[cfgeeks] FCC eliminates morse code requirements

[Gilbert Young]

On Dec 16, 2006, at 5:38 PM, Steve Litt wrote:

> On Saturday 16 December 2006 15:33, Kevin P. Inscoe wrote:
>>
>>
>> Soo like so many things in society these days we should mandate this?
>
> Yes.
>
> First, the government has to be involved, or the spectrum would be  
> of no use
> to anyone. The government can, and indeed up until now *has* said  
> for the
> privilige of using certain frequencies in certain ways, one must  
> know Morse
> code. With the privilige comes responsibility.

I believe it was at the request, or the structure created, by the  
community that was put in place to "self-govern" it.

TImes are a changing, as is the ham radio community.

>
> I'm aware the preceding is a slippery slope. Should we then say  
> that in order
> to own a gun, one must take law enforcement classes so that, with  
> EMP or 500%
> deflation, one can immediately function as a sheriff's deputy?  
> Obviously not.

I think more like they should know how to reload, smelt lead, cast  
brass, create gunpowder from raw elements and and use a milling  
machine to build firearms from blocks of steel. Oh, and aim. :)

>
> But there's one difference. In the case of radio amateurs, the rule  
> was
> already in place, and all they had to do to keep it implemented was  
> to do
> nothing. In the case of guns, it requires a massive and intrusive  
> change.
>

Used to be only free male landowners could vote.

Well lets think about it, in order to drive a car, i'm tested on  
basic driving skills.  Trucks use the same roads I do, but i'm not  
asked to parallel park a semi to get my license.  I could get that  
license and drive a rig, but i'd have to learn how to handle a rig,  
and take another test.  CCW license training is basic handling of a  
firearm, not full police training.  Fishing licenses have no  
restriction other than you have to pay for one.

All HF bands were restricted from use unless you learned a particular  
mode of communication, and at a particular proficiency level, because  
the ARRL says so?  What if ~45% of the licensed radio operators are  
tech only licenses?  Yep, only ~1/2 of the licensed radio operators  
today know code. It seems that if code was still enforced for every  
license, ham license holders would be about ~1/2 what they are today,  
and the band plan would probably be halved as well by now at the rate  
commercial interests salivate at chunks of it.  I haven't met anyone  
under 30 that has any interest in Ham radio at all

> So yes, in my opinion we should have mandated it, or more accurately,
> continued to mandate it.

I think if ham radio wants to demonstrate good stewardship to keep  
the frequencies they currently have, they are far better off getting  
rid of CW as a requirement for any HF privileges  I really do believe  
it is a blessing in disguise that the code requirements were dropped  
for all licensees involved.  FWIW, the number of licenses has been  
declining in recent times, from 2000 to 2006, the number of US  
licensed hams has reduced by about 3-4% in total numbers (2000=~680K,  
2006=~650K).  I am pretty sure if it continues to do so, Ham  
operators would have less and less and then no leg to stand on for  
any frequency, band, mode, etc... especially if they take the stance  
that a huge chunk of spectrum must be kept sacred to CW proficient  
people (the # of which are -fast- dwindling).

IMHO I hate to see it happening, or admit it, but it is a dying hobby  
that is nowhere near what form it was back even 30 years ago on so  
many levels.  Ham radio will be on life support within a decade or  
two, IMHO:

"Average age of licensed Hams is approaching 60 years as these trends  
in License Counts and Remaining Life continue. These trends lead me  
to believe our hobby of Amateur Radio will suffer from severe  
problems unless there is a major change in our ability to recruit,  
educate, license and sustain activity of new young Hams."

http://showcase.netins.net/web/wallio/LICENSE.html

or

http://preview.tinyurl.com/yx8mdo