On relinquishing requirements for Morse Code

So the FCC dropped the last remaining CW obstacle for those who wanted a General or higher class license — the 5 WPM Morse Code test.

As many hams expected, there’s a lot of grief being voiced, especially among older hams whose skills were subject to much more stringent and complicated requirements as they climbed the license ranks. To some degree, I can understand their feelings, but no one can pretend to be surprised, and the window for entertaining complaint is narrow.

I, for one — after quite a bit of thought about the issue, about the history of Morse Code in worldwide amateur operations, and about pressures on the FCC from within and outside of the amateur community — think the Commission has done the right thing. In fact, upon reflection, I think this was the only appropriate course of action they could have taken — and that goes for the Extra Class requirements, as well. I say this from a legal and global standpoint, from a standpoint of the hobby's historical development, and from a standpoint of its (and even the Code's) best interest.

I say this as a younger ham who took and passed the 5 WPM test on his first try, after a few months of casual but determined practice, some enthusiasm, and very little external pressure or encouragement (though I gotta thank Steve). As someone for whom the Element 1 exam was not required, and whose operating privileges will soon be exactly the same as Technician Class license holders who decided to forgo CW. As someone who looks forward to the possibility of learning and working with all the new no-code Techs on the Novice bands. As someone who thinks that CW could — and probably will — easily flourish in the post-Element-1 scene.

As of now, there is nothing to lament. The only lamentable course would be a decline in CW use, and we have no evidence of that as yet.

If you haven’t already, it’s easy: Learn the code. A lot of people will say otherwise, but I repeat: It’s easy! Just don’t agonize about it. A few minutes here, a few there, regularly. Use that little chart (it really helped me), use Steve’s utilities, look into the K7QO course if you like (it’s really good).

What I would like to see: a continuation of CW certifications. Just because the FCC doesn’t require it for an exam doesn’t mean we (whether we means the ARRL, or something we do on the local or club level) can’t hold, take, and acknowledge brief examinations. Maybe holding a General Class license doesn’t mean that you’ve passed a 13 WPM Code test, but there’s no harm in being able to say “I’ve got my General with a 13 WPM certification.” In many ways, that’s how the Tech/Tech+ distinction worked, anyway.

No one can tell you CW isn’t the most efficient and elegantly simple operating mode, enabling contacts over several hundred miles, in some cases with only a few watts of power and a simple, cheap, homebuilt rig. It simply is. And that’s fun.

—Brooklyn, January 2007