‰  NOW 25 WPM  ‰  TEXT IS FROM MAY 2018 QST  PAGE 74 ‰

BEFORE THAT, PROSPECTIVE RADIO AMATEURS GAINED ACCESS VIA THE NOVICE
LICENSE, WHICH THE FCC INSTITUTED IN 1951 ALONG WITH THE ORIGINAL
TECHNICIAN LICENSE.  CURIOUSLY, ALTHOUGH NOVICES ENJOYED VERY LIMITED HF CW
PRIVILEGES, THE TECHNICIAN WAS A VHF ONLY LICENSE THAT OFTEN SERVED AS A
WAY STATION FOR NOVICES STILL TRYING TO PASS THE 13 WPM MORSE REQUIREMENT
FOR THE GENERAL LICENSE BUT WANTING TO HOLD ONTO THEIR NONRENEWABLE NOVICE
CALL SIGN, SANS THE DISTINCTIVE N.  IT WAS NOT AN UPGRADE, AND MOST SKIPPED
IT ALTOGETHER.  NOVICES GOING TO TECHNICIAN HAD TO PASS A WRITTEN TEST
IDENTICAL TO THE GENERAL ADMINISTERED BY A GENERAL OR HIGHER LICENSEE BUT
THEY LOST HF PRIVILEGES.  THE TECHNICIAN LICENSE MORPHED OVER THE YEARS,
EVENTUALLY SUBSUMING THE NOVICE AND BECOMING MOST HAMS INITIAL LICENSE.
UNDER ARRLS PROPOSAL, THE FEW REMAINING NOVICE LICENSEES ABOUT 9,000 REMAIN
ON THE ROLLS WOULD GAIN NO NEW PRIVILEGES.  STRIKING A BALANCE ARRLS
‰  END OF 25 WPM TEXT  ‰  QST DE W1AW  ƒ