1) Wish I understood how replying to this exclusively to the EC will produce something positive for either Amateur Radio or the ARRL. If any other board members have thoughts, I'd like to also hear them, and possibly incorporate some of their thinking into mine. 2) I encourage the EC to prepare the response considering the fact that it is much less likely that Amateur Radio operation will create harmful interference to other services from lack of technical knowledge issues than it was in past years. Users of the radio spectrum needed to pay attention to the design, construction, and tuning of their equipment, and government testing and licensing promoted appropriate technical prowess. Today, many transmitters are operated by unlicensed individuals in such devices as cell phones, wi-fi computer networks, and FRS radios. The number of amateurs building their own transmitters is negligible these days. Individuals who have previously passed a license test likely retain adequate knowledge of Amateur Radio to return without further testing. Keep in mind that many if not most newly licensed amateurs pass only simple tests with previously known questions presented in several-hour cram courses. 3) With respect to shortening the time before one loses a callsign, I'm not in favor of this. People can have facets of their lives overtake participation in Amateur Radio for extended periods, and still return to active participation. I know several who have lost callsigns under the present two-year grace period and don't feel Amateur Radio was in any way better served. The proposed change in a way appears to be a way to transition more licencees to Vanity callsign status, where their license costs them money to maintain. Although I assume not possible under this NPRM, I wonder why people can't renew their licenses before the extant 90-days-before-expiration. If I choose to renew a library book at any time during its active status, the due date just advances. Since the FCC license renewal apparently operates by computer, and no human labor is involved, one should be able to renew at any time. Why can't this be at least extended to within 2 years of expiration. 73, Dick Norton, N6AA On Fri, Nov 23, 2012 at 5:54 AM, Kay Craigie <n3kn@verizon.net> wrote:
I hope you had a great Thanksgiving.
The Executive Committee will be hammering out the ARRL's position on the license exam NPRM on Thursday of the coming week. I have received input from just a few Directors on the subject. If you have any comments to contribute to the discussion, please send them to Dave and/or me for relay to the EC by the end of the business day on Thursday.
Thanks, and if you'll be in the contest this weekend, good luck on the bands.
73 - Kay N3KN