Reposted and updated slightly:

1) Three classes of license: Basic, Intermediate, Full (change the
names if you don't like them - Third, Second, First, Novice,
General, Extra, whatever)


2) HF/MF bands split into subbands by mode and split again by
license class. Some bands (30 meters) may be split by mode only.
Bottom of each band is CW only, middle is CW/digital, top is
CW/phone/image. Percentage division about 20%/30%/50% (varies with
band). "Digital" includes digital voice modes if bandwidth under
1 kHz.


3) "Basic" license test is simple 20-25 question exam on regs,
procedures, and safety. Very little technical and RF exposure
stuff. Main objective is to keep Basics out of trouble. Basics
get 100-50 watts on HF/MF and 25 watts or so on VHF/UHF (power
level is below the point where RF exposure evaluation required).
Modes are CW, analog voice, PSK31, RTTY and many of the other
common data modes like packet. Basics cannot be VEs, control
ops for repeaters, or club trustees. Basics get most VHF/UHF
and about half of HF/MF spectrum, including parts of all
subbands-by-mode. Basic is meant as the entry level. Easy to
get, lots of privs, yet there's still a reason to upgrade.


4) "Intermediate" license test is more complex 50-60 question exam
on regs, procedures, safety and technical stuff. Intermediates
get 300-400 watts on all bands, all modes. Intermediates can be
VEs after qualification (see below), control ops for repeaters,
and club trustees. Intermediates get all VHF/UHF and about
three quarters (or more) of HF/MF spectrum.


5) "Full" license test is quite complex 100-120 question exam on
regs, procedures, safety and technical stuff. Mostly technical,
with some regs to cover expanded privs. Fulls get all
privileges, modes, bands, etc. except that Fulls can be VEs
only after qualification (see below).


6) All licenses are 10 year and fully renewable/modifiable. No
age requirements or limits.


7) Basics have six-character calls, Intermediates have five- or
six-character calls, and Fulls have four-, five-, or
six-character calls. Nobody has to give up an existing callsign.


8) Separate 30-35 question test for VE qualification, open to
Intermediates and Fulls, which allows them to be VEs. Existing
VEs are grandfathered.


9) Existing Novices, Techs and Tech Pluses become Basics,
existing Generals and Advanceds become Intermediates, and
existing Extras become Fulls. Existing hams can continue to
use their current privileges when they exceed privileges granted
by the new system as long as they retain license
documents showing their old license class. Existing Tech Pluses
who can show proof of license before Mar 21, 1987 get Intermediates.



10) Change to new system is at least six months to one year after
announcement to allow time for question pool reorganization and
so existing hams can upgrade under present rules if they want.


End result is a system that is easy to get into (Basic is
envisioned as a 21st century version of the Novice) and has
reasonable but meaningful steps to reach full privileges.
Testing matches the privs granted. Power levels are set about
one S-unit apart. Nobody loses any privileges. There are only
three license classes and four written tests, so FCC doesn't
have more work.


Example of new privileges:


80/75 meters
3500-3575 CW only
3575-3750 CW/data
3750-4000 CW/analog phone/image


Basic: 3525-3625 and 3900-4000
Intermediate: 3525-3750 and 3850-4000
Full: entire band




73 de Jim, N2EY

wrote:
Reposted and updated slightly:

1) Three classes of license: Basic, Intermediate, Full (change the
names if you don't like them - Third, Second, First, Novice,
General, Extra, whatever)


2) HF/MF bands split into subbands by mode and split again by
license class. Some bands (30 meters) may be split by mode only.
Bottom of each band is CW only, middle is CW/digital, top is
CW/phone/image. Percentage division about 20%/30%/50% (varies with
band). "Digital" includes digital voice modes if bandwidth under
1 kHz.


3) "Basic" license test is simple 20-25 question exam on regs,
procedures, and safety. Very little technical and RF exposure
stuff. Main objective is to keep Basics out of trouble. Basics
get 100-50 watts on HF/MF and 25 watts or so on VHF/UHF (power
level is below the point where RF exposure evaluation required).
Modes are CW, analog voice, PSK31, RTTY and many of the other
common data modes like packet. Basics cannot be VEs, control
ops for repeaters, or club trustees. Basics get most VHF/UHF
and about half of HF/MF spectrum, including parts of all
subbands-by-mode. Basic is meant as the entry level. Easy to
get, lots of privs, yet there's still a reason to upgrade.


4) "Intermediate" license test is more complex 50-60 question exam
on regs, procedures, safety and technical stuff. Intermediates
get 300-400 watts on all bands, all modes. Intermediates can be
VEs after qualification (see below), control ops for repeaters,
and club trustees. Intermediates get all VHF/UHF and about
three quarters (or more) of HF/MF spectrum.


5) "Full" license test is quite complex 100-120 question exam on
regs, procedures, safety and technical stuff. Mostly technical,
with some regs to cover expanded privs. Fulls get all
privileges, modes, bands, etc. except that Fulls can be VEs
only after qualification (see below).


6) All licenses are 10 year and fully renewable/modifiable. No
age requirements or limits.


7) Basics have six-character calls, Intermediates have five- or
six-character calls, and Fulls have four-, five-, or
six-character calls. Nobody has to give up an existing callsign.


8) Separate 30-35 question test for VE qualification, open to
Intermediates and Fulls, which allows them to be VEs. Existing
VEs are grandfathered.


9) Existing Novices, Techs and Tech Pluses become Basics,
existing Generals and Advanceds become Intermediates, and
existing Extras become Fulls. Existing hams can continue to
use their current privileges when they exceed privileges granted
by the new system as long as they retain license
documents showing their old license class. Existing Tech Pluses
who can show proof of license before Mar 21, 1987 get Intermediates.



10) Change to new system is at least six months to one year after
announcement to allow time for question pool reorganization and
so existing hams can upgrade under present rules if they want.


End result is a system that is easy to get into (Basic is
envisioned as a 21st century version of the Novice) and has
reasonable but meaningful steps to reach full privileges.
Testing matches the privs granted. Power levels are set about
one S-unit apart. Nobody loses any privileges. There are only
three license classes and four written tests, so FCC doesn't
have more work.


Example of new privileges:


80/75 meters
3500-3575 CW only
3575-3750 CW/data
3750-4000 CW/analog phone/image


Basic: 3525-3625 and 3900-4000
Intermediate: 3525-3750 and 3850-4000
Full: entire band




73 de Jim, N2EY

QP contains 10,000 questions. You take a test, 1 question at a time.
Questions selected at random. You keep going til you miss one. No
retakes, no upgrades. Each right question earns 10Hz of spectrum, your
choice of frequency, but it must be made at the exam session. That is
your lifetime allotment.

wrote


Basic: 3525-3625 and 3900-4000
Intermediate: 3525-3750 and 3850-4000
Full: entire band


I missed where you explained why the bands needed to be divided by class. Is it
more difficult to understand how to operate on 3524 than on 3526?

73, de Hans, K0HB

KØHB wrote:
wrote

Basic: 3525-3625 and 3900-4000
Intermediate: 3525-3750 and 3850-4000
Full: entire band

I missed where you explained why the bands needed to be divided by class.

It's to serve as an upgrade incentive. Not everyone aspires to run high
power.

Is it
more difficult to understand how to operate on 3524 than on 3526?

Of course not.

Neither is it more difficult to understand how to operate a 100 watt
transmitter
than a 50 watt transmitter. But under your system, a Class B licensee
could
not legally operate a 100 watt transmitter.

RF exposure, you say? The RF exposure hazard (in the high gain
direction)
from a 50 watt UHF transmitter with a high gain antenna is far more
than that
from a 100 watt HF transmitter with a low-gain antenna at the same
distance.

Yet under your system, a Class B licensee could legally operate a 50
watt
UHF transmitter and high-gain antenna, but not not legally operate a
100 watt transmitter with low gain antenna.

73 de Jim, N2EY

wrote:
KØHB wrote:
wrote

Basic: 3525-3625 and 3900-4000
Intermediate: 3525-3750 and 3850-4000
Full: entire band

I missed where you explained why the bands needed to be divided by class.

It's to serve as an upgrade incentive. Not everyone aspires to run high
power.

Oh, another upgrade for upgrade's sake. And a completely arbitrary and
unnecessary division within hamdom.

Is it
more difficult to understand how to operate on 3524 than on 3526?

Of course not.

A completely arbitrary and unnecessary division within hamdom.

Neither is it more difficult to understand how to operate a 100 watt
transmitter
than a 50 watt transmitter.

It is on 10 meters. The law requires an EA at 100 watts, but not at
50.

But under your system, a Class B licensee
could
not legally operate a 100 watt transmitter.

See above.

RF exposure, you say? The RF exposure hazard (in the high gain
direction)
from a 50 watt UHF transmitter with a high gain antenna is far more
than that
from a 100 watt HF transmitter with a low-gain antenna at the same
distance.

Yet under your system, a Class B licensee could legally operate a 50
watt
UHF transmitter and high-gain antenna, but not not legally operate a
100 watt transmitter with low gain antenna.

73 de Jim, N2EY

That's why my proposal says "erp."

wrote in message
oups.com...

I missed where you explained why the bands needed to be divided by class.

It's to serve as an upgrade incentive. Not everyone aspires to run high
power.

When I upgraded from Conditional to Extra (Advanced was closed) in 1963 I didn't
need any spiffy new freqs or higher power to motivate me. Sounds like giving
lollipops to children if they'll first eat their spinach.

Is it more difficult to understand how to operate on 3524 than on 3526?

Of course not.

Good answer!

73, de Hans, K0HB
Grand Exalted Liberator of the Electric Smoke

On 31 Dec 2005 05:52:25 -0800, wrote in
.com:

KØHB wrote:
wrote

Basic: 3525-3625 and 3900-4000
Intermediate: 3525-3750 and 3850-4000
Full: entire band

I missed where you explained why the bands needed to be divided by class.

It's to serve as an upgrade incentive. Not everyone aspires to run high
power.


So what you're -really- talking about are low-power and a high-power
license classes?







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Frank Gilliland wrote:
On 31 Dec 2005 05:52:25 -0800, wrote in
.com:

KØHB wrote:
wrote

Basic: 3525-3625 and 3900-4000
Intermediate: 3525-3750 and 3850-4000
Full: entire band

I missed where you explained why the bands needed to be divided by class.

It's to serve as an upgrade incentive. Not everyone aspires to run high
power.


So what you're -really- talking about are low-power and a high-power
license classes?

No.

If you look at K0HB's license-structure idea, the main (in fact the
*only* difference in operating privileges between his Class A and Class
B licenses is the power allowed.

Class A gets full 1500 W

Class B gets 50 W

Hans' idea is that by limiting Class B to 50 W, the RF exposure
questions can be eliminated,
or at least greatly reduced. But the fact is that 50 W can still be an
RF exposure hazard on some frequencies (UHF in particular) if a high
gain antenna is used.

Deciding that the power level of 50 W is acceptable for Class B, but
100 W is not, is just
a matter of judgement. It's the same kind of judgement as saying that
3500-3525 kHz is not allowed for all license classes.

"Frank Gilliland" wrote


So what you're -really- talking about are low-power and a high-power
license classes?


Same like now, only more so.......

Three power levels....

Three frequency sets....

Longer clunkier calls for lower grades....


Beep beep
de Hans, K0HB

From: on Dec 30, 5:56 pm

wrote:

Reposted and updated slightly:

1) Three classes of license: Basic, Intermediate, Full (change the
names if you don't like them - Third, Second, First, Novice,
General, Extra, whatever)

Brian, the best Jimmie can come up with is just warmed-over
EXISTING regulations with a slightly different bit of
cosmetic changing.

Note: There are only THREE license classes granted NOW.


2) HF/MF bands split into subbands by mode and split again by
license class. Some bands (30 meters) may be split by mode only.
Bottom of each band is CW only, middle is CW/digital, top is
CW/phone/image. Percentage division about 20%/30%/50% (varies with
band). "Digital" includes digital voice modes if bandwidth under
1 kHz.

Farf. There's BANDPLANS now, splitting "the bands" by mode
AND class.


3) "Basic" license test is simple 20-25 question exam on regs,
procedures, and safety. Very little technical and RF exposure


4) "Intermediate" license test is more complex 50-60 question exam
on regs, procedures, safety and technical stuff. Intermediates
get 300-400 watts on all bands, all modes. Intermediates can be

5) "Full" license test is quite complex 100-120 question exam on
regs, procedures, safety and technical stuff. Mostly technical,

More Farf. Cosmetic changes to classes that exist NOW.


6) All licenses are 10 year and fully renewable/modifiable. No
age requirements or limits.

NO change at all. Status quo-ism.


7) Basics have six-character calls, Intermediates have five- or
six-character calls, and Fulls have four-, five-, or
six-character calls. Nobody has to give up an existing callsign.

Be absolutely SURE that the lowest class is readily identifiable
as the LOWEST one. Tsk, can't have those nasty "beginners"
messing up the playground!


8) Separate 30-35 question test for VE qualification, open to
Intermediates and Fulls, which allows them to be VEs. Existing
VEs are grandfathered.

Oh my, something NEW! "Unbeliegable," said Arte Johnson.

So, "what was WRONG with the present system" that it needs
this spay-shull "test" to proctor a license exam...with the
answers readily available to them and NO need to make any
decisions such as on schematics or essay questions?

Geez, privatization in testing has been going on a LONG
time without any specific "testing of the VEs."



End result is a system that is easy to get into (Basic is
envisioned as a 21st century version of the Novice) and has
reasonable but meaningful steps to reach full privileges.

The Novice class was a numbers failure. That's apparent
to most folks other than Jimmie.

With a ONE-class license plus the ONCE-only "entry" license
it is EASIER than the above regurgitated existing system.

WHY is there a "privilege" system at all NOW? To keep "the
bands" free of "interlopers" that mess up the olde-tymers'
operations with "extraneous signals?"


Testing matches the privs granted.

It should, there is NO real change from the existing system.


Power levels are set about
one S-unit apart. Nobody loses any privileges. There are only
three license classes and four written tests, so FCC doesn't
have more work.

I N C O R R E C T !

The FCC has to ADDITIOMALLY TEST Volunteer Examiners. More
work for them. But, as in Latin ("who watches the watchers?")
who will test the VE applicants? Other VEs? Not unless they
have ALREADY been tested...which leads to an impossible
condition.

What's with this "power level" per "class" thing, anyway?

If that were meaningful, there would be FCC field teams out
there measuring field strengths and knocking on doors, etc.
Obviously there aren't and any existing "RF power output"
maximums in amateur radio operate on the honor system.
Ain't no extensive "RF power output" checking being done.


73 de Jim, N2EY

QP contains 10,000 questions. You take a test, 1 question at a time.
Questions selected at random. You keep going til you miss one. No
retakes, no upgrades. Each right question earns 10Hz of spectrum, your
choice of frequency, but it must be made at the exam session. That is
your lifetime allotment.

HAR! :-)

------

Well, since Jimmie didn't come up with anything "new" other
than doing a Max Factor Thing with the existing regulations
(plus the NEW test for VEs), I'll just remind everyone of what
is in the regulations NOW...and has been since at least 1995:
The FCC states that each written test element Question Pool
must contain a MINIMUM of 10 times the number of required
questions.

There is NO maximum on the Question Pool. [I don't think there
ever was one] It's all up to the VE QPC on how many it wants
to generate and distribute. Make it 20 times, 30 times, 50,
even a 100 times the minimum in the QP...that will knock down
all those charges of "memorization."

Yawn.

Nappy Hoo Year!