[BC] Re: No-code Amateur license

[R J Carpenter]

I haven't been following this thread in detail, which makes me fully
qualified to comment.

No-code licensing is an effort to increase the NUMBER of hams.
"People" realize that in the political DC world, numbers of people
(potential voters) are what counts.  Lowering of standards is not a
concern since no politico could evaluate them anyway. Large numbers of
hams of any quality help keep our bands.

The code isn't the only thing discouraging new hams.  In my county*,
AFAIK no subdivision started within the past 40 years allows antennas.
That's a county of about 900,000 people - and the county building
permit people are quite antenna-friendly - it's just the subdivisions'
rules that are the problems.  N3RR lives about a quarter mile from me.
He has a single 140-ft tower loaded with antennas, all legal.  Those
people in the recently-built McMansions that back up to his land must
not be too happy....

My view is that, while the code has been a deterent for some, a large
percentage of potential hams realize that they have no chance of
having an effective station where they live.  They forget the Oscar
satellites, but I'll agree it's a very niche activity.

Bob Carpenter,  w3otc since 1948, now an almost-no-code Extra (used
13-wpm credit from my old Class A / Advanced ticket)

* Montgomery County, Maryland