Foundation class and 6m access

[VK4WDM]

I have just been talking to a man who is about to set the foundation licence exam. He initially became interested in amateur radio 25 or so years back when he became a friend of a ham who was an avid 6m operator. He became very interested in the 6m band himself and was very keen to develop that interest by getting his licence. Unfortunately, because of the pressure of other things, AR got put on the back-burner until the recent re-activation of interest.

When he read the FL regs he was dismayed to find that the band that sparked his interest decades ago cannot be used by FL holders. He asked me why this was so. I told him what I thought, but he (he does read the logger) and I would like to hear others give an answer to the question:

Why should'nt foundation licence holders have access to 6m?

Please, no rants about "they have too much spectrum now.

73

Wayne VK4WDM

[VK4KGW]

I expect the consideration was initially providing an upgrade inducment , the high risk for interferance and of course the vagaries and requirements for the bands use , technically it is demanding

[VK4TS]

If he wants a feel for 6M stop studying and he could try 27Mhz by some of the performances and dummy spitting yesterday - hope that its not what this cycle is going to be like but alas I think it is...

Ten Metres with 10 watts would be similar and there is the incentive issue - its seen as stepping stones - rather than do the simpler Foundation why not study straight to the standard or advanced calls -

I personally would not support access to 6 metres for the Foundation class unless someone could give me a very valid reason

[VK5PO]

How many times do we have to hear this story.....

You want a license to operate on certain bands, study , etc........

Pressure of other things??????? We all have had those in our lives.... All of us that use six metres now, studied, and sat the appropriate exams, passed, got our licenses and now operate on 6metres.

Re activation of interest??? I suggest the interest cannot have been that great in the first place. (otherwise he would be on air)

F call Licensees have so many more privileges today that what a higher standard of examination NOVICE ever had in the 70s.80s and 90's.
Give us a break please!!!!

Trent's Comment re 27Mhz: listening between 28.000Mhz and 27.405Mhz the other night revealed many guys with "auusie" accents working guys in European countries.. very big signals too., I guess it is ok to pirate a part of the spectrum and work "DX" on a non legal band..(maybe it is legal now?)

Feel for 6m? using 27Mhz as a comparison... Chalk and cheese Trent...

John, VK5PO

[VK3RX]

I agree with John.

And operating on 6m the potential for TVI particularly in suburban areas is huge, even with 10w.

[VK7DX]

This post reminds me of those dying child emails.

Of course F calls can go on 6M after they upgrade and earn the right like the rest of us.

cheers and happy 6M dx
Frank

ps,A dumb post

[VK3MJC]

I'm in agreeance with most others here - sit the standard exam if you want partial 6m, or the advanced if you want all of it. Just like I'll have to do the MC exam if I want to drive a road train.

It's not like it's something that really should have been available to F calls (like digital).

Aww geez - I'm starting to sound like a G.O.M..

[VK8VTX]

i think it is good idea for Foundation class to have 6m, but it will have to be all of 6m and not just the lame 52 to 54 mhz part of it.
as your friend soon see that few even go to the standard class portion and he will get bored and leave like the rest of us standards did.

it's like saying from the alien film..............on 6 no one can hear you scream

[VK4KGW]

i think it is good idea for Foundation class to have 6m, but it will have to be all of 6m and not just the lame 52 to 54 mhz part of it.
as your friend soon see that few even go to the standard class portion and he will get bored and leave like the rest of us standards did.

it's like saying from the alien film..............on 6 no one can hear you scream

If 6 was really your band the upgrade would be a minor inconvenience

your arguement falls of deaf ears

[VK4WDM]

I will sum up my thoughts on the matter of F calls and 6m after others have had a say, but I will respond to the following point now since we are seeing so much 6m activity at present.

that few even go to the standard class portion

I make a point of always calling CQ on both 50.200 MHZ (the domestic calling frequency) and on 52.100 MHZ (the alternative calling frequency) and even announce on the logger that I am calling on 52.100, but I have only worked one VK and one ZL on 52.100 in the past two years. So where are the STD calls who want 6m contacts?

73

Wayne VK4WDM

[VK2HRX]

....... So where are the STD calls who want 6m contacts?

73

Wayne VK4WDM

I am on 52.100 during field days. Shame there are not more like you. 52MHz is almost by appointment in my opinion. I even offer to work split to accomodate antennas at the other end that wont get up to 52MHz.

Compton
VK2HRX

[VK4TS]

So where are the STD calls who want 6m contacts?

-

They want it on a plate............Silver preferably - The exams take time but to be honest I have worked three cycles of 6M on 52 Mhz and cant agree with anyone saying that it cant be worked on 52Mhz - it is there but you need to optimise and its a lot lot tougher - why aren't I on the band yet ??

Because the best is yet to come -

[VK2MUS]

i think it is good idea for Foundation class to have 6m,

I disagree the F licence has a good freq allowance including 10M and 15m both interesting bands however I think that digital modes should be allowed to bring in more younger people and those who have spent their working lives in the computer field and wish to specialise in low power digital transmission - to be able to work 5w or less digital mode I have to sit for an exame to get 100w does not make sense

[VK3MTV]

Whenever I get on 52.1 I always post on Logger that I am calling cq. I get a few bites and then I try the 6m Repeaters. I then try 52.525. I enjoy myself. I have a vertical antenna and I can hear the FK8 beacon and receive ZLTV from time to time.

There are operators like me around on 52.1. Come up and have a chat sometime. We wont bite.

73, Greg VK3MTV

[VK5DWC]

A foundation licence is just that, a foundation on which to build your hobby. With it comes both band and power restrictions. Some are quite happy to stay with that, but if that's not enough, there's the option of building on that foundation, i.e. upgrading your licence.

Before I got my licence, I liked listening to the 20 metre band, which is not available to FL, so I went straight for my standard. 12 months later, I got my full call, and found a host of other great bands not available to me before.

As for your aquaintance Wayne, the FL is a good place to start, but if he really must have 6 metres, then my suggestion is for him to hit the books, and study for his standard, or even full call. At least the FL will get him on the air, until he's ready to upgrade.

73

David VK5DWC

[VK7YXX]

I think the band and power restrictions are fine as they are for foundation licences. There's more than enough to diversity there to keep things interesting. You can still "work the world", and many do quite successfully. If 6m floats your friend's boat then give 10m a go.

There might be a case for digital modes, but then again it's just as much an incentive to upgrade as it is a potential barrier to entry.

As to why the 6m restriction, and the restrictions in general - it limits the potential to do evil (TVI being the main one in the case of 6m), much like speed restrictions for L/P platers.

[VK5LA]

Not so many years back when I got my Z call licence, and after listening to hours and hours of unsquelched 10FM, the lure of working DX on HF became to much...so I had no option but to upgrade.
The only way was by studying morse code.
I HATED morse code, but to get HF privileges, I had to study...I HAD to LEARN something...I had to WORK towards something, and EARN it.
Back then, believe me I would rather have stuck hot pins in my eyes, but I REALLY wanted HF, so i began learning Morse.
I even helped out with the WIA slow morse sessions out of SA as a backup to Kingsley VK5AKN (SK) as an aid to help me become better at morse, and pass the test. In the end, after a couple of goes, I got there! It was well worth the effort.

The foundation licencees have been given far to many bands and the 10 watt power limit is a joke. 10 watts my ass.
It's also been made worse by the fact that the callsign VK4FWIT has been issued.
This completely devalues amateur radio in my opinion.
What impression do we give the general community when we have GOVERNMENT ISSUED call signs like that? Some of the other F-call call signs aren't much better.
10-4 Good buddy, watch out for Bears!!!

The thought of foundation licencees being allowed on 6 metres is just outrageous.
Why should they get something for nothing that others have sacrificed, studied and WORKED for and EARNT?

From my observations as an (EX) WIA assessor is that 90% of the candidates have no intention whatsoever of ever upgrading. Indeed, the foundation licence seems to have attracted the oxygen thieves the average Ham, became a Ham to get away from. Only a small percentage have enough brains or gumption to go on to upgrade. I've heard all the excuses.

As for all the standard licences complaining that there is no-one to work sob sob up on 52 Mhz, there is a very, very simple solution to your problem... UPGRADE!!!

Sorry to be so harsh, but it's reality check time.

Andy
VK5LA

[VK4CZ]

Sorry to be so harsh, but it's reality check time.

Andy
VK5LA

You're not being harsh at all Andy... but reality hurts some. Unfortunately it is indicative of our society now days, it seems people want more and more for nothing!

What ever happened to the Aussie tradition of being rewarded with satisfaction for your own hard yakka?

[VK2CSW]

What ever happened to the Aussie tradition of being rewarded with satisfaction for your own hard yakka?

Hard Yakka?

I am by no means the sharpest tool in the shed. I have some electronics experience and I have had a long association with radio in various forms.

As a teenager, I spent many hours failing to learn morse. So I gave up. Two and bit years ago I decided to get my foundation licence and had that in a couple of months, within twelve months of that I had passed the standard and advanced exams.

Frankly, they are not that hard. And like I have said, I am not a member of Mensa, and it has been a few years since I have done any study.

Sure I had to do the Radio and Electronics School courses, cram, and do a shedload of practice exams but in reality it wasn't that big of a stretch.

The exams themselves are well written, which means by applying a little bit of exam technique even those tricky ones were eliminated down to better than 50/50.

If you want the extra bands, there is no excuse to not get the ticket.

[VK3AUU]

Perhaps they should bring back 14 wpm CW for all those who wish to use the bottom end of 6 metres. Seriously though, standard licencees should get the bottom end long before Foundation class.

David
VK3AUU
(Still off air waiting to shift QTH)