[SFDXA] 2012 Marks All-Time High for Amateur Radio Licenses

[Bill]

 From the ARRL Letter

2012 Marks All-Time High for Amateur Radio Licenses

As 2012 came to a close, ARRL VEC Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM, had a good 
reason to cheer: The number of radio amateurs in the US reached an 
all-time high of almost 710,000. "2012 was definitely a banner year for 
the number of Amateur Radio operators here in the US," she said. "It is 
amazing to see these new numbers and to know that Amateur Radio is 
experiencing such a healthy trend."

This chart shows the distribution of license holders by call sign 
region, comparing 2008 to 2012. The number of US licensees has increased 
by 7 percent since 2008.

In looking at new and upgraded licenses, as well as licensees per ARRL 
Division, Somma also crunched the numbers looking for growth within each 
license class -- and all of Amateur Radio -- over the last 40 years. 
"This is an all-time high for Technician, General and Amateur Extra 
class licensees," she said. "When looking at the three current license 
classes, the number of Technicians, Generals and Amateur Extras peaked 
in December at 345,369, 163,370 and 130,736, respectively."

Somma explained that the total number of US amateurs in the FCC database 
also continues to grow each year: "As of December 31, 2012, the number 
of licensees reached an all-time high of 709,575; year-end totals were 
702,056 for 2011 and 696,041 for 2010. The number of licensees increased 
at an average rate of 21 per day, while the number of US licensees has 
increased by 7 percent since 2008!" More than 3000 new licenses were 
issued in 2012 than in 2011, while upgraded license activity remained 
steady in 2012. Read more here 
<http://www.arrl.org/news/2012-marks-all-time-high-for-amateur-radio-licenses>.