All ham licenses no longer require Morse code

[wa2ise]

Originally Posted by JimJ[VT]

Going to be sitting for the General next month, maybe even take the Extra although some of that theory is kicking my ass - who the hell knows how to calculate complex impedances using imaginary numbers...

~ Jim
KG4NEL

I hated the name "imaginary numbers". To me "imaginary" = "fake", so why should I care about fake numbers...

Take the Extra test anyway, it doesn't cost you any extra! than the general test, at the same VE test session. There's practice tests at http://www.aa9pw.com/radio/

And don't worry about older hams looking down on you, we had the same thing back when the code speed was reduced from 20wpm or 13wpm to 5 wpm back 7 years ago. Few did that, and that problem went away.

notice that the Miami Hamboree held every year has been in steady decline

I think one can blame ebay for that rather than a decline in ham radio.

[Richard D]

I think one can blame ebay for that rather than a decline in ham radio.[/QUOTE]

You may be correct for the last five years, but for the last 12-15 years there have been less and less swap tables and vendors. I personally would find items that I purchased because I could see and hold, examine them. Stuff I would not even look for on epay. The latest word is that because of the Miami event being held on the Super Bowl weekend there were few hotel rooms to be found. The venue where the event is held also has a complete campground with full hook ups for several hundred motorhomes and trailers, some visitors would bring their campers or rent them for the weekend along with most of the out of town vendors. I truly hope it will happen later this year.

[Sandy G]

See, THAT'S the whole thing that turned so many people off to Ham Radio in the 1st place...Why do they insist you learn all this esoteric nonsense that has nothin' to do w/nothin' ? I don't really CARE how a car works- I just wanna get in it & go. Now, I personally know how a car works, obviously, but does that make me a safer driver ? No, not really. And would knowing Morse Code-an arcane & basically obsolete leftover from an earlier time-make me a better ham ? There's a lot who would say yes, prolly more than a few here, but I disagree w/that. Amateur radio is kinda dying, there aren't many young people who are interested in it anymore-especially when they can get on the internet & do SO much more than radio can offer. And hey, I'm a radio nut-y'all know that-but I've never been turned on by talking to some guy in Loveland, Colorado on what kind of rig he's runnin', how tall the tower is, blah, blah, blah.

[Lefty]

Originally Posted by Sandy G

See, THAT'S the whole thing that turned so many people off to Ham Radio in the 1st place...Why do they insist you learn all this esoteric nonsense that has nothin' to do w/nothin' ? I don't really CARE how a car works- I just wanna get in it & go. Now, I personally know how a car works, obviously, but does that make me a safer driver ? No, not really. And would knowing Morse Code-an arcane & basically obsolete leftover from an earlier time-make me a better ham ? There's a lot who would say yes, prolly more than a few here, but I disagree w/that. Amateur radio is kinda dying, there aren't many young people who are interested in it anymore-especially when they can get on the internet & do SO much more than radio can offer. And hey, I'm a radio nut-y'all know that-but I've never been turned on by talking to some guy in Loveland, Colorado on what kind of rig he's runnin', how tall the tower is, blah, blah, blah.

The Ham population has been declining for decades, even with relaxation of code requirements along the way and now totally gone. I think the Internet is the biggest contributor of replacement for geeky communications desires.

There will always be a few interested in Ham radio, It can be a great hobby, but I fear the population will dwindle to the point that the business interest will successfully lobby for the spectrum from the FCC There are big big bucks in spectrum sales....

[Richard D]

I agree, we need to some how get more young people intrested, or you know who will start looking at the spectrum and see Dollar signs$$$$$











Richard,
5,000 feet west of Biscayne Bay 6.7 feet ASL.

[ChrisW6ATV]

Considering that this forum is for "lovers of old stuff", I am gratified that this topic did not consist of 100% "ham radio has just been killed", "eliminating the code requirement is the same as treason"-type comments that QST magazine is often full of. Morse code/CW is a fine mode for many people, but requiring it after perhaps 1954 was probably about as anachronistic as requiring you to know how to ride a bicycle before getting a driver's license (or maybe knowing how to use a crank on a Model T?), or having to bake a cake from scratch before you are allowed to buy microwave dinners, etc. Sure, these skills can be valuable and could come in handy if you have no microwave ovens/freezers, or no gasoline, or whatever, but there is a difference between having the skills needed to safely operate equipment, and not interfering with other users and neighbors, and just plain lets keep something in the rules because we all already had to do it, or we want to make sure people have to "work hard" for their licenses, or because it is a tradition and heaven forbid that we move on to reflect actual current activities and needs.

Originally Posted by wa2ise

one of the transmission modes we are allowed to do, up in our 440MHz UHF ham band and higher, is television!

Yes, ATV is great fun!

Originally Posted by Lefty

Make no mistake about the fact that this new no code requirement is quite the controversy in the ham circles and unfortunately any new ham entering the ranks are bound to be looked down upon by many of the existing ham population.

I've been a ham for quite a few years but never real active in it. I've met some wonderful friendly hams but more then my share of crusty old reactionary no-it-all types also. So entering this hobby may require a thick skin or staying with other new comers to the hobby.

Don't expect the same greetings and treatment that is given here on AK

Lefty

Fortunately, I have not yet personally met any of those "crusty old reactionary" types who think this is controversial. The Morse code requirement delayed my entry into ham radio by 15 years, and once I got in, I have been a disaster volunteer, taught classes and volunteered for license test exams, helped coordinate as well as install/repair ham radio repeaters, and a bunch of other stuff. I guess keeping people out who do all of that but don't jump into Morse code at 20 WPM when they're teenagers was really good for ham radio, huh?

(Lefty, those comments were not at all "aimed at you"; I just followed your quote because you mentioned exactly the type of people that I think hurt the hobby rather than help it.)

Originally Posted by JimJ[VT]

Luckily the group of locals that I'm affiliated with is very open and understanding about new and younger hams, I've definitely heard some 'choice people' on some of the 2 meter repeaters in the area...

Going to be sitting for the General next month, maybe even take the Extra although some of that theory is kicking my ass - who the hell knows how to calculate complex impedances using imaginary numbers...

~ Jim
KG4NEL

Good to hear about your local group, Jim, and good luck on the upgrade tests. Get the ARRL study books rather than the Gordon West ones-I found the ARRL ones much more truly educational as opposed to just "helping you answer the test questions".

-73-

[tgunner]

Now that the code test is gone, I just may go for my license. Be the only guy in college when I go to have a ham radio.

[Lefty]

Originally Posted by tgunner

Now that the code test is gone, I just may go for my license. Be the only guy in college when I go to have a ham radio.

Small college, one guy. What the hell is the tuition costs

Lefty

[tgunner]

Originally Posted by Lefty

Small college, one guy. What the hell is the tuition costs

Lefty

I am sorry, sometimes my writing is awkward. :-/



Should say: "When I go to college, I'll be the only guy with a ham radio".

[bgadow]

No-code is the kinda thing that could finally talk a guy like me into going for it. I'd be a natural, right? Have been fooling around with old radios & tv sets since I was a kid. Back then, I had time but never an "Elmer" to encourage me. Now I just don't have time to learn code. If someday I wake up and decide I need yet another hobby, who knows, I just might do it. I did have a very nice (but non-functioning) ICOM transciever land in my lap not long ago.

[Whirled One]

By the way, just to clarify something that I'm not sure everyone here understands, it has been possible for several years to get a Technician class amateur radio license without taking a code test. Technician class has access to basically everything in the amateur bands at 6m and above in all transmission modes (as permitted by frequency) including fast-scan television, so that in and of itself is not actually a 'new' thing really.

What is changing now is that the code requirement has been removed for the higher classes as well; this makes it possible to have transmission
privilages on the HF bands (10m and down) without taking a code test; just the regular written test for that license class.

I've had a Technician license for about 5 years now, but I'm admittedly not currently very active in the hobby. (Sorry!) Actually, one reason I went and got a license was because I go to a lot of hamfests (they're a good way to find old radio/TV test equipment and parts, as well as other vintage electronics!), and I just kinda felt guilty about not actually having a call-sign to put on the registration cards... :-/

I agree that attendance at many hamfests has gone down dramatically over the last 5 or so years (though others don't seem to have declined much). I'd also agree with WA2ISE about eBay being a factor in that. ...But as others have also said, it's also because the hobby is changning (and generally declining). That said, hopefully the code requirement change will help encourage more interest in amateur radio. There's a lot of spectrum out there set aside for amateur radio, but if it doesn't get used by amateur radio, it'll probably get sold off to someone else...

By the way, if you get a license, it just occured to me that one amateur radio function that probably doesn't get mentioned a lot but that you may find useful and interesting even if you don't do much else is the "weather net" that many ham radio clubs organize. For example, during severe weather (particularly tornado warnings/watches), our local 2m repeater carries weather sightings from spotters (and any other amateur who wants to report the current state of the weather at their location). This is often more informative and useful than watching the local Super-Duper-Doppler-Color-Radar-Weather on TV. (Plus, it has an interactive aspect to it, since you can actually participate)

[matt_s78mn]

Originally Posted by Whirled One

By the way, if you get a license, it just occured to me that one amateur radio function that probably doesn't get mentioned a lot but that you may find useful and interesting even if you don't do much else is the "weather net" that many ham radio clubs organize. For example, during severe weather (particularly tornado warnings/watches), our local 2m repeater carries weather sightings from spotters (and any other amateur who wants to report the current state of the weather at their location). This is often more informative and useful than watching the local Super-Duper-Doppler-Color-Radar-Weather on TV. (Plus, it has an interactive aspect to it, since you can actually participate)

I've had my license for around 6 years now, but this is a great point, because even if you are not into the hobby, you can still take the classes to become a weather spotter. They are open to anyone. I've taken the classes 3 times, because it's always good to have a refresher course, and I have found them to be extremely interesting. The National Weather Service appreciates all the help they can get from people interested in doing severe weather spotting. In my area, we report weather information to the National Weather Service office in La Crosse, WI, and two of the meteorologists there are hams, and they closely monitor their radios during inclement weather.

[KB9KXH]

Originally Posted by justw

I'm not an amateur and some hams even rub me the wrong way but I think eliminating the morse code requirement is wrong. In the event of large disasters, perhaps larger than we have already seen, truely long distance communication could be quickly established using whatever kind of transmitter you could "ham" together and do CW, morse code. This may sound science-fictionish but this is the reason it was always there. Next thing you know they'll be creating special "no-license" bands!

I think they did that when they took 11 meters away from the amateurs to create citizens band, and then later with the creation of frs radios.

[KB9KXH]

Originally Posted by JimJ[VT]

I've had my license since '01...all of my stuff is mobile as I live in an apartment with no balcony or room for HF antennas.

Luckily the group of locals that I'm affiliated with is very open and understanding about new and younger hams, I've definitely heard some 'choice people' on some of the 2 meter repeaters in the area...

Going to be sitting for the General next month, maybe even take the Extra although some of that theory is kicking my ass - who the hell knows how to calculate complex impedances using imaginary numbers...

~ Jim
KG4NEL

the so called imaginary numbers are just the inductive reactance and capacitive reactances

[KB9KXH]

Being a ham for several years, here is my take, you can still use code if you wish. why should the forward evolution of other modes be hindered by the requirement of the time consumeing process of learning morse code? Many people don't share the enthusiasm of code and thats ok with me, there are many modes of communication already in use and yet to be developed.The ancient art of smoke signals died out but not because it was stricken from some entrance exam, everything changes,so life is possible.