It might also be true that there are some VEs out there basically giving 
away licenses.  There's a big jump after we switched to the VE testers.  I 
do know a fellow who I'm sure can't do junior high arithmetic that's got an 
extra!  I can only imagine how he got it.

I'm kind of prowd of the fact that my extra, back in 1984, was one of the 
last by an FCC examiner.
--
Jim, KE5AL
-----Original Message----- 
From: Steve
Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2014 1:14 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Amateur Radio Licensees in U.S.

BlankPhil,

You got me curious.  Here is the number of licensed hams from 1971 to 2012
by decade
• December 1971: 285,000
• December 1981: 433,000
• December 1991: 494,000
• December 2001: 683,000
• December 2012: 709,500


Clearly, the biggest jump occurred after the code requirement was reduced to
5 WPM for all classes of license.  No code certainly contributes to the
number of operators.  There are now 130,000 Extras.

I suspect though, judging from what I hear on the HF bands, that activity of
the newer hams is more likely on VHF and above.


Steve, K8SP
Lansing, MI