listened to the ARRL's plan to restructure amateur radio 
and didn't like it.

--

Audio only:  Hear it at www.arnewsline.org on the MP3 audio file of this 
newscast.

--

Gist and five other hams who make up a group called the Radio Amateur 
Foundation, drew up their own plans for restructuring ham radio.  Their 59-
pages of suggestions are now in the hands of the FCC.  Gist calls the 
Foundation's petition a comprehensive plan for progressive and thoughtful 
restructuring.  The group suggests taking the Technician class license, 
making a few changes, and turning it into amateur radio's entry level 
license.  Gist is not pleased with the League's plans for the Technician 
license:

--

Audio only:  Hear it at www.arnewsline.org on the MP3 audio file of this 
newscast.

--

The group suggests giving Technician class hams restricted HF privileges.  
And it strongly advocates keeping the code--5-word-per-minute Morse code 
proficiency would be maintained for General and Extra class licenses. 
Keeping Code, Gist says, is important to help amateurs provide emergency 
communications.

Under the foundation's proposal, the Novice and Advanced licenses would no 
longer exist.  Current Novice and Advanced license holders would 
automatically be upgraded to the next category--a novice would become a 
Technician and an Advanced class ham would become an Extra.

Another big change comes in amateur radio testing under the Foundation's 
plans.

--

Audio only:  Hear it at www.arnewsline.org on the MP3 audio file of this 
newscast.

--

The Foundation suggests not releasing question pool questions to the 
public.

--

Audio only:  Hear it at www.arnewsline.org on the MP3 audio file of this 
newscast.

--

Gist believes hams should have to wait at least 10 days before taking a 
failed amateur radio license test again.

--

Audio only:  Hear it at www.arnewsline.org on the MP3 audio file of this 
newscast.

--

Gist says amateur radio should be quality over quantity.  A service of 
radio operators who have a sense of value and appreciation for amateur 
radio.  That is what Gist says the Foundation's goals are really all about.