To: ARRL Board and Management Team

From: Harold Kramer

Date: Jan 26, 2007

Subject: Board Comments Elimination of CW Testing

Here are the notes from our Board Meeting discussion on Thursday January 18 regarding what actions we need to take once the Morse Code testing requirement is eliminated.

These major themes emerged from our discussion.

Welcome and Encourage New and Upgrade Amateurs:

1. The ARRL needs to encourage and welcome new and upgraded amateurs.

2. We also need to convince the entire amateur radio community to welcome these new licensees and upgrades.

3. We should not discourage or diminish CW activities in any way.

Public Relations and Marketing:

1. Time is of the essence. This will not happen again.

2. We should focus on attracting new hams as well as upgraded licensees.

3. We should be aware that many new hams have different interests than our generation, particularly in EmComm and technical areas.

4. We need to expand our marketing, advertising and PR activities to let the world know about these changes.

Mentoring and Clubs:

1. Clubs are an integral part of the process and we need to get then licensing and other materials

2. We should encourage clubs to run more licensing classes.

3. We need to expand our mentor program and each of us should become personally involved in more on-air and mentoring activities.

Encourage HF Operating:

1. We should encourage and promote 10 meter activities.

2. We should upgrade, consolidate and revise our HF operating publications.

3. We need to encourage digital and other new modes of operation.

4. We should encourage new and upgraded operators to participate in our operating events and contests, particularly Field Day. These events themselves should have incentives for newcomers.

Operations:

1. We need to focus on our customer service operations. We may need to expand our hours of operation and implement other customer service upgrades such as expanded hours and toll free numbers.

Individual Comments:

My comments are in brackets[ ].

Earl Smith VE6NM:

When the CW requirement was eliminated in Canada, there was an increase in ARES operators.
You have to encourage new ops and let them know about the benefits.

Bill Edgar N3LLR:

We should approach 10-10 International to get people involved in 10 meters. Perhaps we can co-sponsor an operating event with them. [NN1N will handle this]
Each of us need to take one prospective amateur and mentor them.
We should welcome the new ops that result from this change.
We should compile our HF operating practices and information in one publication. [ We actually have done most of this with Steve Ford’s book Getting Started in Ham Radio}

Dick Isely W9GIG:

We should make the new ops feel welcome.
I believe that there are large groups of people who have never been licensed who will now become licensed. Many will be from technical professions.

Jay Bellows K0QB:

We need to build on our organization strengths.
We need to get licensing and other amateur radio related material to clubs.
We need to connect better with local groups and clubs.
Field Day is a good opportunity for mentoring and guiding. We can encourage that by enacting some positive changes in GOTA Rules [ I believe that this is in progress]

Henry Leggette WD4Q:

Each club should organize to encourage new people. There should be some incentives for joining a club.
We should welcome the new hams to the HF bands.
We should not discourage CW usage on HF bands simply because the exam requirement has been eliminated.
We should be aware that we may see a large influx of new hams with technical backgrounds.

Jim WeavervK8JE

1. There are no ham radio leper colonies. We are all hams.

2. We need to have the proper attitude towards new hams, have our mentoring plan in place, encourage elmering, and act in a welcoming and friendly manner.

3. The Morse code is not going away; it is no longer a licensing requirement.

Frank Fallon N2FF:

1. At meeting of Club Presidents that I recently attended, there were no negative comments about the no-code, only positive ones.

2. Incentive licensing is not a good system. It created a caste system that has resulted in amateur radio not being together as a group.

3. I would like to have PSA’s available and for us to get the news out to general media, not just amateur radio publications [Allen Pitts has some already available]

4. We need information handed out by VEs about local groups, clubs and mentoring program. [The VE SCSE form now has ARRL information on it. We will also be supplying the VE teams with the March issue of QST with the 5 page tear-out]

5. The new hams need to get on the air and have a good/positive experience.

6. We need a welcoming attitude

Bruce Frahm K0BJ:

1. We should encourage local club activities. These including organized on-air activities

Tom Frenaye K1KI:

2. I have not heard any negative comments about the no-code licensing.

3. We should establish and publicize an 800# and email address for new and existing ops to answer questions. [Working on this]

4. We should also use W1AW for this purpose.[Same here]

5. We should try to connect with newcomers during Field Day. The event is for operating and socializing

6. We should encourage clubs to organize new licensing classes ASAP [Hiring the Education manager ASAP should move this along]

Jim Fenstermaker K9JF:

1. If you can remember what is was like to get on the air when we were newly licensed. It was not always easy. This is our chance to welcome new members and make them into good hams

2. We need another welcome campaign and related on-air activities.

3. Teamwork across our organization is essential- how are we going to make sure that we are relevant.

4. We need to tell new hams that we are the ARRL and we looking out for your interests. We want to make you the best possible ham [The tear-out is the first step]

Bob Vallio W6RGG:

1. We have to have open arms and show real some excitement about amateur radio.

2. We need to make people understand that ARRL and Amateur radio are intertwined

3. We should create an 800# outside of business hours and answer it quickly and responsibly [Working on it]

4. We need a consistent story about amateur radio and licensing.

Dennis Bodson W4PWF:

1. We need to extend a hand of friendship to all coming in

2. I am concerned about the attitude of some operators. I say get over “I had to do it the hard way, you didn’t”

3. We need to develop an new HF operations guide [A new improved version, is in the works]

4. We should encourage 10 Meter involvement. As suggested, we should work with 10-10 and create a joint operating event.

Rev Morton WS7W:

1. We should get the new ops involved with local nets.

2. We should invite newcomers to our homes to operate HF stations

3. Newcomers should be introduce to ARES , Packet, and other newer modes

4. We should provide material, mentor information at VE sessions.

5. We should encourage and promote the enjoyment of HF operating..

6. There should be a communications link between ARRL and Clubs

7. We need to create “how-to” program for mentoring new hams.[Education manager territory again- Norm currently has a lot of material posted on the web site about this]

Frank Butler W4RH:

1. We should use the new FCC regulations as an opportunity to create new hams.

2. We need to further encourage 10 meter activity.

Richard Norton N6AA:

1. I would like a review of experience in Canada by Earl VE6NM. Earl: Those who cared have mentored new hams and it is making a difference. RAC membership went up 3%. Public Service keeps people interested.

2. Most Technicians are interested for different reasons than early hams. For example, today, newcomers may not be as technical

3. Let’s encourage activity on 10 meters- most nets will welcome them.

Coy Day N5OK:

1. We need to do a good job at selling the ARRL

2. We need to do a better job selling our welcoming program

3. There are many folks who are engineers, professional and communications people and others who are inactive techs with licenses. We need to target them and get them back.

Rod Stafford W6ROD:

1. We might have difficulty finding enough mentors. We should send to clubs a PowerPoint presentation that introduces new hams to HF. [On the web site already but we will update]

2. We need to publish a QST article as a primer on getting on HF. This should be given to all upgrades at VE sessions [The QST tear-out in March will address this. We hope to continue in this direction]

3. We should have a series of 10 meter events including a several month long contests to get people on the air

4. We need to run some ads in IEEE and other magazines and offer to write an article about the new amateur radio with the subtle message that you do not need code any more.

Rick Roderick K5UR:

1. We need to getting existing hams into the HF arena

2. We should focus on non-hams. We should say, “Alright, we have changed. This is your window of opportunity.” This should be part of an aggressive recruiting campaign

3. Let’s aggressively build up the mentor program

4. We need to showcase our awards programs and operating achievements.

5. We have to Sell ARRL with the message that you need to join!

6. Just because there is no more CW requirement, we do not need to lower ourselves – but set our standards high –raise the bar.

Kay Craigie N3KN:

1. We need to spread our HF activities across the bands, not just a 10m issue.

2. We need to get on the air ourselves – and to set a good example.

3. We are all hams regardless of license class or CW proficiency.

4. We should make the 8 page insert in QST a PDF downloadable on ODV.[Will do]

Additional suggestions by Board Members submitted separately:

1. This will have little impact unless everyone is willing to extend himself or herself personally to meet and mentor all the new people.

2. Current resources are good and they must be made available to clubs and individuals who will use them.

3. Make the small “I’m an ARRL Member, Are You?” stickers available to clubs and hamfests.

4. Create a lapel sticker: “Welcome to HF, How Can I Help?”

Harold Kramer, WJ1B

Chief Operating Officer

ARRL - The National Association for Amateur Radio

225 Main Street

Newington, CT 06111

860 594 0220

www.arrl.org/

hkramer@arrl.org