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ARRL BOARD EXPLORES ENTRY LEVEL LICENSE OPTIONS, WAYS TO FACE FUTURE
CHALLENGES  THE SECOND CENTURY OF AMATEUR RADIO AND ARRL IS BEGINNING TO
TAKE SHAPE.  MEETING JULY 21 22 IN FARMINGTON, CONNECTICUT, THE ARRL BOARD
OF DIRECTORS TOOK STEPS TO CHART A FIRMER FUTURE FOR AMATEUR RADIO BY
ENHANCING THE VALUE OF THE ENTRY LEVEL LICENSE AND BY PROVIDING ONGOING
SUPPORT FOR NEW LICENSEES.  ARRL PRESIDENT RICK RODERICK, K5UR, CHAIRED THE
SECOND REGULAR MEETING OF 2017.  ARRL NEW ENGLAND DIVISION DIRECTOR TOM
FRENAYE, K1KI, PRESENTED THE REPORT OF THE AD HOC ENTRY LEVEL LICENSE
COMMITTEE.  HE SAID THE COMMITTEES INITIAL, INFORMAL SURVEY ATTRACTED
NEARLY 7,900 RESPONSES.  A SECOND RANDOM SURVEY DREW ANOTHER 375 RESPONSES.
A CLEAR MAJORITY FAVORED A REVISION TO THE TECHNICIAN RATHER THAN A NEW
ENTRY LEVEL LICENSE, THE COMMITTEES REPORT SAID, NOTING THAT THIS WOULD
REQUIRE NO CHANGE TO THE TECHNICIAN EXAMINATION, WHICH ALREADY COVERS MORE
MATERIAL THAN NECESSARY FOR AN ENTRY LEVEL EXAMINATION.  THIS CHOICE
REQUIRES THE SIMPLEST REVISION TO FCC RULES.  THE COMMITTEE SUGGESTED
EXPANDED DIGITAL ACCESS ON 80, 40, AND 15 METERS, WHERE TECHNICIANS ALREADY
HAVE CW ACCESS, AS WELL AS THE ADDITION OF TECHNICIAN PHONE PRIVILEGES ON
THOSE BANDS.  FRENAYE POINTED OUT WHILE THE AMATEUR RADIO POPULATION IS
GROWING, THE ANNUAL RATE OF GROWTH HAS STAGNATED AT ABOUT 1.  THERE IS A
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