Bible
Verse Exodus 20:22-23 Then the LORD said
to Moses, "Tell the Israelites this: 'You have seen for
yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven: Do not
make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for
yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.
EXPERIENCED HAMS
MUST NURTURE NEWCOMERS, HAYNIE TELLS FORUM
It's up to today's Amateur Radio
veterans to cultivate the younger generation, ARRL
President Jim Haynie, W5JBP, told the ARRL Forum at
Dayton Hamvention 2004 May 15. Calling the statistic
"shocking," Haynie cited ARRL survey data showing that
more than one-fifth of new amateur licensees never get on
the air. He suggested that too few experienced amateurs
take new licensees under their wing to help them get
started.
"One of the things that we need to
do is open up our hearts and open up our minds a little
bit about the new generation coming along," he said. The
addition of another half-dozen ARRL
Education and Technology Program
(ETP) pilot schools has
raised the total to 81, Haynie pointed out. While its
primary goal is using Amateur Radio to educate youngsters
about wireless technology, the ETP has resulted in
thousands of new hams--teenagers and younger.
"What makes these programs
successful, of course, is the local hams, the local clubs
getting behind the program and teaching these kids the
kinds of things we all know," Haynie said, adding that
nothing is too basic or simple. "I didn't know how to put
on a PL-259 when I got my General," Haynie admitted,
recalling that he'd more than once forgotten to slip the
connector's shell over the end of the cable before
soldering the plug.
Haynie suggested that today's older
hams also need to consider that technology is changing,
and the questions appearing on the ham radio examinations
of tomorrow will be ones "that haven't been thought of
yet." In 1972 when he took his General, he said, his test
included questions on Hartley and Colpitts oscillators.
In contrast, today's examinations cover topics such as
phase-locked loops, satellite operation and digital
technology.
The ARRL president asserted that
many Amateur Extra class licensees couldn't pass today's
Element 4 examination if they had to do. Haynie said that
if and when the FCC changes Amateur Radio licensing
requirements in response to various petitions for rule
making--including one from the League--it will not be a
matter of "dumbing down" Amateur Radio. "It's not that
Amateur Radio is dumbed down," he said. "People like me
have failed to keep up, and if you look in your heart,
you're going to say the same thing."
"Amateur Radio is what you make of
it once you get your license," Haynie continued. Getting
a ham ticket doesn't make anyone more intelligent, and
learning the ropes usually begins after someone already
has a license in hand.
"You learn by doing," he said.
Haynie said the ARRL Board did not
take lightly its latest restructuring proposal, and he
acknowledged that the League's petition has not won
universal praise. "It was not an overnight decision," he
said, adding that the Board wanted to take a fair and
evenhanded approach to restructuring.
How the FCC will act on the Morse
code requirement and restructuring "is anyone's guess,"
Haynie said, but he predicted that the Commission will
never reinstate higher code speed requirements as some
have requested. "The FCC is not going to go back to 13
and 20 words per minute, and you can take that to the
bank," he predicted. "It's not going to happen."
"Whatever you enjoy about Amateur
Radio, it's not going to change" as a result of any
restructuring Haynie said. While the FCC might take "the
path of least resistance," he believes it's more likely
to take bits and pieces of the various petitions to come
up with something that's would be workable and "give
Amateur Radio a shot in the arm."
"We need that," Haynie concluded.
ARRL Letter Volume 23 Number 22
Have a
great month
May 2004
