President's Message
Here we go again
John D. Peters K1ER
President HARC
We published a special Edition
of the HARC Newsletter for distribution to all those Amateurs
showing the good sense and initiative to UPGRADE their LICENSE,
and distributed it on April 15, 2000.
We Welcome and Congratulate everyone who either got a new License
or Upgraded.
Did you know that more hams upgraded on April 15, 2000 than during
ALL OF 1999? The TOTAL number of people who upgraded to General
was 2,500 and the TOTAL number who upgraded to Extra was 2,000
for the entire 1999 year. But between 15,000 and 30,000 people
upgraded on April 15, 2000.
The FCC rule change was the greatest
shot in the arm for Amateur Radio since 1952.
If you are a New Member of HARC, WELCOME. If you are thinking
about joining, please do so. Furthermore, if you are a DXer also
join the Honolulu DX Club. If you were first licensed 25 years
ago (in or before 1975) you should also join QCWA and the Honolulu
Chapter of QCWA.
But for all your DOUBTERS! Read this HISTORY!
The discussion about amateur
radio restructuring has gone on now for 88 years!
In fact, ever since 1912, when
Hiram Percy Maxim was forced to give up his call, "SNY",
move above 200 meters, and knuckle under to government regulation
including a 5 WPM Morse test.
Then in 1919 they raised the
Morse test to 10WPM.
Throughout the 20's CW gradually
replaced King Spark, and spark was eventually outlawed.
In 1923 they introduced something
called "Amateur Extra First Grade" with special calls
and privileges. The class was discontinued when only 6 people
applied in 1926.
Then in 1927 they reduced the
license classes from two to only one class. Old "Second
Grade" had to upgrade within one year, or go QRT.
In 1927 at the international
radio conference, the amateur bands were reduced to less than
half what we had previously. For example, 40 meters was cut from
7.0 to 7.5 to its present size. 20 was originally 14.0 to 15.0.
There were numerous articles in QST and other publications about
getting ready for the band reductions, which went into effect
in 1929. "1929" transmitters had to be stable and signals
had to be narrow and clean.
In 1932 they changed it all again,
dividing us up into Class A, B, and C, all with a 10WPM code
test.
In 1936 they said there were
too many new hams coming into the hobby, so they raised the Morse
test speed to 13WPM.
In the early 50's they renamed
everybody from A, B, or C to Advanced, General, or Conditional.
They also introduced 3 new license classes called Novice, and
Technician at 5WPM, and Extra at 20WPM.
In the late 60's they invented
something called Incentive Licensing.
In 1976 they quit requiring us
to certify we had been on the air for 12 hours last year (for
renewal). They also ended the Conditional license.
In 1991 they removed the Morse
requirement for VHF/UHF-only licensees.
In 2000 they changed Morse testing
back to the 1912 requirement of 5WPM, and the number of classes
to 3.
"Ain't it awful what they've
done to us?" is the cry.
However, an organization has
moved into place to rectify all of this! Better have a look at:
http://wWW.gwis.com/~joelr/gearpix.htm
Thanks to Jim Reid, KH7M
A W5YI VE testing session may
follow the meeting on May 20th for those desiring to upgrade
their licenses. Club repeater on 146.18/78 is the new club repeater.
Try it. The new machine is much better at rejecting intermod
and front end overload so you should receive better service.
73 John