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ENTITLING THEM TO FREE ARRL MEMBERSHIP FOR THE REMAINDER OF THEIR LIVES.
LIFE MEMBERS WOULD BE ABLE TO SELECT A BONUS PUBLICATION.  PRESIDENT
RODERICK READ A LETTER FROM INTERNATIONAL AMATEUR RADIO UNION IARU
PRESIDENT TIM ELLAM, VE6SH, WHO EXPRESSED REGRET FOR BEING UNABLE TO ATTEND
THE MEETING.  ELLAM COMPLIMENTED THE WORK OF ARRL TECHNICAL RELATIONS
SPECIALIST JON SIVERLING, WB3ERA.  RADIO AMATEURS OF CANADA PRESIDENT GLENN
MACDONELL, VE3XRA A GUEST AT THE MEETING

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

GENERAL CONSENSUS THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO HAPPEN, THE COMMITTEES REPORT
SAID, NOTING A GENERALLY FAVORABLE ATTITUDE TOWARD ATTRACTING NEWCOMERS.
THE GENERAL GOAL HERE IS TO HAVE AN ENTRY LEVEL LICENSE THAT OFFERS A WAY
FOR A NEWCOMER TO EXPERIENCE MULTIPLE FACETS OF AMATEUR RADIO, THE REPORT
SAID, ENCOURAGING THEM TO GET ON THE AIR, MEET OTHER LICENSEES, AND ENGAGE
IN A LIFETIME OF LEARNING WHILE USING AMATEUR RADIO.  LATER IN THE MEETING,
THE BOARD CHARGED THE ARRL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE WITH DEVELOPING A PLAN TO
IMPLEMENT THE AD HOC COMMITTEES RECOMMENDATION TO MAKE THE CURRENT
TECHNICIAN CLASS LICENSE MORE ATTRACTIVE AND USEFUL BY EXPANDING ITS
OPERATING PRIVILEGES ON HF TO INCLUDE PHONE AND DIGITAL MODES.  THE BOARD
ASKED THE AD HOC ENTRY LEVEL LICENSE COMMITTEE TO FURTHER RESEARCH AND
DEVELOP THE DETAILS OF A SECOND RECOMMENDATION TO IMPROVE SUCCESSFUL
OUTREACH TO PROSPECTIVE RADIO AMATEURS AND HELP THEM THROUGH THE LICENSING
PROCESS.  ARRL AD HOC LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY COMMITTEE CHAIR AND HUDSON
DIVISION DIRECTOR MIKE LISENCO, N2YBB, DISCUSSED THE STATUS OF THE US
SENATE VERSION OF THE AMATEUR RADIO PARITY ACT OF 2017.  LISENCO SAID
‰  END OF 40 WPM TEXT  ‰  QST DE W1AW  ƒ