SB QST @ ARL $ARLB086
ARLB086 ARRL Board of Directors holds special meeting

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ARRL Bulletin 86  ARLB086
From ARRL Headquarters  
Newington CT  October 22, 1998
To all radio amateurs 

SB QST ARL ARLB086
ARLB086 ARRL Board of Directors holds special meeting

The ARRL Board of Directors will meet in a special session on
October 24 in St Louis. The agenda contains a single item: to
consider the League's response to the FCC's August ''rules
streamlining'' Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, WT Docket 98-143.

Among other things, the FCC has proposed elimination of the Novice
and Tech Plus tickets and a reduction from six to four license
classes.  The FCC also invited comments on a number of other issues,
including Morse code testing requirements.

At its July meeting, the ARRL Board issued its own license
restructuring proposals that also call for an end to the Novice and
Tech Plus tickets and four license classes.  Additionally, the plan
would offer substantial HF privileges with a 5 WPM Morse code test,
require a 12 WPM code test for Advanced privileges, and eliminate
the 20 WPM code test for Amateur Extra privileges.  The League plan
also called for beefing up the Extra class written exam and
''refarming'' the existing Novice bands-primarily as additional phone
segments.  The ARRL informed the FCC of its restructuring ideas by
letter but did not file a formal petition for rulemaking.

Comments on the FCC's NPRM are due December 1.  Reply comments are
due January 15.
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