It's Taps For Morse Code

OC Register ^ | 2/23/07 | Erik Ortiz

[vintage patriot]

Morse code is in need of some serious SOS.

The language of dots and dashes, first used during the infancy of electronic communication in the mid-1800s, is going the way of Latin.

Beginning today, amateur or "ham" radio operators in the United States won't be tested in Morse code – also known as Continuous Wave – in order to be licensed by the federal government.

In an effort to advance the hobby, the Federal Communications Commission in December agreed to eliminate the five-words-per-minute Morse code requirement for people seeking their upper-level class licenses.

[SGCOS]

Holy Moly, what are the Red Sox to do???

[randog]

I remember the commercial test like it was yesterday--tubes, tubes, and more tubes.

[stylecouncilor]

ping

[Jeff Gordon]

Sooner or later we will all be silent keys.

[petertare]

BOOOOO.

Real operators saturated the low end of 20 with 4 element yagis and 3 element quads and worked the world with 100 watts at 30wpm.

Just wait till that nuc air burst hits. Country will be crying for HF men of old hunkered over those incandescent miracles of the dash.

[OldCorps]

My dad had an amateur license; he really loved radio in general and cw in particular.

[Bigh4u2]

How are they 'advancing the hobby' when they are taking one of the more interesting aspects of it away?

I took my General code test (13WPM) with an abscessed tooth, the lights going on and off, and a very loud meeting in the next room, and I passed.

If I can do it. Anyone can.
But more to the point. The government has been trying to grab the 'Amatuer Bands' for years. With the reduction in qualifications, it will probably reduce the interest in HAM radio. Not increase it. At the rate they are going HAM radio with end up being than advanced CB. And with reduced interest, the government can sell the frequencies to the highest bidder.

[Bigh4u2]

Amatuer = Amateur

[GoldCountryRedneck]

I'm not a HAM, but aviation VOR stations are still correctly identified via Morse Code.

Another vanishing skill...

[The Iceman Cometh]

How are we going to tell the world how to bring "those sons of b!tches down"?

[Bigh4u2]

At the rate they are going HAM radio with end up being nothing more than advanced CB.

Sheese. I've GOT to proof read more! :0)

[Enterprise]

-... ..- -- .--.

[Ax]

I think I can still copy 25GPM. I used to be able to copy about 15 and type my name in between groups. Those were the days. Going to work in the Philippines at 0400 with only a cigarette and a hangover for breakfast.

[Radix]

"I remember the commercial test like it was yesterday--tubes, tubes, and more tubes."

I can recall seeing tube testing machines in the local drug stores when I was a kid.

They were gone before I was ever able to figure out what the heck they were all about.

Did I miss much?

[Cacique]

btt

[gas_dr]

I, too, passed the 13 WPM, but could never make the 20 wpm for the extra, made it ll the way to advanced before giving it up!

[gas_dr]

remember how the damn test started?

..._..._..._..._..._..._

WA0YGU, KA0TLA ur rst is 599, I still remember to this day my call sign in code

.-- .- ----- -.-- --. ..-

[Bigh4u2]

I gave up after General.

I moved to a new house and never even set my radios back up.

I play in a band and found I just has too many 'kettles on the fire'.

My Morse skills now are atrocious.

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

BWAAaaahahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaahahahaha,,,,can't help it !!!



You know it's comin',,,


Puter-Keys have A B C's


And you want One Key ????? hahahahahaha...;0)..Dat Funi !!