On Mon, 23 Feb 1998, James R. Duffey wrote:
> It seems to me that the ARRL was more out of touch with mainstream amateur
> radio 30 years ago than it is today.
I don't feel that way at all. I have a strong feeling that equipment
makers have a much stronger voice now than they did then! I see the
push as being only for more dollars without reguard for the hobby!
> 30 years ago marked the beginning of incentive licensing, a plan which
> stripped many hams of privileges they already had,
Yes and no.
There was a short time frame when there was no incentive licensing. When
it was put back into place there was much howling, most of it by people
who got the new privileges because the law changed. When they had to
go back to what they had in the first place they didn't like it!
And it was on a band by band plan. No 75m phone without the top license.
No phone at all on 40m. (Gad, what a nice band it was!!)
Can't remember all the details. Oh, General class was OK to use 11m. :-)
> and was opposed by the
> majority of active hams.
All the polls I saw at the time were in favor of it!
And I think there has been a downward turn in the quality of ham
radio. Much can be blamed on a lack of enforcment by the FCC but
much can also be blamed on the changes in the rules. Any time
things are downgraded, so goes the orgnization.
Some are complaining that new hams only have new hams to talk to.
Who's fault is that? If you are not going into the "Novice" portions
of the bands do you have any right to complain?
When is the last time you had a N/T+ rig going with a N/T+ operator
in a multi setup? Why not? If you all really care about getting the
new operators into the mainstream why don't you?
Some of the comments make as much sense to me as the comments that
there should be speed limits in CW contests so the folks that can't
copy fast enough can have a chance to win too!
We have a system in place that will work but it needs to have people
make it happen.
And one more thing to think about; Contesting is not for all hams.
Higher class licenses are not for all hams. And etc. Those who
think enough of the hobby to want to invest the time and effort
to upgrade will do just that. Those who are not that interested will
fall by the way side.
I just don't see anything wrong with that.
Maybe the SSB contests should include 11m! No nasty restrictions
there!
Not flaming.... just my feeling after watching what I think has been
a decline in the quality of ham radio for the past 45+ years.
OK, back in my hole....
73, Ron, SOWP 5545M,
.........KU7Y.....ARCI #8829.....Monte "Ron" Stark.....
....ku7y@sage.dri.edu...........Washoe Lake, Nevada....
....QRP-L #17...ARS #49...NorCal #330.....NRA LIFE.....
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