FCC Drops morse code requirement for Ham Radio

This apparently happened last month but I just learned of it today. The FCC is dropping the Morse Code requirement from ALL Amateur Radio license requirements. Apparently the communications void that was left in the wake of the Katrina disaster played a major part in this. Dropping this arcane requirement from the Amateur Radio requirements could prompt many newcomers to join the hobby and provide not only a needed boost in interest but a viable safety net when all other communications have been knocked out by natural disasters.

Personally I'm very happy to see this happen. Morse Code was an important mode of communications in it's day, but when the chips are down, you need as many lciensed radio operators as you can get, as opposed to a small and sparse handful who know the code.

This is good news for electronics hobbyists! Now all you need to get a license is the electronics knowledge.
:twothumbs

actually, the Report and Order was published last week (the 24th), and it goes into effect 30 days later

A sad day for Ham Radio

Cool. I've got a couple of 12 meter band radios sitting around doing nothing.

They are both Galaxy radios that were used as high-power (20 watt) CBs, but I've always wanted to be able to use them legally. They've always been fun to use for skip communications.

I assume one still has to pass the technical knowledge tests to get a license then?

As an aside, does the FCC still try to enforce the 'English only' rule? Not that I have need to speak in another language on ham channels, but it's always bothered the free speech side of me. It's always seemed kind of big brother-ish. But it's probably just me.

Radio said:

A sad day for Ham Radio

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Agreed! The Code was a rite of passage. Any person who has taken the time to learn it will never forget that endeavor. Further, when all chips are down, a code user can get through when voice operators can't. Hams have seen this coming for quite a while. An effort to get more Ham users. Still, I bemoan its passing. CQ CQ

Radio said:

A sad day for Ham Radio

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+1

JM-99

A little sad. I learned my five words a minute to get the basic license but never really used the code part. Then when cell phones got reasonably affordable I pretty stopped doing ham altogether. Even more shameful I didn't renew my license after the ten years was up. You're right about the morse code getting thru. My nephew a big ham operator says he has communicated overseas using cw on just five watts, forget which band though.

I can't argue with CW's ability to get through, as well as the relative ease of building a CW transmitter. However -

If a hurricane has blown down all of the radio, tv and cell towers, don't you agree that it's better to have a handful of electronics enthusiasts who can each throw together an AM transmitter from a 6C4 instead of maybe one person who still knows the code? We should be encouraging young people to join the field, not throwing up barriers. They still have to pass the theory, so it's not like it's going to become a free-for-all.

metalhed said:

I assume one still has to pass the technical knowledge tests to get a license then?

As an aside, does the FCC still try to enforce the 'English only' rule? Not that I have need to speak in another language on ham channels, but it's always bothered the free speech side of me. It's always seemed kind of big brother-ish. But it's probably just me.

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Yes - the written tests are unchanged. Morse code was eliminated as a requirement at the international level awhile back and many countries have decided to remove the requirement at their respective national levels. The US has also simplified our licensing to three tiers, mirroring an international (CEPT) model. In the US, the only new licenses granted are Technician, General, and Extra. One upshot of this is greatly simplified foreign operation, allowing you to operate (under CEPT rules) using your home license.

The actual rule change goes into effect 23 FEB. If you take a written test only before that you will not be automatically granted a license (except for Technician, which doesn't currently require code).
You will have to take your exam certificate back to an exam session after the rule change goes into effect and have them send in your paperwork.

Technicians will automatically get HF privleges now authorized to "Tech Plus" on 23 FEB. (Only in the Novice CW segments of the HF bands, except for 10m )

The only requirement to speak English is for ID'ing. You can conduct your conversation in any language.

For those unfamiliar with amateur radio, CW (Morse code) is not going away anytime soon - there are still segments of HF bands reserved for it, and as noted above, it's still a common mode for weak signal work on all bands. It's just not a tested skill for getting a license.

Cheers,
Bob

They used to have a Morse code requirement for CB licenses too, but they did away with that many years ago; and not long after that, eliminated the license requirement itself for CB radio operators.

The_LED_Museum said:

They used to have a Morse code requirement for CB licenses too, but they did away with that many years ago; and not long after that, eliminated the license requirement itself for CB radio operators.

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Actually, I don't think there was ever a morse code requirement for CB. Just a requirement for a license. Don't recall what was involved but my grandfather had one and didn't have to do morse code.

JM-99

BobVA -- Thanks for the info. I can understand the station ID English language requirement. That seems reasonable.

I didn't realize that the license levels and requirements had changed so much...guess I'd better dig out that study guide for the technical exams and start studying.

metalhed said:

BobVA -- Thanks for the info.

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Glad to help!

Here's a link to a summary of the rule changes:
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2007/01/24/100/?nc=1

And license overview:
http://www.arrl.org/toc.html#licensing (note the links to all the current exam question pools)

And practice exams:
http://www.eham.net/exams/

Good luck!

Cheers,
Bob

I heard about this last month myself, and am glad it was finally published in the Register. Only a few short weeks and I can dust off that 10m radio I never got around to using.

Anyone know how far to space a 10m beam from a 6m beam?

BobVA said:

Technicians will automatically get HF privleges now authorized to "Tech Plus" on 23 FEB. (Only in the Novice CW segments of the HF bands, except for 10m )

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Woah, my No-Code Tech just got a free upgrade? I don't ever do any DXing, just use my local repeaters on 2 meters, and sometimes 2 meter simplex if I'm in constant communication like driving to my friends house for the first time.
I feel bad that the code was dropped even though I never had any interest in learning or using it. I hope the decision accomplishes what it was made to do, and gets more younger people interested and signed up. God knows my moble only gets used every few months, if that. I feel bad having nice stuff and not using it!!

The code has not been dropped, only the code test.

Go forth and use it if you so desire.

Walt175 said:

I heard about this last month myself, and am glad it was finally published in the Register. Only a few short weeks and I can dust off that 10m radio I never got around to using.

Anyone know how far to space a 10m beam from a 6m beam?

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The easiest thing to do would be mount all the elements on the same boom, they won't even see each other.

Thanks for the links Bob!

Learning code was never hard, given all the free internet resouces available. I had a General Class license back in the mid-sixties, but let it expire, (that's what happens when you discover girls ).

Now, many many years later I got interested in ham radio again now that I'm looking to buy a sailboat to cruise on, and using some free online programs, I was able to breeze through all the code and theory tests from Novice to Amateur Extra Class in one afternoon. Sadly, I still have not been on the air yet but I've got the License. Still shopping for the boat but it won't be long.

CW is a terrible mode for weak signals, compared with low bit rate digital modes. Just the same, it is the simplest in terms of equipment, and it was indeed a rite of passage.