"Peter" wrote in message
news:436cb011.0@entanet...
I am sure that, like me, many of the genuine users of this group, those
with a real interest in
the topic, have had more than enough of the whining from some "old school"
amateurs.

The question is, do they have a point? Is there really a big flooding of
the band with
unqualified "amateurs" and are they speking for the majority?
Decide the answers to the questions for yourself, using the figures from
an official survey:


Are young idiots taking over the band?
74% of Amateurs are over 45 years.
93% of Amateurs are male, 7% female.

Are people going for the easiest option?
84% hold full/advanced licences,
11% foundation,
5% intermediate.

Are ex-CBers going for the easy option?
30% of foundation licence holders are under 21 (although more may have
got
theirs while under 21). As the CB craze ended some time back, most
CBers
will be well over 21... as are most Amateurs.
70% of 21 - 44 year old Amateurs hold full/advanced licences.
88% of 45 - 64 year old Amateurs hold full/advanced licences.
It should be noted that many of those with lower licences may be new to
the hobby and
working their way up.

With the relaxed exams, are people flooding onto the band?
46% have had licence over 20 years,
24% 10 - 20 years.
9% 6 - 10 years

Do Amateurs think that the licensing is too relaxed?
Too relaxed: 9%
About right: 66%
Too tight: 4%

Lifetime licence?
45% were in favour.
26% yearly.
26% increase length - mainly wanting 5 year licences.


The full report can be downloaded from the Ofcom or Mori Website...
Ofcom: http://www.ofcom.org.uk/

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/radiocomms/i...ur/morireport/
MORI: http://www.mori.co.uk/

Are there any similar, official or accepted Amateur or CB surveys from
other countries?


Regards,

Peter.
http://www.citizensband.radiouk.com/




some interesting points Peter
to the question of are the bands being flooded with unqualified amateurs
I think it depends on what you class as qualified, if you say qualified to
use a two-way radio then the answer has to be yes as a foundation licence
holder has had more training than say a taxi driver who is also a two-way
radio user
but are they qualified to experiment with home constructed equipment
then the answer would have to be no as the foundation licence holder
to me they have not demonstrated the level of technical knowledge required.
which is what the foundation licence is all about it is suppose to be
a stepping stone to a higher level.

I have nothing against amateurs that just like to talk to people and
never get involved in the technical side of the hobby each to there own
but to me a true radio amateur is one that constructs and experiments with
radio.

as for the language the new amateur uses, well the way people speak
around the country and through time has change and much as the old time
amateurs do not like it we don't all speak with a plum in out mouths
and never will so as long as anyone can communicate over the air without
all the Anglo Saxon expletives then that's ok to me.