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FCC Drops Morse Code Requirement
leighklotz writes to mention a story discussing what some might consider a historic event. The FCC has dropped the Morse Testing requirement for amateur radio certifications. The public announcement was made on Friday. Ham radio operators will no longer have to study Morse,
in a move patterned after other western nations. Says leighklotz: "The U.S. joins Canada and other countries in eliminating the morse code testing requirement, after being authorized to do so on July 5, 2003, when the World Radio Telecommunications Conference 2003 in Geneva adopted changes to the ITU Radio Regulations."
I understand they want more people back on ham radio, but what will the old-timers think of these code-less noobs invading their clique? And, no offense, but will anyone new care?
dit-dit dah-dit dat dit dit-dah-dit dit dit-dit-dit dah dit-dit dah-dit dah-dah-dit
What's wrong with the Morse code? Personally, I think that learning the Morse code should be a requirement for radio operation at the very least (or any communications course in general) because the Morse code is very simple to learn and use, and because it is nearly universally recognized. Telling radio operators that they don't need to know Morse code is like telling scientists that they don't need to know the periodic table by heart.
ditdit ditditdit ditditdah ditdahdahdit ditdahdahdit dahdahdah ditditdit dit dah ditditditdit ditdit ditditdit ditdahditdit dit ditdah ditditditdah dit ditditdit dit ditditditdah dit ditdahdit dahditdahdah dahdahdah dahdit dit dit ditdahditdit ditditdit dit ditdit dahdit dah ditditditdit dit dahditdit ditdah ditdahdit dahditdah ditditdahdahditdit
This is eternal September all over again.
So how will we coordinate our counter attacks when the aliens from independence day come-a-knockin'?
sms perhaps?
Arash Partow's Philosophy: Be a person who knows what they don't know, and not a person who doesn't know.
This is Bruce Perens's thing, isn't it: The World's Most Silly Technology Law
Please help publicise swpat.org - the software patents wiki
Being an amateur myself (and have been so for 15+ years) I can picture the screams of horror from all of the 60+ year old operators out there. I'm in my 30s myself, and the code requirement for using the HF bands always seemed rather quaint to me.
But honestly, it's probably a last ditch attempt to get more people using the amateur bands. The stereotype of the 65 year old retired operator in a motorised chair isn't too far from the truth.
I forsee the day that usage is low enough that governments can justify clawing back more of the spectrum.
I'm not unhappy to see the requirement go. I've been a ham for
30 years, and while I have seen useful (very useful) things done
with code, I was never enamored with the idea of *having* to learn
it up front. I did, though with struggling and headaches. The
time came when my elmer gave me the code test and I passed, just
barely.
As I see it today, getting people into ham radio is the
important thing. Having to learn a particular mode before
being allowed to join just doesn't make sense. And no one
should think that having to know code was an effective barrier
for the twits, such that they stayed out. In 1976 I heard
language on 80M that was a great exercise in George Carlin's
"7 dirty words"--and most of the speakers were Extra Class
hams (highest license).
CW *is* useful though, and I've come to embrace it for
the VHF/UHF weak signal stuff I've been doing, where at
time the luxury of a voice just isn't there; things are
too weak. Also Moonbounce will require me to reall learn
CW, which I am working towards, equipment wise.
Yes, its the end of an era. But so what? Technology
roars along, changing the way we communicate, but it has
never changed the reasons for the 'why'.
If you are contemplating becoming a ham, great, please
do so. If you are a ham and bemoan the lack of CW now,
get off your duff and start a CW appreciation class!
Show new hams *why* its cool (and it is, though it took
me 20+ years to realize that), and get them hooked on it.
--STeve Andre'
wb8wsf
grid sqare EN82
There are plenty of other narrow-band modes well suited for DX, e.g. PSK31.
A lot of the world, though, doesn't have computers coming out their ears like the rich countries do. But they can turn transmitters on and off.
The reason to learn code today is for contacting a wide range of people in a wide range of countries, while conserving bandwidth and allowing operation under more difficult conditions. Automatic decoding of human-sent Morse code has been suprisingly troublesome compared to using a human brain for the purpose.
I'd heard about this a while ago, and was aiming to get general before it happened (out of pride, masochism, or maybe a little bit of both.) That's more or less moot now. But when I realize that it's a move to get more new people into the hobby, I can understand and appreciate it.
I'm a member of the ARA at my college and we've been struggling to attract new members - we've got a great shack and solid equipment but only about 3-4 active members. Getting more people into the hobby is important right now; steps should be taken before it becomes a critical problem.
KB3NIF
I don't think the comparisons to Endless September are really justified. The difference is that to get the higher classes, people still have to pass more complicated tests. If they don't enjoy, understand, and appreciate the hobby, what incentive is there for them to do this?
Sure, the ham world has it's share of inconsiderate jerks (I've encountered some of them on 2 meters myself) but ham radio is different than the internet in a number of important ways. First and foremost, commercial transactions are strictly forbidden.
Endless September resulted from the commercialization of the Internet: the root cause was that net access was being marketed to the general public. Computers were becoming cheaper and the average person was being told that they *needed* one of these machines. No such thing is happening here. Ham radio still requires a fair amount of technical expertise, and the motivation for getting a license has to come from within. The equipment is still expensive, and violation of the rules still carries FCC penalties. (Which is a good counter-argument, I just realized: AOLers and idiots on the internet aren't subject to FCC fines.)
Plus, without the commercialization, most people don't really appreciate ham radio enough to get into it themselves. Those that do (by and large) understand the rules and the reasons behind them, and if they don't, their day will come.
KB3NIF
I am a ham who has held a Technician license for 9 years now. Technician gives all privs at the higher frequencies, and it does NOT require code. I never got a higher license because I never found time to learn code so this requirement was in fact holding me back. With that said, it makes me profoundly sad to see them drop this requirement as code is extremely useful for many applications, and I think it will significantly reduce the number of people who bother to learn code. I guess I'm just a sucker for nostalgia. It isn't like you needed code to get a license---you could work any and all ham uhf and vhf frequencies with a license that does not require code. With that said, I'll certainly be upgrading my license, sooner rather than later now. :)
Having learned Morse code while in the Royal Dutch Navy and a love to tinker with electronic, I created a text- to Morse - to text application on my Sinclair ZX Spectrum K back in 1983 and hooked it up to an old AN PRC 10-A. I had lots of fun sharing the app and testing how fast we could push it (we got it to transmit and receive at 400 words per minute). Then we had the idea to transmit lists of basic code to each other so we could share apps for the old Sinclair... Of course it would end up having to retransmit because interference or some joker cutting in on the frequency.
We kept tweaking the app until 1989 where we had a IM type of functionality, encryption (!) and we could "attach" binaries or act as a automated relay station. The old Sinclair was an ideal micro to grab your solder iron and make it interface with all sorts of electronics. I remember having much more fun with morsecode and that old Spectrum then when I got my first PC with DOS on it.
Heck, I think I will head up the shed and dig up the Sinclair and the AN PRC 10-A.
Supporting MS products doesn't mean you have to like them.
Radio hasn't ALWAYS fascinated me, but growing up with those cheap toy walkie talkies and watching my father (tech class, K6MTT if anyone cares) with his radio equipment (he's collected a lot in the last couple of years), my eyes have opened to the fact that even the regular consume headsets at Radio Shack were peanuts if you devoted time and money to something like that. After I turned to wireless Ethernet, I really got excited to the possibilities of radio. Now that a requirement like this has been dropped, I've become more motivated to getting a license. However, I don't know where to start. Where WOULD I start if I wanted to get a license and, more importantly, the knowledge of radio?
"Beware of he who would deny you access to information, for in his heart he dreams himself your master."
"_I_ had to learn it, so everybody else for all eternaty will have to learn it, too!".
Plus the fact that you can create an aweful lot of baseless elitism by practicing a worthless and unneeded skill.
HI O WISE PRINCE. WHT TOOK U SO DAM LONG?
I want a cwtext message interface for my cell phone, at least for sending. Has anyone heard of a phone that does that?
This new rule, is an attempt to bolster the number of people who use amateur radio frequencies. If amateur radio numbers continue to decline, the frequencies available for their use will be returned to the FCC, which will sell the "space" to the highest bidder. Some of the bands are extremely under used, and there are a bunch of companies who would pay top dollar for their own use. Pulling the morse code requirement will enable some who otherwise would not be able to achieve their license. I have mixed feelings. At least the theory requirements are still in place. Unlike when the FCC dropped the "license" requirements on the citizens band (11meter)radios, which caused the band to collapse under the weight of idiots, keeping the written exam will help weed out the noobs. 73's KB0GNK, licensed since 1990
that they would drop the code requirement. Years ago, the maritime (ships) board dropped the code requirement for ship operators. Heck, I think they use satellites or RTTY anyway. With the explosion of computers in communications, morse will be gone in a few years, save for those who still enjoy a good Q-So.
part of the 220mhz band, and some of the HF bands. Unless the usage climbs, look for the FCC to pull more of the UHF spectrum. Those bands are worth big $$$
Stage 1: Learn morse-code ..-.. -. --. .--
Stage 2:
Stage 3: Profit!
That was the one thing holding me back from getting my radio license.
Saying your "phone ran out of batteries" is like saying your "car ran out of gas tanks".
After the nuclear holocaust, when we emerge from the caves, Morse code will be a necessary skill. So will knowledge of MS-DOS, hand cranking a Model T, using a buggy whip and reading an analog clock. The FCC is being very short-sighted.
Apparently, so is Slashdot. In an attempt to be humourous, I couldn't post a series of Morse words. It kept rejecting the posting with the reason "Please use fewer junk characters." Huh.
Damn nerds, what do they know.
== First cross river, then insult alligator.
I have been involved with administering amateur radio license exams since 1992 and have overseen two separate exam teams since 1999. So, I have seen us transition from a rather complicated licensing structure to one that is a bit more sane.
I hear comments that amateur radio is being "dumbed down" to match the output of the government schools. The truth be told, I have witnessed people from many walks of life be thoroughly confused by the old licensing structure. So, there it little doubt in my mind that changes needed to be made. As an examiner, the recent (2000 and now 2006) changes will make my life a bit easier. They also lessen the burden on the FCC's administration of the Amateur Radio Service which is a key factor behind the recent changes.
As for the Morse Code requirement. When I started my self study of Morse in 1981, I truly believed that I would never be able to pass any test higher than 5 WPM. A few years later I did pass the 13 WPM (1985) and then in 1992 I passed the 20 WPM exam to obtain my Amateur Extra class license. I have used the code at various times throughout my ham radio career, but haven't ever gotten proficient enough at it to carry on a casual conversation with it. I have done well enough to enjoy some radio contests using the mode.
While I should probably be in the camp that says "I had to do it, all newcomers should too", I am not. In the early '90s the FCC, in response to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, made an administrative rule allowing anyone to obtain a doctor's statement claiming a disability that granted a waiver of the 13 and 20 WPM exams. As examiners we were required to accept the statement and grant the waiver. We could not question it any way. I personally saw several abuses of that rule and there was nothing I could do. The FCC was very specific in its mandate that only it had the authority to question the validity of any such statement.
The upshot of this is that due to the medical waivers, the 13 and 20 WPM Morse Code exams had almost become a farce by the time Restructuring (the action that reduced the license classes from six to three and reduced the Morse exam to 5 WPM) was enacted in April 2000. Anyone wanting to operate on HF still had to pass 5 WPM as the FCC deemed that speed not a significant hardship and the USA needed to comply with its treaty obligations which required a knowledge of Morse Code for operators licensed to operate below 30 MHz.
There are many reasons for hams to learn Morse Code in the future and a lot of them have already been stated here and elsewhere. The debate about whether it should be required knowledge is now moot so it's time for the amateur radio community to work toward the future. Morse Code (or CW) is one mode among many available for the Radio Amateur's use. As such, it can stand on its own and attract those interested in using it. I predict that the use of Morse Code on the amateur radio bands will continue for many years into the future by those that appreciate it.
Preparing for an exam session will now mean that I just have to prepare the written exams for the three license classes. No longer do I need to drag various pieces of electronic equipment along to conduct a Morse Code exam. This relieves the exam teams of a significant burden and will speed exam sessions up considerably. It will also make exam sessions more consistent as the Morse Code exam was an area where many teams free-lanced and some even prided themselves on administering an exam that was very difficult to pass.
Based on the elitism that I've seen demonstrated by too many hams over the years regarding the knowledge of Morse Code, I am not one bit sorry to see the exam requirement for it eliminated.
"Insanity is doing the same thing over again expecting a different result."
The Morse code test was required for anyone looking to get a license above "Technician" class. When I took my test to get my "Technician" license five years ago, the Morse code test had already been dropped.
Less-geeky computer repair alternative for Lansing, MI
I got my General when it meant showing up at the FCC regional and after the thrill of trying to copy the 13 wpm (65 character/minute) the guy was sending, you had a five minute break before you had to get up before the group and send back to him with a straight key.
For me, one of the hardest tests I've taken.
Don't know where you get your information, but I've been an amateur radio operator since the mid-60's and I've never heard of any 'official emergency crew' using CW.
1) It drastically lowers the "bar" to get the more advanced Amateur radio licenses, which benefits everyone all around.
2) With more ham operators around, it means that in case of a major emergency (e.g., large-scale natural disaster or other calamity) communications will be faster since in a natural disaster just about all other means of communication--TV channels, commercial radio, land-line telephones and cellphones--will not work for some time. Indeed, during the 9/11 attacks in New York City a lot communication systems went down, and ham radio operators were pretty much among the only reasonable means of communication for days.
Morse code is is faster than texting
I'm an extra class operator and I have been running code practice sessions for the last year on a local repeater in an attempt to get more people into General class or above.
One thing I have seen is perfectly good operators who are unable to grasp this mode. Either they can't hear it or can't decipher it. The vast majority of these Techs are moral people who will now have a chance to become first class citizens of HF instead of being stuck at the higher frequencies.
I plan to announce the end of my code practice sessions this Sunday evening at 9 pm.
Now, if someone wants to learn code, I'll go one on one with them and we'll get it done, but for many people, it's mud. And, now it's no longer required.
Someone brought up an interesting analogy between learning Morse Code and learning to drive.
Having to learn Morse Code to talk on the radio is like having to learn to shoe a horse to get your drivers license.
We should start referring to processes which run in the background by their correct technical name... paenguins.
Very few people remembered the incentive licensing debacle of around 1963. For those who were licensed, after a certain date, you lost privileges such as frequencies to operate on unless you moved up to higher classes by taking the exams. The "Extra" ticket was one of the items from incentive licensing. Another effect from it was a lot of the ham radio stores went out of business and companies like Hallicrafters, Hammerlund, National lost business and ended up folding.
Japan for many years did not require code even contrary to old ITU regulations. Because of this, they have many Hams and as a result, a good electronics industry.
Seems like in the USA, the politicians keep making policies where we keep screwing ourselves. We outsourced manufacturing - a place where a blue collar workers can make a decent living and live a decent lifestyle. We are in the process of outsourcing our computer industry which provides good income for many people. Just for a short term buck, we f*ck ourselves in the long run !
This change in policy is forward thinking for once. I got my General Class license back in 1983 (with 13 wpm) and Advanced in 1993. I thought about the Extra ticket but haven't had the time. One guy I remembered from grad school got his Extra ticket right before the 13 & 20 wpm exams went away permanently back around 2000.
I do think that this may have been one case where politicians listened. The HAM community has always had a large group strongly backing morse code requirements.
SIG: HUP
Actually, I like this. I've been an Amateur radio operator (ham) for over 16 years now (since August 1990), and had to pass the 20 wpm Morse code exam to get my Extra class license back in April, 1991. I love Morse code and using the CW mode, and am trying to get my code recognition up around 35 wpm (long process).
That said, I am also an ARRL Volunteer Examiner (VE), and have been for almost as long as I've had my Amateur Extra license. Since the ITU dropped the requirements for Morse code at sea, I have thought that the FCC's requirement for Morse code to get to the HF bands was really out of touch. I'm glad to see they finally rectified this.
For the hams proclaiming this is the end for ham radio, I say sit down and STFU. Amateur radio needs to evolve with the times, and presenting an artificial barrier to entry to the HF bands was not conducive to this. Why should people have to learn one mode over all the others, that they probably won't ever use, and will forget the next day, just to get HF privileges? Those that want to learn and use Morse code will, the rest will use sideband, AM, FM or one of the ever popular digital modes.
Amateur radio is under attack from the Internet and from cell phone usage. If we want to preserve our hobby, we need to be flexible in our attitude to the hobby. This is the 21st century, and hobbling an entire hobby to 19th century technology will be the death of it.
73, Howard
AC4FS
No matter where you go... there you are.
Anyway much more importantly, the CW tests are as good a way as any to test someone's level of seriousness and discipline. If we just let everyone waltz on in, well that's called CB and it's cacaphony. Many people won't act with even a basic level of maturity unless they're made to jump through a hoop or two (and it could be anything -- it'd be OK if they made us learn ASL instead).
Finally, it's not as if the CW tests were hard in the first place. I passed the 5 WPM when I was 12 and the 20 WPM when I was 14, and believe me, I'm not a clever guy. All it takes is a little practice. By the time I got the basic alphabet down by getting my mom to quiz me, she knew it too without even meaning to (it was just easier to remember it than to look everything up on the chart). But everyone since then (1978) has pissed and moaned and whined as if it were the hardest thing in the world, and as usual the FCC caved. Well I'll be staying in the CW bands (the ones that are left) where it's safe.
I passed the 5WPM but I think its time for it to go. I've never used it, and I don't think many people will unless they truly want to. Even without the requirement, there will still be plenty of CW on the air, and plenty of people who will go out of their way to learn it. Justin KB3JUV
www.kb3juv.com
Well for someone which would love to get their license it almost impossible to join a club. I have been trying to get into the ham stuff over 4 years. All the clubs in the Toronto area refuse to answer e-mails, or just expect the person to be in the university or college. There was one person that was going to teach me, but he was in his late 90's. He's dead now, so I'm out of luck.
I fed up.... I can't get into HAM radio because the people/clubs are too hard to access. Reading the books is no replacement for interacting with real HAM's.
I wish the colleges and Universities would just offer courses for HAM. Because the club scene is just does not work. I could sign up get instruction from a professor and write the exam. Done.
I have a weather station sitting in my backyard which I can't get transmitting weather information by radio.
I also would love to get into APRS with my car computer.
It's a exclusive club scene people. Outsiders are not welcome.
Imagine you're in a tight spot and your only communication tool is a radio with a dead mike or a flashlight, not an unimaginable situation. If you don't know Morse code, you're not only in trouble, you're likely to end up dead. Morse or something like Morse (such as the code used by Vietnam War POWs) will always be useful.
Personally, I think rudimentary Morse code, along with basic hand signing and a useful second language such as Spanish ought to be a requirement for all high school diplomas. If you don't learn it, you'll be stuck flipping burgers.
But then I think students should actually learn something in high school, a radical idea that apparently runs contrary to what most public schools in this country think "education" is all about. No dodge ball in grade school, it might hurt someone's self-esteem. No courses that take effort in high school, again it might hurt someone's self-esteem. Yes, we can't do anything that might reveal that some of us are lazy and stupid can we? You see that in the whinning posts here. "Oh," they say, "it actually takes effort to learn the code. I can't stand that sort of thing. Trying to think sets my head all abuzzing."
I might add that Morse code can be very useful today. Tests have shown that people can text message far faster with it than with the kludgy keys sequencies used on cell phones. And the folks who designed Morse code were smart. Vowels that are such a burden to enter with a cell phone that they're left out are a snap in Morse code. E is a dit. T is a dah. You can enter them in a flash.
And despite what they taught you by implication in publik schul, you're not dumb. You can pick it up in a few weeks using easily available software.
--Mike Perry, Seattle, KE7NV
If you are trapped and the only way to communicate is by hitting something or the like, morse is essential.
With morse, you can send a message with a welder, smoke, etc.
One of the traditions of ham radio operators is their help in disaster areas. Not knowing morse is like... not owning a gun in my book.
I laugh, on Letterman or Leno or
Frankly, I think morse code should be taught in school so that everyone has at least a rudimentary knowledge of it.
There is nothing wrong with code, and I think there should always be some reserved space in the band plans for only cw. Those who enjoy it should be allowed to use it.
But in the 21st century, requiring the knowledge of morse code to get a ham license is like requring one to successfully demonstrate how to start a hand-cranked auto before one can get a drivers license.
I want a new quote. One that won't spill. One that don't cost too much. Or come in a pill.
What attracted me most to the hobby of ham radio was that it was an elite fraternity. It wasn't that difficult, but it required you to make some effort to join. Contrast that to the mess of CB radio where anyone with the price of a radio can belong.
The hobby may indeed gain in popularity but the great influx of new operators will change it and not for the better. The move to dumb down the hobby will not end with the elimination of the morse code requirement. How much longer will it be before the anti-morse contingent cheerleaders are lobbying to make the written tests easier or eliminate them all together?
In a few years the bands will be full of nothing but lids, kids and space cadets. That makes me quite sad.
Man Holmes
Licensed 40 years
After all, ham radio is no more what it used to be: try listening to the frequencies used by radio amateurs, and ask to yourself if these frequencies shouldn't be used for something more useful (emergency services managed by real professionals, wireless networking, broadcasting, etc.). There is no more real experimentation being done today by radio amateurs, and internet offers a better way to communicate, without the trouble of getting a licence, buying a station, raising an antenna, and so on.
This was the one thing holding be back from getting my general license and actually transmitting.
As another VE (volunteer examiner), as well as one who had to learn the code to obtain the Technician-class license some time back, here's my two cents' worth (save up the change for a root beer or something).
The Morse Code isn't dead. Groups such as FISTS will make sure it sticks around on the ham bands for quite some time. Even non-members will continue to operate it, if for no other reason than the maintenance and improvement of a traditional skill. I prefer to operate digital modes -- SSTV and PSK31 are my favorites -- but I still want to improve my CW skills to the point that I can do some contesting using the code.
There's still another area where the Morse is not going away yet...that of maritime radio service. An applicant for licensure as a ship's Radio Officer must possess at least a 2nd-class Radiotelegraph License, which requires both a sending and receiving test at 20 words per minute (300 characters/min using the Paris standard). Granted, with the deployment of GMRSS the Radio Officer is becoming less and less a fixture on many transoceanic vessels, but they're still there. Not just them, either...applicants for both Master and Mate licenses still have to be able to copy light signals, which are sent by Morse Code.
All the world's an analog stage, and digital circuits play only bit parts.
Goodbye Morse Code...
I've been a radio amateur for 55 years...since age 11. Holy shit, that makes me olde! Learning Morse was a rite of passage thing and one of the peak experiences of my life...along with first parachute jump, first solo take-off and landing, first flight in an airplane that I built and first sex. Well, maybe not up there with the first sex, but you get the idea.
I spent 2.5 years in the 82nd Airborne Division during Viet Nam. Fortunately from me, not in-country. During my tour with the 82nd, I was one of only two people out of two dozen in my unit who could copy Morse well enough to actually use it as a communications medium during combat. The other person was a career sergeant who happened to get a big kick out of operating with Morse. The point: two dozen or more radio operators whose Army job classification required Morse ability couldn't use it for communications. This was 1960-61 when the most reliable means of communication in the jungle s of 'nam and Cambodia was Morse code.
Let's see what happens when a nuke war EMP knocks out all our IC-based systems and we have no tube radios for commo.
Had the Internet existed when I got into ham radio I wouldn't have bothered learning code.
WB2ZTE
more like the whole world.
He posted an update on this last night at Technocrat
http://technocrat.net/d/2006/12/15/12273
CW is brain pleasure. The pros and cons of the practicality it offers is beside the point. Once one has proficiency sufficient to allow the stream of characters to magically meld into words and phrases without effort, then one experiences an altered state that I suspect has ramifications for continued synapse health.
CW is alive and well, especially in EU. I'd say the Russians are likely the world's best CW ops.
NH7O
9-11 changed everything.
Fist off, a 5wpm test isn't as much of a barrier as everyone likes to believe, especially the way the test is formatted. Consider that you will get a city, state combo all spelled out...so if you get Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and manage to get ".itts.bur.., .enn....a.ia" you can pretty much guess the rest and you're one character away (period) from having 25 in a row (all you need to pass). Morse code is interesting, give it a chance.
That said, this is probably overdue. If it seems unfair to the old-timers, remember that the new Technician class test has stuff on it that didn't even exist when they took their Novice exams. If you don't want a bunch of "no-code schmucks" on your bands, remember that most of those DX stations you work now don't have to pass the code either. Things change.
The FCC said that it will no longer maintain separate privileges between Technician and Technician Plus. Does that mean Technicians gain the privileges of the Tech Plus or do the Tech Plus lose its HF privileges?
People ask why there was a Morse code test to begin with. What I was told at one time was that it was to allow the US Navy, the group that issued Amateur radio licenses way way back when, wanted to be able to order Amateurs off the air if they needed a frequency. This was because while the Amateurs could build what ever radio they liked the Navy had a large number of CW radios which could not be replaced on a whim. I was then repeatedly berated to stop spreading such a myth but was rarely given the real reason that Morse code testing was put into place.
So, this is the REAL reason that Morse code was required of Amateurs. Long ago when spark gap transmitters roamed the earth there were many different "alphabets" in use. The only way to communicate was with on/off keying, now commonly called CW, using short and long tones and short and long spacing in between the tones one could portray letters and numbers. There was the US Navy code, the Royal Navy code, the American Morse code, the Continental Morse code etc. So unless you knew what the code was it was hard for people to understand each other. So by international agreement they agreed on the International Morse Code. Amateurs were then required to know it since voice communication was rare on the radio at the time.
I am armed because I am free. I am free because I am armed.
I had expected to see more coments about the sky falling in, and it being the end of the hobby, which I did, actually over on qrz.com, however as a No-Code Tech, I am gleefully excited, and have already ordered the theory books for General and up, I look forward to being able to operate in HF.
K6WLF
"Technology is too complex today."
I agree with the various reasons for the elimination of the Morse test, but I wanted to pass the 5wpm exam (its a pride/accomplishments thing) before they made this change.
Now I guess I'll just need to find a ham who is willing to "test" me and say "okay you know it good enough to pass the test" since there will be no more official tests.
I have nobody to blame but myself; got my Technician license (KD5LQR now K5WCB) in 2000 and have had plenty of time to do it before now.
Even without the code requirement, getting a license still requires a good deal of work. Every class of license exam includes quite a bit of electronics theory that I think will help to weed out the people who aren't up to the qualifications of having a license and previously would have been turned off by the code requirement. On top of that there's the expense of buying (or building) the equipment and setting up an antenna, so I doubt we'll be flooded by morons any time soon.
That bring up something I was wondering about, if those who want a license are still required to know enough about electricity to build thier own radio. I'd like to get my license but it's been too long since I've worked with electrical equipment so I no longer retain the knowledge. I've been thinking about getting one of those electric/electronic learning labs that has the solderless boards and different parts and comes with a book or booklet with different projects you can make. Used to be that places like RadShack would have a few different sets but I've only found one or two in stores lately., and none for communications or sw radios.
FalconShould there be a Law?
Thus speaketh the voice of ignorance.
Ignorance in and of itself isn't bad. It can be corrected. However, being ignorant and proud of it is unforgivable.
You sir, should learn something about what Amateur Radio is doing today before you make such misinformed assumptions. Publishing your assumptions is evidence of your pride - or is it simple arrogance.
Now, CW will continue - just not as a barrier to HF access. What's left to be seen is if you'll exercise the will and discipline to learn the truth about ham radio.
All this rule change did is allow Tech/Tech-Plus phone/data privledges on 10-meters. Novice/Tech/Tech-Plus do not get phone/data privledges on any bandplan below 10-meter. What does this mean? It means that to anything other than CW, all Novice/Tech/Tech-Plus people must upgrade to General licences. Once a person has at least General privledges they can use almost all the available bands.
WTF?!? That seems like any moron can get his or her licence now, that's so not fair!!!
as well as the '90s invasion of Usenet by AOL subscribers. Whatever its disadvantages, I think the Morse requirement filtered out dilettantes, who wound up as faux Southern rednecks over on the Citizens Band freqs. 10-4, good buddy?
Get off my lawn.
For those who wnat to point at opperating nodes or numbers of licensed (not active) hams and claim that it is still vidrant and alive, I say to look at the number curve, not the numbers. In addition to looking at the enumbers, read Bowling Alone to have a firm grasp on what they mean.
Quite simply, this came too late.
KD6EVH
Real emergencies are local and VHF/UHF voice dominate.
The only thing new in this world is the history that you don't know.[Harry Truman]
Nothing says improved quality like reduced standards...
[o]_O
I've tried to pass the test to upgrade from Technician but I keep getting killed on the code portion. I know it was only 5wpm but for some reason I always froze up. How awesome would it be to get general. :D
I recently got my codeless technician's license. I have yet to make my first contact. Here are among my interests in amateur radio:
1) the lack of centralized infrastructure, hams own the infrastructure, it is decentralized and therefore it can operate when other infrastructures are down (telephone, power, cell towers, provided the ham has his own power source, be it generator or solar or wind). This is primary reason why ham radio becomes important in time of natural disasters.
2) the ability to communicate over long distances, sorta like having international (and national) pen pals. Sure I could write letters (which are dependent on a working mail service) or send email(again, dependent on infrastructure beyond my control) or make a telephone call (again, dependent on, well, you get the point).
3) it is non-commercial, so I'm not having to pay fees to communicate, as I own the infrastructure (providing power may or may not have to rely on someone else's infrastructure) Talk minutes, ha, they are meaningless on amateur radio.
As far as dropping the morse code requirement, I'm all for it, mostly so I can get international contacts, which is hard to do on 50mhz and above. I still may use CW (morse) but I would be doing it through a computer, as I believe I can type faster than I could code, plus I don't have a huge interest in learning code. What I'm saying is, one can take advantage of CW these days, without actually learning to do the code yourself, you can use a computer to do the interpretation. I'm also interested in packet radio, and other forms of amateur radio which take advantage of the merging of computers, radio and now the internet. The lower frequencies enable international communication, in areas which might not have infrastructure, and I feel it is slightly insulting that I have to learn an arcane code just to take advantage of the HF bands. I have a good technical background, I will now persure the upper license priviliges, which I would have done even if I did have to learn code, now I have a much easier time doing it (in my case). Amateur radio covers a huge spectrum of communication modes. Currently, I only have a 2 meter rig, it appears to be pretty quiet in my neck of the woods. I'd love to have other technical friends of mine get into the hobby such that I can play around with it.
I think the most important rule in amateur radio is to not be an asshole or a prick and intentionally interfere with others, and to play nice with other operators.
Also in light of our (the US) government's meddling with our civil liberties, I believe that the number of proficient ham radio operators should increase. I believe that if the government starts to really crack down on free speach, amateur radio can provide a morally correct outlet of free speech and communications to concerned citizens. I understand the ease of locating active transmitters, but I also believe that a group of technically proficient operators could really make secure communication possible in times of national crisis. I know that amateur radio is, in our currently fuctioning society, supposed to be in plaintext (or speech) and that encryption is not allowed (generally, I do believe their are some special exemptions), but in times of crisis, sometimes the rules have to get thrown out the window. I'm not advocating any amateur operator engage in rule breaking, but I merely mention it because I feel it is a real possibility that "underground" secure communication might one day be a necessity. Owning the infrastruture is vital to this end. I also believe this is why wifi can play an important role, as it provides networking and communication independant of infrastructure.
You sound like you have no idea what is going on mister. There is a lot of experimentation going on in ham radio, mostly at the UHF and above bands, so before you make any comments, please get your facts straight. if you are just listening to the HF bands, you are missing the story.
As for doing away with the ham bands - you're wish probably will come true in the next 30 or 40 years. Money always trumps everything else in this I-want-it-now-at-any-cost environment we live in now, so the lobbyists will funnel their millions upon millions of dollars to the lifer do-nothing politicians, come up with a unified theme to BS the public, and take away the ham bands too. So, be careful what you wish for as you may get it.
Also, I'd like to know how someone can "experiment" doing moonbounce, digital packet communications, or auroral contacts over the internet. You have a lot to learn about amateur radio.
Yo, craphead, where the hell have you been living?
In the first place, who'll pay for these "professionals"? The government certainly won't. They'll outsource it to some bullshit corporation (probably in India or South Korea) who will do it on the cheap. If they're in the affected area, they'll never be available when needed. Look at the fucking Katrina disaster -- the "professionals" ran around like a monkey fucking a football, leaving the heavy lifting to the amateurs who drill constantly (unpaid, on their own time) for this kind of stuff.
Remember the word amateur means one who loves the work, not some dipshit of a corporate drone who can't see beyond his next paycheck and will bail out to take care of his own interests when the crunch comes. Like the bastard New Orleans "professional" cops who bailed at the height of the disaster.
By the way, the corporations will demand to be "incentivized" with free or lowball-priced spectrum for their own use, thereby making a gift of public funds to those who need it least in our society.
Fuck you very much.
Comment removed based on user account deletion
I've been a technician class since '95. I've also been studying Morse code since '95 as well in an attempt to upgrade. Unfortunately I can't seem to master it. I think it has something to do with the way I process and relate sounds. (Maybe that's why I got a D+ in music appreciation, my lowest grade in college.) If I could have rigged the Morse output to a light for the tests, I think I would have done much better, alas, try talking a V.E. (Volunteer Examiner) into that one. As far as the comments go by the people who say: it's easy, I did it with a minimal amount of effort so you should be able to. Well, everyone should be required to take calculus before graduating from college, it makes you much more of a critical thinker, oh, and don't worry, its easy I did it so can you. What is simple for one may be nearly impossible for another.
I am currently studying physics and am considered by most of my friends to be a total geek, yet I chose to build a simple BJT circuit to control an LED rather than a HF radio for my electronics class because I would most likely never be able to use the radio in the near future. Now I'm kicking myself all over my living room. Oh, well, that will be next summers project for when school gets out again.
As far as the mixed feelings go, I'm pumped about not having to learn something I've spent the last 11 years studying, I'm also disappointed. I will probably still learn it once I can start listening to real conversations or rig the output to a light in my spare time. At least I can now continue my geekiness on upper bands. I have been held back by a requirement that really serves no purpose to an electronic geek. I will now spread the happy/sad word to many of my cohorts up at the college next semester and maybe we will see more licenses coming back on the air and more experimenting. For those of you who are wigging out about the experimentation, don't forget, that's what Amateur radio is all about, tinkering around and innovating on ideas, and you can't innovate without experimenting first.
Maybe I'll have someone to talk to on the VHF bands once the word has spread. Right now the VHF in my area is dead. I haven't had a contact in almost a year. My area is losing Ham operators because all the old coders are dying off, and no new licensees is replacing them.
Anyhow, I've rambled enough. I'm off to look for the manual for the General Class license.