‰  NOW 40 WPM  ‰  
RESPONDING MEMBERS WERE AMATEUR EXTRA CLASS LICENSES.  A CLEAR MAJORITY
FAVORED REVISING THE TECHNICIAN LICENSE RATHER THAN CREATING A NEW ENTRY
LEVEL LICENSE, SOMETHING THAT COULD BE A HARD SELL WITH THE FCC.
RESPONDENTS STRONGLY SUPPORTED HF DIGITAL AND PHONE ACCESS FOR ENTRY LEVEL
LICENSEES.  PERHAPS RECALLING THE EARLY NOVICE LICENSE, A MAJORITY ALSO
FELT THAT NEWCOMERS SHOULD HAVE DISTINCTIVE CALL SIGNS AND A TERM LIMITED
TICKET.  ON THE NEGATIVE SIDE, 15 SAID T

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

ARRL PETITION.  THE DETAILS SPECIFICALLY, ARRL HAS PROPOSED TO PROVIDE
TECHNICIAN LICENSEES, PRESENT AND FUTURE, WITH PHONE PRIVILEGES AT 3R900 TO
4R000 MHZ, 7R225 TO 7R300 MHZ, AND 21R350 TO 21R450 MHZ, PLUS RTTY AND
DIGITAL PRIVILEGES IN CURRENT TECHNICIAN ALLOCATIONS ON 80, 40, 15, AND 10
METERS.  THE ARRL PETITION POINTED TO THE EXPLOSION IN POPULARITY OF
VARIOUS DIGITAL MODES OVER THE PAST 2 DECADES.  UNDER THE ARRL PLAN, THE
MAXIMUM HF POWER LEVEL FOR TECHNICIAN OPERATORS WOULD REMAIN AT 200 W PEP.
ATTRACTING, RETAINING NEWCOMERS IS KEY THIS ACTION WILL ENHANCE THE
AVAILABLE LICENSE OPERATING PRIVILEGES IN WHAT HAS BECOME THE PRINCIPAL
ENTRY LEVEL LICENSE CLASS IN THE AMATEUR SERVICE, ARRL SAID IN ITS
PETITION.  IT WILL ATTRACT MORE NEWCOMERS TO AMATEUR RADIO, IT WILL RESULT
IN INCREASED RETENTION OF LICENSEES WHO HOLD TECHNICIAN CLASS LICENSES, AND
IT WILL PROVIDE AN IMPROVED INCENTIVE FOR ENTRY LEVEL LICENSEES TO INCREASE
TECHNICAL SELF TRAINING AND PURSUE HIGHER LICENSE CLASS ACHIEVEMENT AND
DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS SKILLS.  THE TECHNICIAN LICENSE HAS ONLY BEEN
THE ENTRY LEVEL AMATEUR RADIO LICENSE SINCE THE TURN OF THE CENTURY.
‰  END OF 40 WPM TEXT  ‰  QST DE W1AW  ƒ