Hi Fellow SBARC Members -
I have heard a lot of opinions regarding the FCC Amateur Radio License
Restructuring and a lot of it has been very negative - the good news is that
none of it has come from SBARC members!
Below is a timely message from an outfit called Hudson LookElectronic Ham
Radio News. A friend of mine by the name of Tim KD5CKP sent ti to me from
Olive Branch, MS.
Here is a short, well worded message that we can all take to heart.
Go Yell It From The Mountain....
I got this from the Hudson Look electronic ham radio Newsletter. Every
currently licensed ham should read it. Congratulations to Frank Fallon N2FF,
on an excellent welcome mat to those who will follow us:
- BillWA6ITF(a)aol.com
NEWS FROM THE HUDSON LOOP -
TOLERANCE AND A WELCOME MAT -- AN EDITORIAL
April 15, 2000 marked an important milestone for Amateur
Radio in the United States. It was the first time in over 60
years that US Amateurs can operate throughout all the HF bands
without having passed a Morse code test at 13 WPM or higher. In
1937 the FCC upped the code speed to 13 WPM from 10 WPM.
Many of the new upgraded hams will now be using the HF bands
for the first time, and it appears there will be a lot of them
from reports of crowds at recent VE sessions nationwide. They
will be operating both phone and CW, and some of them won't know
what life is like on HF. They may not realize that one doesn't
call CQ on HF by tuning to a quiet spot and announcing that
they're "Listening on frequency." They won't know much, if
anything, about band plans, about nets, about working "up", or a
host of other things. They will need help, just as badly as you
and I needed help when we first went on HF. They will need to
learn things that have never been part of any FCC test. They
will need guidance, not hostility and transferred anger from
those unhappy with the new FCC license structure.
Please, oh please, be generous with your help! Be tolerant
of their mistakes and be friendly and tactful when you offer
suggestions for improvement. Please, put out the welcome mat for
them. Let them know also when they've done something right, not
only when they've done something wrong. We certainly don't want
a bunch of grouches turning them away from ham radio! It's going
to be our task to Elmer them into Amateur Radio. Let's all
provide them with a warm ham welcome.
-- Frank Fallon, N2FF
ARRL Hudson Division Director
(n2ff(a)arrl.org)
73 es God Bless de Denny AD6EZ <><
Goleta, CA