‰  NOW 35 WPM  ‰  TEXT IS FROM MAY 2018 QST  PAGE 74 ‰

A VALUE ADDED TECHNICIAN LICENSE  RICK LINDQUIST, WW1ME  WEVE YET TO COME
UP WITH A FOOLPROOF STRATEGY TO ATTRACT NEWCOMERS TO AMATEUR RADIO, GET
THEM LICENSED, AND SUSTAIN THEIR INTEREST ENOUGH TO GET THEM ON THE AIR.
MANY OF TODAYS LICENSEES GOT INTO AMATEUR RADIO IN A FAR DIFFERENT DAY AND
AGE, WHEN THE HOBBY ENJOYED A LEVEL OF APPEAL IT HAS NOT SEEN SINCE.  ON
THE LAST DAY OF FEBRUARY, ARRL ASKED THE FCC TO ISSUE A NOTICE OF PROPOSED
RULE MAKING NPRM THAT WOULD IMPLEMENT ONE RECOMMENDATION OF THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS ENTRY LEVEL LICENSE COMMITTEE TO EXPAND HF PRIVILEGES FOR
TECHNICIAN LICENSEES, PRESENT AND FUTURE, TO INCLUDE LIMITED PHONE
PRIVILEGES ON 75, 40, AND 15 METERS, PLUS RTTY AND DIGITAL MODE PRIVILEGES
ON 80, 40, 15, AND 10 METERS.  THE EXPRESSED HOPE BOTH OF THE COMMITTEE AND
THE ARRL BOARD IS THAT THIS STEP MIGHT JUMP START INTEREST IN HAM RADIO
EVEN AMONG CURRENT TECHNICIAN LICENSEES AND RECTIFY THE SAGGING OVERALL NET
GROWTH OF THE US AMATEUR RADIO POPULATION ABOUT 1 OR LOWER OVER THE PAST
SEVERAL YEARS.  WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME LOOKING AT THE ENTIRE PROCESS OF
GETTING LICENSED AND ON THE AIR, SAID ARRL NEW ENGLAND DIVISION DIRECTOR
TOM FRENAYE, K1KI, WHO CHAIRED THE ENTRY LEVEL LICENSE COMMITTEE.  THE
LICENSE PRIVILEGES DONT MEAN MUCH IF PEOPLE NEVER GET LICENSED IN THE FIRST
PLACE.  AT PRESS TIME, THE FCC HAD NOT YET REQUESTED PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE
‰  END OF 35 WPM TEXT  ‰  QST DE W1AW  ƒ