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Ham Radio Online Opinions
By Ed Mitchell, KF7VY, 15 October 1999 I summarize 4 years of opinion columns, and suggest a rational argument for-or against-telegraphic proficiency requirements. After 4years, it is time for me to focus my time on other activities. Note: The web site is NOT going away. I will still post new articles from time to time - but it will be a personal web site updated on a time permitting basis. By Ed Mitchell, KF7VY, 23 August 1999 The Amateur Radio Service just became a VHF/UHF-centric radio service - Technician class licensees (VHF/UHF centric) now exceed the combined total of General, Advanced and Extra class licensees (HF-centric). By Ed Mitchell, KF7VY, 13 August 1999 (changed and revised 27 August) With the FCC's reorganization and new policy goals as a background, our annual Simulated Emergency Test has become largely pointless and irrelevant. By Ed Mitchell, KF7VY, 23 July 1999 We do a truly poor job of marketing Amateur Radio to the general public that views us as "antiquated" and as a "dying culture" (quotes from press reports). There is a lot that we can do to position, market and sell Amateur Radio - Are you up to the challenge? By Ed Mitchell, KF7VY, 29 March 1999 Many attributes of Amateur Radio are no longer unique to Amateur Radio and we must continually re-invent ourselves to remain relevant. By Ed Mitchell, KF7VY New home-based personal computer networks are sending computer data over unshielded home wiring using the 2 to 30 Mhz spectrum, causing interference problems to users of the HF radio spectrum. By Ed Mitchell, KF7VY ADSL and cable modem technologies are being hyped to excess - yet they are likely to leave major parts of the U.S. unconnected. In the midst of all the hype, one market research firm points out that it will likely be 4 to 5 years before even 50% of U.S. homes have potential access to high speed Internet connections. The hype is way ahead of the reality. Ham Radio Online reported this first - now look at the attention the medai is giving to the great broadband network hoax. "by the end of 2002, 40% of U.S. households will have no high speed services" The cable company says they provide cable modem service and the phone company advertises ADSL and ISDN services. But as I found out, neither is actually available. In spite of the hype, less than 1% of U.S. homes have high speed access. ARRL Bulletin, 12 August 1998 The FCC has released its own proposal to restructure the Amateur Radio Service. The basic thrust of the proposal is to eliminate the Novice and Technician Plus licenses, leaving the Amateur service with the Technician, General, Advanced and Extra licenses. Ed Mitchell, KF7VY, Ham Radio Online, 1 January 1998 4 Opinion columns in 1: "When The Phone Company Fails", "Spectrum Auctions Going Bust", "Amateur Radio's Future", and "That Said..." Ed Mitchell, KF7VY, Ham Radio Online, 25 August 1997 Amateur radio is the public’s only direct access to the public spectrum for education, training, public service and innovation for the benefit of the American people. Yet the U.S. Congress continues to view spectrum as a source of revenue and this will continue to create significant pressure to allocate spectrum from the Amateur Radio Service to other radio services. With this in mind, Leslie Dunlop, the Legislative Director for U.S. Congressman Rick White spent two and half hours listening to a group of Amateurs discuss a variety of issues, including technical innovations in Amateur Radio, public service accomplishments and related legislative and regulatory issues. New Letters Added 1 September 1997 By Jake Brodsky, AB3A, 11 June 1997 "I was one of many who attended the TAPR Banquet dinner this year at Dayton. Following the banquet, Tom Clark (W3IWI) gave a talk on the future prospects of our hobby. It was food for an awful lot of thought. Which brings me to what I have to say here... " By Ham Radio Online, 26 May 1997 Ever wonder why that link request you submitted didn't get updated yet? Why don't we publish your "advertisement" for free? And what's coming up at Ham Radio Online? Enquiring minds what to know! By Ham Radio Online, 22 February 1997 We find that cellular phone service quality is pretty awful. Even more amazing is that lots of people are happy to pay lots of money for wireless services. Obviously, wireless communications is highly desired. In an unrelated vein, we note that technological complexity makes it difficult for any garage shop tinkerer to understand much of anything inside the innards of modern technology products. In other words, its not just hams that don't understand their radios anymore. By Ham Radio Online, 6 February 1997 License data (see below), technological, demographic, political and economic change (such as spectrum auctions) demand a dramatic rethinking of all aspects of Amateur Radio as we find our place in the 21st century. Do not underestimate the challenges we face - if we continue down our present course, Amateur Radio may fade into the static of history. But it does not have to be this way. We present a wide ranging, no-holds barred set of critical questions to encourage you to understand the problem and then think through the solutions. Amateur Radio Newsline for 24 January 1997 reports that Fred Maia, W5YI has published figures showing that in 1996, Amateur license upgrades have come to a standstill and the actual number of exams being given has fallen dramatically. The January 17, 1997 ARRL Letter reports that "In their effort to secure spectrum space that includes the 2-meter and 70-cm ham bands, the Little LEOs have narrowed their focus on 2 meters to the 146 to 148-MHz segment. The industry also appears to be attempting to reposition itself as a potential emergency communication adjunct to ham radio." The Amateur Radio Newsline of 17 January 1997 has some disturbing news for U.S. Amateurs: According to the report, the combined total of General, Advanced and Extra Class licenses declined in 1996; the total of Technician class licenses increased. This is the first time in the history of Amateur Radio that the number of General, Advanced and Extra Class Amateur Radio service grew by just 1%. Technician class licensees now make up 43% of all licensed hams. By Jake Brodksy, AB3A, 22 February 1997 By Richard Shelquist, 22 February 1997 By Richard Shelquist, 22 February 1997 By Scott Schultz, 22 February 1997 By Christopher Cox, 22 February 1997 By Paul S. George, N8XQV, 22 February 1997 By Dean Miller, 22 February 1997 by Ham Radio Online, 17 October 1996 We dare to ask the question that most everyone fears to ask: Does anyone even care about ham radio anymore? By Laird Wilcox, KB0RDL By Lawrence Olesky, 22 February 1997 By Malcolm C. Porter KF6IYV / G4TJK, 22 February 1997 By Michael Crick, 22 February 1997 By Eric N. Werny, KB7YBU (Former WB6MTK), 22 February 1997 Here is a suggestion from Scoutradio WWW for an idea to have some influence with political leaders concerning threats to Amateur Radio. by Ramon Gonzalez, KP4TR, 15 December 1996 by Laird M. Wilcox, 15 December 1996 by Douglas Jones, N0UYI, 15 December 1996 by Herbert M. Rosenthal, WV5Q, 16 November 1996 Ian, KD6EPQ, 16 November 1996 by Ham Radio Online, 3 September 1996 In our late arriving August editorial, we argue that software is the next battle ground for ham radio technical experimentation. Many amateur radio enthusiasts worry that hobbyists who might have become ham radio operators a decade ago will instead pursue computers and the Internet as a hobby today. We argue that software experimentation is a great way to involve people who might otherwise disappear into the Internet. by Ham Radio Online, July 1, 1996 Amongst so much recent gloom and doom regarding the future of Amateur Radio, we point out that there is significant support for the Amateur Radio Service. Read this direct quote from the FCC's own hearing on spectrum policy regarding whether or not the Amateur bands should be auctioned to the highest bidder. by Ham Radio Online, June, 1996 The challenges faced by the Amateur Radio Service are real. But they do not mean the end of Amateur Radio as some would have you believe. We present a background report on the new spectrum allocation realities and some specific suggestions for you to make a difference in ensuring that Amateur Radio prospers into the 21st century. Earle Robitaille, KD6FEK, 15 October 1996 Bill Mechura, KB5DFM, 27 August 1996 by Dave Potter, K1MBO, 27 August 1996 by Dan Lane, K5ERV By Bob Hudson, ex-WB4DBV/6, July |