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The ARRL has proposed a simplified Amateur Radio license structure featuring four license classes and reduced Morse code requirements for full HF access. In approving the plan July 18, the ARRL Board of Directors said the hobby no longer needed six license classes. In their discussions, Board members emphasized that the objective was to rationalize and simplify the amateur licensing structure without reducing the requirements for any class of license.
Among its recommendations, the plan would eliminate the current Novice and Tech Plus class licenses and merge those operating privileges into a new license class equivalent to the current General ticket. The plan would replace the present named license classes with Class A, B, C, and D tickets, revise written examination requirement and content, and set 12 WPM as the highest Morse code test requirement. Most of the spectrum freed up by the elimination of the current Novice CW bands would be "refarmed" into expanded HF phone segments. Some would remain available for digital and CW, however. Announcement of the Board's plan generated a tumult of opinions pro and con within the Amateur Radio community. Comments received at League Headquarters have ranged from angry opposition to enthusiastic support, but by the end of the week in which the plan was announced, most Board membersreported receiving somewhat more comments in favor than opposed. The League has forwarded details of the plan in a letter to the FCC but will not petition for a rulemaking as it awaits public release of the Commission's own ham radio restructuring plans (see related story above). In its letter, the ARRL asked the FCC to "consider this restructuring plan as a means of modernizing and simplifying amateur radio licensing, and a means of making Amateur Radio available to more people."
Before the July meeting, the ARRL Board had twice voted down motions to consider changing the licensing
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