"Lawrence Statton" wrote in message
...
AJ Lake writes:
You need to understand that the FCC really doesn't want to be
bothered with Ham Radio at all.

I think that the ARRL had more to do with the snafu's of that era. For
example incentive licensing.


So, I'm a young whippersnapper (42 y/o ... got my Tech+ ticket in
1988): Can someone, without adding TOO much editorial slant, explain
what the 1970s push to incentive licensing was, and with as little
slant as possible explain why it was a SNAFU (or as one 1x2 in the
first club I was in said: Ruined the service).

--XE2/N1GAK

As I remember it...
I am not sure what the ARRL had to do with events previous to 73 and some of
the chronology from memory.

The 11 meter ham band was taken away to make the Citizens Band in 58? It
didn't turn out anything like the FCC expected. Previously there were fewer
ham license classes and everyone was on the same page. Also privileges were
taken away from the highest class to make a higher ones. Ticked off a lot
of Hams to lose.

The Technician License split ham radio into two factions by offering a
license class that had little incentive to upgrade and actually made it much
more difficult to, by limiting the opportunities for on-the-air training.
People who took the Novice ticket were upgraded to General in less than 2
years or never got around to get on the air and let it lapse. Hams (in my
area anyway) were expected to build something as a right of passage.
Building a code practice oscillator would get you a pat on the back from
everyone and you were in with the simplest project there was. I built that
and the power supplies for my mil surplus rigs. Some guys built a whole
Novice station. Techs at that time were expected to retune or modify a rig
or some project as well but would go straight to CB like intercom operations
not conducive to learning the HF skills for upgrade. In my day we were
aware of a difference but we were all brother hams then. I had Elmers that
were Techs and beyond. Most all were technically inclined enough to have
built something. People were generally civilized and knew that we were all
on the same team. If there was irritation between individuals, and there
were oddballs, it was downplayed for the good of amateur radio, because it
was a small world and people were listening. And you would run into each
other again and again, so no sense carrying a grudge.

That was the reality of it, whatever your point of view of how it should
have been.

In the late 70's there was a push by ARRL to get CBers interested, and over
the counter 2 meter radios were first becoming available.

ARRL didn't seem to understand that CB was a different service with a
different mindset and many were already set in their ways. They seemed to
be willing to get people to hang outside of RS stores and lure CBers under
false pretenses about amateur radio in order to pump up the license roles
and subscriptions to QST. Wayne Green was one of the ticked off ones and
started 73 magazine to rag about the ARRL and QST. ARRL also convinced the
FCC (easily) to set up the volunteer examiner program. Novice exams were
already given by volunteer Extras. FCC wanted to lighten their work load
since Ham testing and licensing was taking up most of a day at the field
offices.

License renewals were then made easier and for longer. ARRL liked it
because the rolls didn't drop out so fast and FCC didn't have to bother as
often.

The volunteer examiner program gave seminars to get people licensed but
because of the accellerated pace, people got licensed before they got a
chance to learn the realities of getting on the air and keeping a station up
and meeting the people. Some people would find it not their cup of tea and
leave but their license was now good for 10 years pumping up the rolls.

The no-code Tech license 83? further divided amateurs and even further
sidetracked Techs from upgrading. Lead time for getting a ticket was
shortened from the 2 to 6 months or so to learn the code to as little as 6
weeks, then 2 weeks as the process refined. It was notable that in the
80s, there were many who learned the code anyway and upgraded but the whole
thing by and large tended to split Ham Radio into those who upgraded and
those who couldn't very well.and were often frustrated. Many would tell
themselves they just weren't interested and resented the others. Way too
sad. I finally came to grips with the idea that they should do away with
the Tech class license at all costs, even getting rid of code testing for
the General to do it, just so we could mend the split. I was stunned when
they dropped the code requirement for Extra though. I really haven't kept
track of all the current structure since I got my Extra in 93.

In any case, the "incentive" licensing structure was anything but incentive.
So much for good intentions. ARRL has done a lot of good things but some
major screwups too. Support them but keep an eye on them and keep them
straightened out.