ARRL Board Endorses Certification Program

The ARRL Board of Directors has approved the development and implementation of an initiative to promote self-education by radio amateurs. The new ARRL Certification Program will aim to inspire amateurs to continue acquiring technical knowledge and operating expertise beyond that required to become licensed and give them a chance to test their own limits. Following up on the "2010 Vision" discussions at last July's Board meeting, ARRL Executive Vice President David Sumner, K1ZZ, presented the broad strokes of the Certification Program during the Board's January 21-22 meeting in Memphis.

At this point, the Certification Program only exists as a concept, with the details to be worked out, but plans call for having the program in place by later this year. The first step in putting the program in place will be to solicit the ideas of ARRL members, via a Web-based message board, on appropriate topics to be included in the initial rollout. "The idea is to make this program what members want it to be, and not something imposed from 'on high,'" Sumner said.

"Many ARRL members believe there is a widening gap between what the FCC requires amateur licensees to know and what it takes to be truly knowledgeable about Amateur Radio," he continued. "Whether or not you agree, it's certainly true that those of us who took our FCC exams years ago have never had to demonstrate an understanding of current technology. We could use a new challenge."

The new Certification Program will offer participants an opportunity to earn credentials at various levels of depth and difficulty in different courses of study--perhaps in such areas as ionospheric propagation, receiver design, and Morse code proficiency. Sumner said the ARRL should and will continue to encourage the development of Morse code proficiency beyond the basic HF licensing requirements. He observed that the standards for ARRL certification could be more stringent and more uniform than those used for FCC exams.

Sumner said he sees the certification program not only as a welcome opportunity for individual self-development but a response to the perceived "dumbing down" of Amateur Radio qualifications--especially in the aftermath of the FCC's recently announced license restructuring plan. While the plan was not developed directly in response to restructuring, its timing could not be better, Sumner said, conceding that the restructuring debate "has moved it up the agenda."

As envisioned, the program would be largely self-supporting, but startup costs would be funded from the Exceptional Merit Stipend established by the late Ethel Smith, K4LMB. The Certification Program will be dedicated to her memory. Smith--who helped found the Young Ladies Radio League and served as its first president--died in 1997, leaving the bulk of her estate to the ARRL.

Sumner says a Web-based message board will be set up in a few weeks to gather input from members in terms of specific programs and areas of study or skills development they would like to see become part of the voluntary certification program. The League plans to seek outside expert input to assist in setting the knowledge or performance threshold at the optimal level.

The program likely will include some professional development aspects and could include the granting of Continuing Education Units--CEUs. The League also is seeking cooperative arrangements with related professional organizations. It already has a memorandum of understanding with the National Association of Radio-Television Engineers and has approached the Society of Broadcast Engineers for a similar agreement.

The voluntary certification program dovetails neatly with goals expressed by the League's new President Jim Haynie, W5JBP. Following his election January 21 in Memphis, Haynie said he favors even greater promotion of Amateur Radio, especially among youth and in schools, as well as programs to rekindle interest and activity among current licensees.

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