Amateur Radio is alive and well! Growth in the US continued in 2015, with a record 735,405 licensees in the FCC’s Universal Licensing System (ULS) database by the end of the year. That’s up 9130 over December 2014, a 1.2 percent rise, continuing a steady increase in the Amateur Radio population in every year since 2007. In 2014, the Amateur Radio ranks grew by a net 8149 licensees. The figures, compiled by Joe Speroni, AH0A, on his FCC Amateur Radio Statistics web pages, exclude expired licenses that are within the 2-year grace period, and club station licenses. Compared with the same month 10 years ago, the Amateur Radio population in the US has expanded by 72,805 licensees — or nearly 11 percent.
在美国，业余无线电的发展不但充满活力，而且还发展得相当不错！根据美国FCC的通用执照系统(ULS)数据库统计，截止到2015年年底，美国持有执照的业余无线电爱好者人数达到创纪录的 735405人。比同期2014年12月增加9130人，上涨1.2%。自2007年以来，美国每年业余无线电爱好者的数量稳定增长。2014年，业余无线电爱好者执照持有人数净增8149人。该数据由Joe Speroni, AH0A在他的FCC 业余无线电统计网站上公布，该数据剔除了持有超过两年有效期的过期证书的爱好者以及俱乐部台站证书数量。相比十年前的相同月份，业余无线电爱好者持证人数增加到72805，增长了将近11%。
As expected, the biggest growth by license class was in Technician licensees, which rose by 6570 in 2015. General ranks increased by 3079, and Amateur Extra numbers went up by 3496. The 2015 overall numbers faltered a little in April before rebounding in July. The introduction of a new General class question pool on July 1 appeared to have only a slight effect on month-to-month numbers in that license class. ARRL VEC Manager Maria Somma, AB1FM, said 2015 was another banner year for ARRL VEC-sponsored test sessions.
正如所预期的，2015年执照等级为技师级别的获得者增加了6570人，普通执照持者增加了3079人，其他等级人数增加了3496人。2015年4月执照持有人总数摇摇欲坠，直到7月出现小幅反弹。在7月1日引入的一个新的通用等级考试题库似乎对月执照等级人数增加只有轻微影响。ARRL VEC经理 Maria Somma, AB1FM,指出2015年对ARRL VEC运营的考试部门来说开启了新的一页。
“For the second year in a row, we have conducted more than 7000 Amateur Radio exam sessions in a year, an important milestone for the ARRL VEC,” she said. “A total of 7358 ARRL-sponsored exam sessions were administered in 2015, compared to 7216 in 2014. The number of exam applicants was down slightly in 2015, compared to the previous year, and the number of examination elements administered also dipped slightly, she noted.
“我们连续二年开展了超过7000场/年的业余无线电考试课程，这对ARRL VEC是一个重要的里程碑。”她说：“2015年，ARRL运营的考试有7358场，2014年是7216场。相比去年，2015年申请参加考试的火腿数量微跌，考试项目数也略有下降。”
“Since 2014 was a record-setting year, the numbers of 2015 examinees didn’t drop so much as return to more typical levels,” she explained.
“2014年是创纪录的一年，2015参加考试人数不再下降，恢复到正常的水平。”
Somma pointed out that the ARRL-VEC also processed and filed nearly 10,100 license renewals and address changes for members in 2015. This is a free service to ARRL members.
Somma 指出2015 年ARRL-VEC为会员处理了10110份执照变更和地址变更，这项服务对ARRL会员是免费的。
Technician licensees still comprise a little less than one-half of the US Amateur Radio population. As of December 31, some 47,850 Advanced and 10,800 Novice licensees remained in the FCC database. The FCC no longer issues Advanced and Novice licenses, and their numbers continue to decline.
技师级执照持有者相比之下仍占不到美国业余无线电人群的一半。截至12月31日，大约47850名高级别火腿和10800新手火腿执照仍在FCC数据库中。由于FCC不再颁发高级和初级证书，该数据呈现下降趋势。
Once again, California far and away was home to the largest number of licensees among the 50 states, with 103,938 at the end of 2015, up from 102,735 at the end of 2014. North Dakota remained the state with the fewest number of Amateur Radio licensees, with 1510, up very slightly over the previous 12 months. Club station licenses in the US number 11,599, according to Speroni’s web pages. — Thanks to Joe Speroni, AH0A; FCC ULS licensing statistics
加利福尼亚州在全美50个州当中拥有最多的执照持有者，2015年底统计该州有业余无线电执照持有者103938人，比2014年的102735人有所增长。北达科他州依然是执照持有者最少的州，仅1510人且在过去12个月里增长乏力。根据Speroni的网页，全美俱乐部执照数量为11599个。感谢 Joe Speroni， AH0A；FCC ULS 执照数据库。
Source:ARRL
