On Oct 18, 2019, at 04:52, john@... wrote:

?I always hear alarm bells when people describe themselves as 'elite' as they are usually the only ones who perceive themselves as such. The desire to maintain perceived eliteness has, throughout history, nearly always led to the demise of those trying to maintain it.?
I would also disagree that Amateur Radio is a technical? pursuit. Whilst the technical aspect is certainly there, it is but one facet of what Is a multi faceted hobby with room for everyone who has an interest in radio communication.
To say that someone is not a suitable candidate for a licence just because they may be interested in actually communicating rather than knowing how their kit works is utterly ridiculous. Perhaps they may well become interested in furthering their knowledge further down the line.?
As for maintaining our rigs, are you serious? What maintenance does a modern rig require other than a quick blast over with Mr Sheen and a polishing cloth?
A basic licence,, perhaps issued when the application is supported by a couple of full licence holders, that allows the use of a handheld on VHF and UHF would allow people who show an interest to dip a toe in the water and, hopefully, become bitten by the bug.

And that's my two penny worth :-)

(I also passed the written RAE but? I cant see what that has to do with the price of eggs)

73 (also genuinely) John G8KHF