XPost: uk.radio.amateur, rec.radio.amateur.policy   
   From: kinvig.netta@virginmedia.com   
      
   "Gareth's Downstairs Computer"   
    wrote in message   
   news:oe747s$gf6$1@dont-email.me...   
   > Time was when the only possessors of personal communications   
   > equipment were the plodderies, squadderies and we radio hams.   
   >   
   > Over the weekend I was in permanent 9 hour QSOs with 25   
   > other people on a single PMR frequency as we fence judged   
   > a BE equestrian cross country event. The use of these radios   
   > and the concomitant conversations at least had some purpose,   
   > some relevance.   
   >   
   > None of them needed to be examined on their ability to operate   
   > pushbutton radios, because personal communications is now   
   > in the range of facilities available to the man on the Clapham   
   > omnibus 24 : 7 : 365 1/4.   
   >   
   > Amateur radio has largely degenerated to a pushbutton world   
   > peopled by those who operate only, who do not understand the innards   
   > of their rigs (especially when it comes to sideband and sidetone?)   
   > and who return their rigs to emporia if ever needing repair.   
   >   
   > Prior to WWII (Started by Brit, of course, because had Germany   
   > withdrawn from Poland as demanded, Brit would not have declared it)   
   > there was no technical examination, no RAE, no foundation, intermediate   
   > or "advanced" examinations. All that was need was a certified declaration   
   > from a person of social standing that the candidate   
   > had a genuine TECHNICAL interest. There was, of course, a 12 WPM   
   > Morse test to be passed.   
   >   
   > Now that the Morse requirement has passed and the radio amateur   
   > is indistinguishable from the man on the Clapham omnibus in terms   
   > of his familiarity with and possession of personal communications   
   > equipment, is it high time to abolish all qualifying examinations   
   > for amateur radio, and for it to be lumped in with CB radio, the   
   > latter never having had any examination requirement anyway?   
   >   
   > Also, as amateur radio is no longer an esoteric specialist   
   > interest, the advantage of such a free-for-all is that there   
   > will be no further purpose in the continuation of the RSGB and   
   > all its works.   
   >   
   hope you weren't using the UV3Rs ......   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)