We will put something out on this issue. It certainly has been misinterpreted. Maria told me that this was actually was of the least contentious NVEC meetings that she has attended. We'll get the trip report out for the entire ODV shortly. I ran into this issue about Spanish licensing materials personally when I gave a talk at the Hamfest in Estes Park, Colorado. I received some very nasty emails when I mentioned that we were considering translating some of our licensing materials into Spanish. Harold Harold Kramer, WJ1B Chief Operating Officer ARRL - The national association for Amateur Radio 860 594 0220 hkramer@arrl.org <http://www.arrl.org/> ________________________________ From: Joel Harrison [mailto:w5zn@arrl.org] Sent: Sunday, August 05, 2007 11:45 PM To: arrl-odv Subject: RE: Spanish Language Exams They are upset because they have read (incorrectly) into the W5YI Report that ARRL is pushing to create and establish Spanish language Amateur Radio exams for use at test session inside the continental United States where they believe only English should be allowed. Just as a side, from what I've read in the W5YI Report concerning this specific matter, it correctly states what we were attempting to do. One reader interpreted it as stated above and issued an "all points bulletin" somewhere I haven't yet been able to determine....either in a chat room or on the air. The others just took his information without verifying it and started emailing the world. I've only received about 7 emails about this today, most local down here by me. David Woolweaver noted a bit ago that it was being stirred up down in south Texas. 73 Joel W5ZN ________________________________ From: Bill Edgar [mailto:n3llr@earthlink.net] Sent: Sunday, August 05, 2007 10:29 PM To: w5zn@arrl.org; 'arrl-odv' Subject: RE: Spanish Language Exams Joel, Thanks for the information. It would be interesting to know why the complainants are upset. - Bill N3LLR From: Joel Harrison [mailto:w5zn@arrl.org] Sent: Sunday, August 05, 2007 9:59 PM To: arrl-odv Subject: Spanish Language Exams I started receiving emails today complaining about ARRL's "push" to establish Spanish language Amateur Radio exams. The emails are apparently being generated from a W5YI story as well as a spot in the ARRL Letter about a motion ARRL made at the recent NCVEC meeting. Here's a bit of history and info for use in responding to any members that may inquire. FCC amateur radio exams have been available in Spanish since before the creation of the VEC program, back when the FCC administered all the exams. Remember that the FCC regulates amateur radio (and other radio services as well) in Puerto Rico where Spanish is an official language and only a minority of the citizens are fluent in English. The only current issue, and the purpose of ARRL's NCVEC motion, is whether there should be a single, standard version of the Spanish question pool (there currently isn't), or whether the longstanding practice of allowing any translation done by any VE team or VECs should be continued. We believe there should be one standard and only one translation. It's beyond me how our attempt at tightening the program by having one standard and one single translation based on the current English version is being misinterpreted as a "push" by ARRL to permit Spanish language exams when in fact they have been in existence for decades predating the VEC system. Of course, the current feelings over immigration certainly fuel a fire regarding anything Spanish these days. 73 Joel W5ZN