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FCC Proposes Abolishing Morse Code Requirement
TaxSlave writes "According to this ARRL article, the Federal Communications Commission has finally decided which path it wants to take with the Morse Code requirement for an amateur radio license. International requirements for Morse Code were done away with some time back, and several countries quickly abolished the requirement. Now, the FCC has proposed doing the same thing. Next step, months of comments, discussion, and navel-gazing."
The Commission said it believes dropping Element 1--the 5 WPM Morse examination--would "encourage individuals who are interested in communications technology, or who are able to contribute to the advancement of the radio art, to become amateur radio operators."
Was learning Morse so much of an obstacle for new members? Personally, I had to learn Morse long time ago, and it's not hard at all.
On the other hand, maybe with the development of the digital technologies, the analog radio technology potential members are just not bothering looking into it.
The FCC said it did not believe a new entry-level license class was warranted because current Novice and Tech Plus licensees already can easily upgrade to General. "We also note that, if our proposal to eliminate telegraphy testing in the amateur service is adopted," the FCC continued, "a person who is not a licensee will be able to qualify for a General Class operator license by passing two written examinations, and that a person who is a Technician Class licensee will be able to qualify for a General Class operator license by passing one written examination." The FCC said it does not believe either path to be unreasonable.
Written examinations? Nobody has to type the Morse anymore? Anyone here who got his license recently care to shed some light on this one?
But if nobody learns morse code, how are the people trapped underground going to tap out a morse code message to ask for help? What about those people in deep space who cannot communicate due to interference and need to revert to morse code? Won't somebody please think of Hollywood!
So how are we going to tell all the other countries how to bring down the alien flying saucers?
morning DJs can ONLY transmit in morse code...
It'd probably at least be funnier that way...
I had to learn Morse code (5 WPM), and so should everybody else. Meh, now where's my prunes?
Beep. Boop. Beep. You have questions. I have answers and your home address.
dot dot dash dot dot dot dot dash dot dot dot dot / dot dash dash dot dash dash dash dot dot dot dash
What changed under Obama? Nothing Good
Morse code can be transmitted even in high-noise situations - as you're not trying to hear someone yelling CQ! THIS IS QC! OVER!!
Clicks, beeps, bloops, etc -- easy to hear over static.
= Grow a brain...
just as soon as Morse is found to be better than another technology (little bitty thumb keyboards), it's considered unnecessary? I sense a little more than irony here...
The difference between spam and poop is that you don't have to dig through septic tanks looking for real food. -- Me
It is here.
Also, few transmission methods can so easily slice through poor radio conditions as Morse. After all, it is one of the earliest forms of digital communications.
--Lord Nimula
That Morse Code requirement always sounded like tit for tat to me.
bash$
Morse code will go the way of the dinosaur perhaps as it should have long ago, yet not without many noting its departure with a particular reverence for the past. Morse, however, is still a viable means of communication. For example, it is certainly faster than SMS. At any rate, perhaps the FCC should instead focus upon more pressing matters: cleaning out the clutter in the increasingly crowded radio spectrum and speeding along the many pending standards that would make communication on the whole an easier matter.
dashdashdash dotdotdotdot dashdot dashdashdash dot dotdotdot!!!!!!11!!1one
I think it might get more people into the hobby to get rid of the requirement. It's not hard to learn Morse code, but it does present a *seemingly* daunting task to anyone who gets an interest in amateur radio. Not mention you can automate both the transmission and reception of it.
This could really help out ham radio far more than the no-code beginner's license could. Personally, I still have my basic Tech license. It's not because I'm lazy or incompetent, but I really have no intention of ever using code.
The way I see it, morse code is more of an impediment to ambition than a sign that someone isn't intelligent enough to learn it. For instance, my no-code Tech license does just about everything I want to. I can already do lots of voice and data comm stuff that I find interesting. I could have "upgraded" to a license with a code requirement, but it really doesn't get me anything I'm looking for.
To me this isn't a sign that ham radio is "dying" like some people would have you believe, but a sign that it is adapting to the times. The more people there are interested in radio, the better the chance is that someone will come up with something interesting and break a few decades of stagnancy.
"What is the point of amateur radio when the Internet has connected most of the globe?"
Indeed. But there are many remote places that the Internet has not reached and may never reach. Also, amateur radio has far better mobile operating abilities (i.e., when your cell phone is not in range of a tower, you can still use ham radio to make contact). The Internet (and, incidentally, cell phones) also tends to become unavailable when natural disaster (such as hurricanes or tsunamis) strike.
Ham radio is becoming overshadowed by the Internet, but Ham still has a few tricks up it's sleeve. It will still be relevant -- if not as popular -- for decades to come.
DRM 'manages access' in the same way that a prison 'manages freedom'
That's an easy one. Radio doesn't require any infrastructure or fees. Also, much of the world, and a good amount of the US, do not have Internet. You could've asked "Why bother, since we have telephones and cellular phones?". The answer would be the same.
If an unfortunate router goes out, parts of the internet go away. If you have a widespread failure (for example, a natural disaster or crippling attack), then you can't trust the infrastructure; it probably doesn't work at all. During the Sept. 11 attacks, and for a while after, telephone and cellular network were unusable. The HAM radio people are what kept communications alive. This was a similar case during that power blackout that covered most of the NorthEast.
It's also a lot of fun to do just as a hobby.
What's the point of broadcast TV or radio, since we have cable? Why bother with regular telephone service, we have VoIP and the internet?
I will add to another comment.. commercialization. Ham radio is not allowed to be used for business, so it will always stay a hobby, and that's one of the reasons I like doing amateur radio.
-KC0NBY
This stupid code requirement has kept me from ham radio for 30 years. Had a FCC 1st class at 16. Went to military comm school, after a extra month in class learned to type (5 letter code groups perfect) but could not learn morse. (dyslexia)
Drop it TODAY!
In GOD we trust, all others we monitor.
I don't know about in the US, but here in Australia, the amateur radio operators become the communications infrastructure during a civil emergency, such at times when telephone cables or electricity lines don't work, or when two bodies without a common communications infrastructure need to work together. This sort of thing.
sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f(q{sub f{($f)=@_;print"$f(q{$f});";}f});
2) what is the point of the Internet, since most of the globe was already connected by telephones?
3) how are you going to talk to the rest of the globe (or even the guys across the city) when the power is out? Or a hurricane has taken out all of the cell phone towers?
4) And don't forget that ham radio is also about experimentation and tinkering. It's not just about ragchewing (talking) with people on the other side of the world.
Why should ham radio go away just because there's other alternatives? I can send my dad emails ... but that doesn't mean that the telephone is obsolete or useless.
Ultimately, ham radio has two main `points': 1) it's fun, and 2) it's seen as a way to serve the community by providing emergency communication in times of need. Do you really need more than that?
Ham communication was used quite a bit on the 9/11 attacks in the US. The PSTN and Internet in New York were slammed and largely unworkable because one of the major hubs had been destroyed (the Internet isn't as redundant as we'd like, despite it's technical ability to be so).
Ham communication is quite robust because it's essentially a mesh network, every node connected to all other nodes. Since the signal propagates in all directions, and on some bands nearly all over the world, anyone tuned in on it can hear it, with no physical connection. A single transmission can reach many listeners, who can then contact others through any number of means.
Amateur radio has basically become a service organization, providing emergency communications when the crap hits the fan. In our area, our Ham radio club provides communications for both the Red Cross and the Salvation Army, and acts as a backup communications system for the normal communications channels if they are overloaded or unavailable.
I feel that the Morse requirement definitely hinders the ability of amateur radio to serve in this capacity. A good example of this happened to us a couple of years ago when we were providing communications for the Red Cross during a Forest Fire in the local area which required evacuations. The Red Cross has a policy that their workers have to have available communications at all times to ensure they can contact emergency help when needed. In the area where the forest fire was, there was no cell coverage, so we were providing communications. Also due to the location, the coverage of our VHF (144Mhz) repeater was marginal at best. As a result, we had to rely on 80meters at 3.880 Mhz. The only operators who can work on the 80meter band are operators who have passed the morse test and also a written test. This eliminated about half of the operators at our disposal just because they were not of the correct license class.
Eliminating the Morse requirement would have increased this pool since most operators are able to pass the General Class test with some studying. Morse code is much more difficult, and is really not neccessary. I learned 5WPM code and got my Tech Plus License and then shortly (after another change to the rules) upgraded to Extra. Today, I operate fairly regularly on the HF bands, but I couldn't read morse code if I wanted to since it doesn't interest me and I haven't kept up with it.
dot dot dash dot dot dot dot dash dash dot dot dot dash dot dash dot dot dash dot dot dash dot dot dash dot dot dash dot dot dash dot dot dot dash dot dash dot dot dash dot dot dash dot dot dash dot dot dash dot dot dash dot dot dash dot dot dash dot dot dash dot dot dash dot dot dash dot dot dash dot dot dash dot dot dot dot dash dot dot dash dot dot dash dot dot dash
and I am sure you all agree with me on that!
[w/ apologies to Kenny on South Park. ]
Sorry about the writing. Robot fingers, you know? Cliff Steele in DOOM PATROL #23
A more profound question is the following. What is the point of amateur radio when the Internet has connected most of the globe?
Can you do it without infrastructure? Didn't think so.
For me the point is the electronics. I really enjoy building something from scratch than can communicate around the globe and only spending a couple of dollars to do it. Radio propagation is also quite amazing.
You are right though, the draw is not to be able to talk to people around the globe, the internet serves that purpose just fine. It is the hobby aspect that I enjoy.
Well, and the civic service part too. Providing communications in cases of emergency is a noble goal. As a past commander of a search and rescue team I have seen amateur radio used in this capacity as well.
What I don't understand is how some computer geeks seem to have this major hatred toward amateur radio (and vice versa, but not as much). If you don't like it, don't do it.
Finkployd
I thought we were going to just shut down ham radio altogether so we can all have powerline broadband??? what the heck is this?
-Lod
Radios can still go places the Internet can't. My hang gliding group back in Raleigh used to tune into the aviation channels at the airports we flew out of and would also broadcast GPS coordinates if they went too far. We had one guy tow up to 1000 feet, thermal to 8000+ feet and fly 150 miles to the coast. Fortunately at 8000 feet you can broadcast for a pretty decent distance and we were able to find him based on the last coordinates we'd had from him (Turns out he'd landed at the Wilmington International Airport. Oopsie...)
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
"Indeed. But there are many remote places that the Internet has not reached and may never reach."
No, there aren't. If you can see the sky, you can get the internet. Services like Iridium and Globalstar have made that possible.
Now, Iridum and Globalstar are low-bitrate (2400/9600 baud, respectively), but that's fine for email and IM. Even that limitation will some day be a thing of the past.
You notice that the morse story was posted right after the Patriot Act one? Well, there's a reason. The NSA can't find its friggin' Boy Scout's handbook on morse code, so can't afford to let anyone use it any more.
It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
I get this question from non-ham friends a lot. They also like to answer a similar question, which is, "Why don't you just use a cell phone to talk to people?" My response is usually something like, why do people go fishing when you can buy fish at the grocery store?
Ham radio is a hobby. People don't do it entirely because it's a practical means of communicating (although it can be that in many situations), they do it because it's enjoyable. It presents challenges which take thought and skill to overcome. There's something about talking to someone on the other side of the world with a few watts into a homemade antenna when the band is noisy. Many people (myself included) love the technical aspects of the hobby. It can be a lot of fun to build a radio from parts, or experiment with different antenna designs. There's a lot more to ham radio than simply utilitarian communication between two people.
You must remember that no everyone lives in NYC or Philly or Toronto or Sydney. I know of folks who can't get cable tv. I know folks where the only internet is satellite IF their location allows it. I know folks who still use rotary phones. Many places have their land lines and power lines still hanging from poles, not buried underground. Come a blizzard, ice storm, hurricane, or just plain wind, they lose one or both. There are plenty of places around here (western NC USA) where they'd have to put a cell tower on every ridge before the coverage was reliable. Amateur Radio is not limited to towers or power grids or whether or not you paid your ISP. HF bands can reach around the world. Most repeaters for VHF have battery backup. If someone you know is in a disaster area, good look trying to find them on the internet, by cell or by landline. But you can contact the Salvation Army and their teams of hams (aka SATERN) can get the information for you (called Health and Welfare) I like being able to at least listen in during an emergency, letting them know I am there if needed. I have been able to warn folks of events long before the commercial radio or TV announced it. KG4VPY
In other news, spur's no longer required equipment to get a drivers license.
Hello, Hello, the 1800s are calling and they want their communication method back.
okay, forgive me the flashback, I'm old, remember?
Anyway, since I went to all the trouble to learn CW and get that license, it would be reasonable to conclude that I'd be a strong advocate for retaining the code requirement.
Nope.
I have always thought that the code requirement was dumb, dumb, dumb. As a nerd boy who eventually became a professor of electrical engineering, it was blindingly obvious to me that The Code was a charming bit of history that had no business in modern radio practice. Those who would argue, "but with duct tape, batteries, a couple transistors, I could send an SOS after being shipwrecked on an atoll!" I'm sure you could, and that would have been an interesting argument until about 1975,
But how many of you Slashdotters have cell phones, or some other wireless gadget? When is the last time that any of you actually held a three-lead transistor in your suspiciously sticky hands? And even though it's true that some Righteous Code Dudes have recently out communicated some Valley Girls in a Morse Code/IM Slugfest,
A few days ago, someone showed me a computer parsing some BPSK on 20 meters in a 31 Hz wide channel (not a typo!), passing perfectly good text, with a quality that I claim could rarely if ever be achieved by a human ear.
I'll probably do some CW again soon --- but it'll be for Art's sake, and not because of a misguided notion that it is important to maintain a pool of practitioners skilled in Morse Code.
Because it isn't important. If you think it is, then let me gently suggest that you send a handwritten note across the continent you're on, by horse.
73 de Inspector Lopez
WB7NWP
I'm a "lowly" no-code tech ticket holder. As my more 'estemed' HF brothern might call me, a 'tech-lite' operator.
Still, who is it these 'extra class' operators go to when their windows 98 PCs can no longer retrieve their email over their dial up AOL connections due to SAM ware infestation.
Who do they call when they decide to try DSL but can't figure out where on their PC to connect the ethernet cable.
Who do they go to when they receive some e-mail attachement and can't open it (often because their pirated copy of MS Office gorked) - or do manage to get it opened and gomer their system with the worm de jour.
Who is it they go to when they *finaly* decide to try and do something other than whine about hemeroids and the good old days on 20m SSB and connect something like a TNC to their radios, but just can't seem to figure out the lines of an RS-232 link - let alone the pins of a DB-9 (don't ever show 'em a DB-25, they'll stroke out!).
Who is it they call up when they need someone to climb their tower, install a new rotor, replace cable or other maintenance.
(I've got dozens more, but I'm trying to be reasonable here)
And yet - who is it that's not allowed to use HF simply because I refuse to learn an out-dated mode championed by these same 'Technical Leaders'.
I've passed the General written 3 times waiting for this stupid rule to be changed. FINALLY some sense!!
If you love CW, cool - keep on using it. There's NOTHING that says or will say it can't be used. And there'll be many that choose to learn it and continue to operate CW, if for nothing else, the novilty. Enjoy it. But for crying out loud - increase the difficulty of the question pool, tighten the passing score, up the number of questions, make the questions more technical, don't make the question pool public - something applicable to today. Don't rely on a CW test to be your LID filter! Checked 20m lately? It didn't work.
Using CW as a 'barrier' to HF access is about like saying you can't use email unless you can hand code a TCP/IP frame. Or you can't drive a car unless you can cast and machine your own piston rings.
Some of these guys were the gurus of the hollow state erra. But dammit - if you're going to be in a technical hobby, at least TRY and stay current to the last decade's tech! It's about time the license exams became pertinant.
You know - what's worse is what I anticipate happening when the first batch of codeless Generals hit the air. These old hams will use the same tricks of the CBers to try and discourage their new neighbors from using *their* spectrum. Insults, language, over driven amplifiers, intentional interfearance, dare I say - echo mikes...
Instead of a CW exam, every hf operator should be forced to pass an operational review - every freak'n year! Where're the OOs? Where's the log review? Where's the 'self policing' of the hobby? Oh - that's right - you've had a CW exam to take care of that.....
Yea, I posted Anonymously - if some of these HF rag-chewers ever found out who I was, they'd never call for help next time they get phished, gorked a drive, accidentaly deleted their system directory, tried to make a wireless keyboard work, had to install a VOX chip into their new rig, couldn't remember how to program their HT, wanted to update the club's web site.....
I believe that the Morse Code should not be a requirement just to to operate on the HF bands. At one time it made sense, but with today's digital encoding methods, you can have reliable low bandwidth communication on the HF band. Even the ARRL plans to file a petition with the FCC seeking the regulation of amateur subbands by bandwidth rather than by mode of emission. http://www.arrl.org/announce/bandwidth.html
And for all you old timer hams, eliminating element 1 as a requirement for General and Extra Classes does not mean that they are abolishing Morse code. It will still probably be used for decades to come, it just will not be a requirement for those who just want to do SSB or digital contacts.
76 KH2YF
The only difference between 1995 and 2005 is that access is more pervasive. In '95 you could get internet from the same places as today. It's just faster today, nothing more. Those redundant backbone networks are nice, but they don't exist in the last mile. That's where damage is most likely to occur.
Were you anywhere near there? The telephone networks were completely unusable. Cellular was gone. As far out as 75 miles, telephone communications weren't working properly. This covered the entire tri-state area. Now they've improved things since then, but the point is that this sort of thing happens, and that telephone and cellular were found to be unreliable in an emergency. For what it's worth, 911 *did* go down in some areas. This was a result of a total collapse of the telephone system in parts of lower Manhattan, and the eventual draining of backup power. 911 has reserve capacity in the telephone system, and dedicated circuits. It does not have infinity circuits.
Internet service was just out in many areas, as in completely non-functional. When you have no telephone line and no power, you have no internet. Those on dial-up were SOL, since you couldn't make any calls across the whole region. DSL had issues because of the huge amount of interference. In areas that still had power, cable internet was generally working.
Large chunks of rescue and relief coordination was done by hams. That information is available with hardly five seconds of research. The rest was done by government workers with radios, and quite a bit of assistance by UPS (as in the shipping company).
IOW, ham radio was found to be absolutely essential during 9/11. Radio was a total and absolute necessity, as there was *no* other way to communicate.
Dah dah dit / dah dah dah / dah dah dah / da di dit.
This is my post. There are many others like it. If you don't like what you read here, go try one of the others.
Indeed, the same holds true in the US.
In the event of an emergency, all the fancy digital tunk systems tank, cell phones become overloaded, and folks revert to good old ham radio. The reason being, lots of hams maintain a good set of ready-to-go equipment. Plus many repeaters are emergency power capable, and even without repeaters, long distance communication can be achieved with humans repeating messages (e.g. on HF.)
Most of the major disasters end up using ham radio heavily: 9/11, the recent tsunami, the Space Shuttle explosion cleanup (not even the sheriff's radios worked in the back country of Texas), hurricanes, the list goes on. It allows people in the area to communicate, as well as communication OUTSIDE the disaster area. This latter point is sometimes the most essential component, since aid can be sent when requested. No request means no aid sometimes, or at least delayed aid.
I use my radios to talk to friends while vacationing in the middle of no where. With repeaters up on very large mountains, we can use the same repeater while being 200 miles apart. (And this us just VHF/UHF!) While hiking in the wilderness, I can generally get help if needed (no cell phones, and good luck with FRS!) In an emergency, my car can even be drafted into an emergency repeater parked up high on a peak.
With internet linking (IRLP, EchoLink) one can be driving along and talk with people from all over using an inexpensive hand held radio, or listen in on major events in other parts of the country.
In fact, as government rely more on commerical communication vendors and the Internet, I suspect ham radio is now more important than ever. Many local police and fire responders cannot talk with one another due to incompatible radios, so they end up drafting hams to bridge the two.
I don't know, but it works for me.
However, keep in mind that during a real emergency, we're allowed to transmit on any band as needed.
Speaking as someone who passed the 5wpm test, I'd say Morse code is a great art in its own way, and I have a lot of respect for it. But it's just a hurdle that covers a part of ham radio that most people will never use.
Look, the FCC isn't saying you can't do code...it's just not requiring it. Make the written tests as hard as you want if you want to raise the bar of entry. Hell, give usage tests to make sure people obey all the laws. Whatever. And people who really like Morse Code will learn it anyway.
I'd request the FCC give tests that are applicable to the current state of ham radio. I don't think that's so unreasonable.
>I think it stinks that I can get all the theory,
>build circuits, program PCs, and fix just about
>anything, but I can't transmit below 50MHz because
>I can't seem to learn a 150 year old communications
>method.
As someone who passed the 20 wpm a decade ago and who actually does use cw more than any other mode when on the radio, I couldn't agree with you more.
Sure, there are instances where cw is really important - say, passing emergency traffic when conditions are poor - but it's absurd to suggest that such a thing happens often enough in the average ham's experience to justify hundreds of hours of study.
For half a century the code test has served primarily as an artificial barrier to licenses.
One could argue that's a worthwhile purpose in itself; adding a challenge to entering any field, however meaningless, can serve to weed out a lot of people who aren't serious about the hobby. An ear full of most CB conversation is enough to convince me that some barrier to entry is probably a good thing. (Although I'm all in favor of having more free-for-all unregulated spectrum out there which anyone can play with than we currently allow.) Our world is full of hurdles put in place solely for the purpose of turning away those who aren't serious about pursuing something. The subject specific GREs are an obvious example from academia. It's never ideal, but it sometimes can serve a worthwhile purpose.
None the less, there are some very good reasons that a code requirement is a bad idea.
First of all, it places an unequal burden on people. I had a pretty easy time with the code - a few tens of hours to get to 5wpm, and an easy couple hours a week after that on the air to get up past 20. But a lot of people have much more difficulty with it. The guy who taught me everything I know about electronics was unable to get a license until the no-code techs came out because dyslexia made learning the code impossible. He's not only an awesome person to chat with and a friend and advisor to many, but has spent countless hours volunteering for emergency communications groups. By any standard, Amateur Radio lost out by keeping him away for so long.
Even among those without learning disabilities, there are many for whom code is really hard. It's unfair to force them to jump what turns out to be an outrageously large hurdle in order to attain something for which actually knowing code isn't necessary.
Second, if we're going to force people to spend hours studying something in order to get a license, there are a lot of more useful things they could study. At least 90% of the hams I meet on phone study code, pass their tests, and then never use it again. What a waste of effort! Instead, why not beef up the technical tests (or get rid of the pre-printed "suggested" multiple choice answers that every VE uses).
Or - if you really want to do something useful - how about requiring something like first aid certification instead? If every ham who spent a hundred hours learning code and then never used it again spent their time learning CPR, just think about how many extra first responders we'd have walking around our streets!
The only remaining question is, what will become of CW when no one is forced to learn it? It's true that I might not have ever learned code if it weren't required, and it's true that I'm glad I did learn it. But there's got to be some other way to provide an incentive to keep at least a few people out there on the bands.
Perhaps you reserve some choice CW-only spectrum for those who've passed code tests. And, so long as there's a strong and active community of code lovers, we can always work to create other incentives with cw-only special event DX stations, extra cw points and freeby stations in contests, and so on. Is that enough to keep the hobby alive? I'm not sure. But if it isn't, then perhaps keeping cw alive isn't worth the cost.
If you pay, as another posternoted.
The important thing about ametueur radio jockies is that is that the network is extremely robust, free, and everywhere. It works for long distance communciation, especially when overoptimized pay services fail. Iridium -- sorry, I have to giggle just a bit there. Ham is a (very modest) reserved spectrum for a network of people that communicate when everything else fails. There's already talk about how to handle jamming; not a solved problem, but in general, it is distributed enough to pose attackers serious issues.
The great power of terrorist attack is uncertainty, followed closely by communication. I find it heartening that as much as the US government might fuck up, at least we are left with a good emergency response channel, made of people who don't attach to the government. That's a really positive feature.
Way back on topic, but I have mixed feelings about dropping the Morse requirements. They've been loosening the rules for a while, but at some point, we're loosing the idea that one can actually assemble kit. We probably already have lost that. Morse is rather important - listening to a fuzzy transmission bounced off clouds from somewhere else in a language you don'nt know is great for learning. And learning is vital for ami radio folks.
OK, I've probably placed, and dated myself. Time to shut up.
I forget what 8 was for.
97.403 Safety of life and protection of property.
No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur station of any means of radiocommunication at its disposal to provide essential communication needs in connection with the immediate safety of human life and immediate protection of property when normal communication systems are not available.
97.405 Station in distress.
(a) No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur station in distress of any means at its disposal to attract attention, make known its condition and location, and obtain assistance.
(b) No provision of these rules prevents the use by a station, in the exceptional circumstances described in paragraph (a), of any means of radiocommunications at its disposal to assist a station in distress.
The problem is that in many cases, we aren't in a situation which is described as above. We're typically handling "health and welfare traffic" which are things like "we arrived safely" or "we are going to stay here for the night" (which don't qualify) as opposed to "send an ambulance right now" (which does). Having the ability to use the HF bands to pass this traffic is just as important in an emergency response situation as the specific cases where anyone can pick up a radio (licensed or not) and use it.
In addition, amateurs are cautioned that operating outside their permissions even during an emergency may jeapordize their license. The FCC (assuming they hear about it) will likely review the situation and make a determiniation whether or not the operation fell into one of the exemptions. In short, if it's life or death, I can use anything at my disposal to attract attention. If it's not I better be prepared to explain my actions and expect to possibly loose my license or be subject to fines if the FCC doesn't agree that it was justified.
Grumble. I passed my 5 and got my Extra two months ago, after studying the code 2 nights a week for 6 weeks.
I had a feeling the FCC would be getting rid of the requirement as soon as I had passed it.
However, I still plan on practicing when I get my HF antenna set up, and when I can afford to get an HF rig I may very well do some CW just for grins.
Within the amateur community, there is a school of thought that having a barrier to entry will keep the cildrens' banders and other scum out. To them, I have a three word response:
seventy-five meters
Which, for those of you who are not hams, is roughly the equivalent of reading at -1 - there have been a lot of right assholes on that band who have done just about every "don't" in the book - transmitted music, cursed, jammed other stations, etc. And that band is only open to Morse qualified operators, and when the troublemakers have been tracked down, they were indeed Morse rated.
(and I *was* going to sign this with my call in Morse, but the stupid lameness filter won't let me.)
www.eFax.com are spammers
On the negative side, there is: "I had to. Why shouldn't everyone else?" With some dyslexia, writing down 65 characters/minute was one of the hardest tests I've passed.
But, practically, it would be a shame not to promote a universal basic level of morse because:
1. You can build a transmitter with a handful of primitive components. It's cheap. It's good for the third world.
2. It's simple. Building a transmitter is a good way for kids to play with electronics.
3. It's efficient as all heck. I believe they figure it broadcasts 10 times as well as voice. A hundred watt transmitter can get you around the world comfortably where a 1000 watts might be desirable for voice. Good on several fronts.
4. It's efficiency is multipled because it's small bandwidth means many people can use the spectrum that one voice amateur takes up.
5. Simplicity is good for emergencies. If the tidal wave has arrived, that is a bad time to discover that the morse keyboard has a short. "Let's see now. H --- E --- L ---- P ---- !"
6. A good part of the reason for an amateur service is for emergencies. Isn't it the zen of every superhero to be able to whip up a temporal viewer out of "stone knives and bearskins" like Spock when the need arises?
If you can see the sky, you can get the internet. Services like Iridium and Globalstar have made that possible.
As long as the ground stations are still operating. I'm sure thy have redundancy, but a natural disaster at a ground station site could certainly cripple their capacity, if not access altogether (a huge tropical airmass like the one that stayed over the midwest and dumped feet of rain would certainly impede comms to the bird).
Do these services have the capacity to handle the tremendous load of official emergency traffic as well as health and welfare traffic? In a localized disaster area, everyone will be trying to hit the same bird.
Tiller's Rule: Never use a word in written form that you've only heard and never read. You will end up looking foolish.
(rant mode on)
/.
Well, I don't sit around talking about my hemorrhoids while eating prunes, as some here posted. I was first licensed in 1969, and hold the same call sign since 1972. Guess what, I'm the guy up high enough in the company to decide whether or not you get to practice all that new knowledge your brand new CS degree says you have. You'd be surprised to find where all those old farts are in business. Oh yeah, I'm a well known open source contributor as well. So much for all that "only new brains can be creative" crap typical on
(rant mode off)
Hopefully, the preceding rant will attract attention and folks will read on. I'm not going to rehash how amateur radio is there in emergencies, how local hams contributed to 9/11 or the last devastating weather event, earthquake, etc. Nor am I going to debate internet versus amateur radio. These are tangents to the real discussion.
As I mentioned, I learned Morse code a long time ago. Frankly, I found that I could do 5 WPM by simply memorizing the dits and dahs and matching them to what I heard. Most of the hams I know would probably agree as to how simple 5 WPM really is, but that should not be a reason to keep the code requirement.
I think that most hams see it as a barrier to entry, not for people who want to be hams, but all those morons who rush out to buy CB radios and want to play "good buddy" with all the truckers. I can safely say that no ham will ever tell anyone who is interested in amateur radio to go away. In fact, most hams I know talk about how to attract more young people into the hobby. No real ham will stand in your way. If he or she does, I'd like to see that individual's license taken away, not support the individual.
For me, amateur radio was how I got hooked into getting an engineering degree. Even now, it is a place for me to experiment with hardware and software in communications settings. By September, I'll have an experimental software defined radio on the air and have some fun as I learn some new stuff. Do I need Morse Code for this? Of course not.
Will I use Morse Code in the future? Sure will. In fact, as more and more people forget code, I'll cherish my ability as something that differentiates me from the masses. In fact, after a long hiatus, I just recently returned to code and enjoy every minute of it.
As a ham, I think the code requirement is dated. It doesn't really stop morons from getting on the air. A scan of the 75 meter QSOs any evening should help you get over your fears that no code will allow irresponsible individuals to run rampant and spoil the hobby. I would not advocate removing the code only portions of the HF bands, which is the next logical step in this process. CW and other digital modes need the spectrum allocation to prevent potential interference from the wider bandwidth modes.
In a related step, I'd like to see 11 meters taken back into amateur radio as a band for an entry level, no test license. Other, better services exist to fill the need CB radio originally addressed and 11 meters would make a great place to get people interested in the hobby.
OK folks, flame on!
Yes, and it amazes me that anyone would consider removing the morse requirement.
...).
Benefits of Morse code:
1) Lowest signal to noise ratio of any communications system.
2) Lowest power requirements.
3) Lowest bandwidth requirement.
4) You could in theory make a transmitter out of any very simple electrical circuit (perhaps limited range, but
5) An operator can still twitch out a message even if they can speak or they're batteries are low.
I.e. for emergency communications this is simply the best fail safe method.
Removing the requirement is just as silly as removing the navigation by sextant requirement (cough, o' they did that one too!).
Anyhow, I'm not a HAM, but it seems to me they're just lowering the entry barrier for little benefit.
So, I have no personal stake in the requirements other than I'd like these people to be good enough to justify their access to the rather valuable section of the RF spectrum we've set aside for them. I'd like to think they might be able to put together a radio from components if needed.
Even more important, I like knowing that there is a group of people out their who can communicate over pretty much any channel, radio or not, using the simpliest possible code. There are times (albeit rare) when the only communication you have is banging on a pipe with a large wrench, or flashing a light. I highly doubt that "Radio Shack" has the components to build a decent long-range HAM setup these days, but pretty much anyone can figure out a way to transmit long and short pulses using stuff found anywhere.
It's about time the morse code was dropped. A lot of old farts are convinced the world is ending, because they had to take a test in 1960 in front of the FCC, and want the rest of us to go through the same thing. These are the same folk who dislike www.hamsexy.com, proving hams can laugh at themselves, and that there is a young side to the hobby too. There are still the written tests, which will keep the CB'er out. Most hams on voice admit they can't remember enough morse to operate...so whats the point ? Way back when CB was cool, I went to a ham club. They were all very nice, and explained that if I learned code, I could communicate worldwide. Since it was the peak of the sunspots, I already had most of the lower 48 states without trying too hard (50 watts) on the CB. It didn't make sense to have to learn 13 words per minute (real literacy of code) to be able to use voice again, to talk mostly the same distances. Now, a technically minded person can see the wonder of radio communications, and get involved in worldwide contacts with only a battery radio and wire. No dial tones or cable hookup needed ! And, if they get really interested, are NOT told, you have to learn Mandarin (er, morse code) to get a licence. Google "Yaesu VX-2R" if you want to see what ham radio is up to. Any computer geek reading this can pass ham exams with a little study-and it makes a lot more sense than computer language.
I also have mixed feeling about this. I currently only hold a Technical License and is not actively on radio (no budget to purchase one...). While eliminiating morse code MIGHT help increase amaterus radio participation (many people I talked to said they thought even the most basic amateur license requires morse code, which is not true at all). But I can't fathom, why on earth do they want to remove the morse code requirement? Then again, I may have a few explanations....
All these are speculations...
1. Bands dedicated to morse code isn't used that much.
2. Higher level band aren't utilized to an acceptable level (remove morse code, more people become higher level, using higher level bands).
3. Existence of morse code decoding devices. Reason: Why learn morse code when a small box can just read and send in morse code?
That may be their reason.
In US, you can easily buy enough major firearms to wipe out your neighbourhood but a few little fireworks are banned.
One thing that I haven't seen mentioned in the comments so far is that it is possible for a beginner with limited funds to build transmitters and receivers that are useful for c.w. operation from scratch. This is not the case with equipment for f.m. or single sideband voice operation. Thus, although learning Morse code is a hurdle that is formidable to some, once mastered it opens up many possibilities for technical experimentation.
I've now been a ham for over forty years. In my youth ham radio was for young geeks what computers have become now. My friends and I built our transmitters from parts scavenged from old radios and televisions, and in the process learned skills that later helped us when we built our own computers.
Some say learning Morse code is easy. For them that may have been true, but not all people learn things in the same way. As a teen-ager it took me two years from the time I decided I wanted to be a ham to the time I could pass a 5 word-per-minute Novice code test. It took me a full year to pass the next hurdle, the 13 word per minute test for a General license. It was almost 15 years more before I could pass the Extra Class 20 word per minute test. So I am completely sympathetic with those who say learning Morse code is a barrier. For some that is certainly true. I say let them into ham, radio, let them see how hard it can be to make yourself heard with a 100 watt transmitter competing on crowded voice bands, and then let them meet some of the operators who regularly succeed with 5 or 10 watt homebuilt rigs using Morse. Some may then decide it's worth the effort.
I am a licensed no-code tech. I keep on meaning to upgrade, but I really don't like morse code. I'd upgrade in a minute if the code requirement were eliminated.
But I thought the written test for technician was too easy. General is a bit tougher, but I think there needs to be more modern questions, i.e. things about psk31 and mfsk16, etc. These are the modes that newcomers will most likely use on the HF bands.
Amateur Radio does need a shot in the arm. THe kids that used to get interested in Radio and become licensed and active hams how are more interested in the Internet. Even though there are still people getting their license at a young age, many of them are not active.
Speaking of being active, I am going to go get on the radio. I wonder how 6 meters is doing. See you on 52.525!
As a new ham myself...maybe a year and a half on the air now...I think it's fair to say that the morse REQUIREMENT should die.
The reason is simple. The morse technique can still be used to send packetized data, ala 300 baud modems and the like. Simple enough to keep a psk31 setup and use that instead of code. What I'm saying is that automatic code sending and recieiving is so inexpensive these days so as to make the real use of code by humans...less relevant.
Dont get me wrong, I admire those who can send and recieve code. The purpose of the amateur service is, however, to advance the hobby and science of radio telecommunications. Morse is well established and it WILL be a matter of pride among hams to learn, build, use, and compete with code. It does not serve to advance the hobby, the art and science, or the emergency services nature of ham radio to limit it to those who can master the morse code when we have such advanced radio technology.
In short, I dont need code because more advanced technology is affordable. We dont need people to experiment with code keys anymore, we need people to experiment with last mile solutions. The only way to encourage that is to change the focus of the license.
73's
somewhere near me there is likely someone who can communicate with other people around the world under pretty much any conditions short of a massive EMP
Lots of us even have that covered. I keep an old AN/GRC-19 set around "just in case". It's a military rig from the 60s that uses EMP-hard tubes. Output power is 100 watts, which is good for about 50 miles with a 15-foot whip antenna. Of course, I'll be scrounging car batteries left and right to operate it, since it draws some hefty amps, but since 95% of the cars on the road today won't survive an EMP, I don't think they'll be in short supply.
Just junk food for thought...
Hey Dan,
It may be helpful to document a situation where CW did make a difference in an emergency situation. Say some emergency that occured in the past 10 years or so.
Senior NCO in the fight against entropy. I've seen things, man. Things no one should have to see.....
Don't most repeaters still identify themselves in Morse code? I don't think being able to send Morse is a usefull skill, since it is so easy to get a PC to do it for you. But being able to parse the Morse code you are hearing is still a usefull skill.
I've abandoned my search for truth; now I'm just looking for some useful delusions.
I must say, quite off-topicly (that's a word now, because I said so), that I visited an FCC office the other day, and the navels do look very nice. Well-kept. Not a piece of lint in the building. It's really no wonder that they do so much navel gazing. If I had one like theirs, I'd have a hard time taking my eyes off it.
What is the point of amateur radio when the Internet has connected most of the globe?
:-)
What is the point of Linux, when Windows does everything anyone would want and you don't have to compile a kernel or use a command line?
Tired of being "punished" by the Slashdot $rtbl since 2002. I'm now over at http://soylentnews.org/ .
I'm having a terrible time learning morse.
And I learned morse code three times. First time was when I got a pair of Radio Shack walkie-talkies when I was six. They had the code right on the radio and had a beeper. My friends and I got fairly proficient. Then, twice agian, a few years apart in Boy Scouts. At that time, I never used it beyond the specific functions I learned it for, so I forgot it after the first function and have since forgotten it again.
Some things stick really well in my long-term memory but Morse code isn't one of them. I'm the same with Palm Graffiti.
I have no doubt I could learn it again in a couple days to take a Ham test, and probably do darn well on it, but then I'd just never use it and forget it again. So I'm a different kind of example of why the test isn't such a wonderful idea.
My God, it's Full of Source!
OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
Even my little IC-Q7A with 0.300 watts of power can reach about half of the major repeaters in the city. My Yaesu with 3 watts can reach them all. Both do this with their little `rubber ducky' antennas, and would probably do better with better antennas.
And even if the repeaters went down, I could talk to other people in the city with these using simplex. The Kenwood in my car can reach most of the city using simplex.
Of course, to be fair, CB radio could be used similarly.
Power loss is only one danger. Hurricanes for example tend to rip up telephone lines. And what good is the Internet going to do you if your house doesn't have power? Your UPS is only good for 10 minutes, your laptop might do better but the cable modem is out. You might be able to dial into your ISP, but their main T3 is down, so you're stuck ...
The Internet is going to be one the first things to break in an emergency, even before the cell phone network.
VHF/UHF repeaters are only one small aspect of ham radio.
As for what kind of traffic is sent during an emergency, it's mostly lower priority messages. `Shelter #6 needs more blankets, Mrs Smith needs somebody to call her husband and tell him that she's at the shelter and OK, etc.' Mostly.
The police and such usually have systems very similar to the ham repeaters, and so they usually stay up during emergencies. (But the cell phone network is usually one of the first things to go down.)
Ok, let's assume this is correct for now. What now? What are you proposing we do with this revelation?
Why does it have to make sense? Emergency communications are but one aspect of ham radio. In any event, CW (Morse code) works with lower power, cuts through more interference and reaches longer distances than just about anything else, and the equipment needed is very simple. It's not normally used in emergencies, but it certainly could be.
They already have access. In an emergency, anybody (ham or not) can transmit on any frequency with any amount of power or modulation type as is needed to resolve the emergency.
However, if you can't use your equipment in a non-emergency, very few people are going to go to the trouble of buying and setting up this equipment, and there will be no opportunity to test it and become familiar with it's use without having an emergency.
Because 1) ham radio is not just for education and entertainment, and 2) why would you want to do that anyways? Education and entertainment can be done with other modes as well.
What's wrong with tubes? They're still used a lot in ham radio, and in fact they're used in radio and TV broadcasting as well.