[CW] CW Poll in Germany; Russian WRC Position
Bill Tippett
[email protected]
Tue, 16 Jul 2002 21:58:13 +0100
FYI. 73, Bill W4ZV
http://www.muenster.org/dtc/eindex.html (click English and
News under Contents at the left side of the page)
German Radio Amateurs voting for a retainment of the
Morse Code requirement for HF licensees !
(DTC 18/03/2002)=20
CW exams should continue to be a requirement for those
who want an Amateur Radio license with permission to
access the HF bands. This is what the majority of German
hams have voted for, being the result of a polling carried
out by the national IARU representative Deutsche Amateur
Radio Club (DARC). The results of this event has just been
made public.
Subject of the voting was whether the Morse code
requirement should continue to be a requirement for future
HF licensees or not. One should add that the voting did in
fact include votes by licensees of all German license
classes e.g. both those with and without HF access
permissions.=20
The final voting results were:=20
total number of votes: 17455
pro CW exam votes: 8530
no CW exam votes: 7781
invalid votes: 1144
This clear result now is the very basis of DARC in
representing the interests of German radio amateurs both
within IARU and in discussions with the German
administration.=20
DTC had recommended that its members should
participate in the DARC voting if a member there (most
DTC members are members of DARC as well) to promote
the pro CW attitude and aims of our club. Considering the
result of the voting DTC feels its attitude well supported
that the radio amateurs continue to regard the requirement
of Morse code exams for any HF band access a necessity -
quite different from what appears to be the attitude of
some national IARU representatives and clubs.=20
Apparingly the results of the voting in Germany also show
that some of the positions being expressed by IARU
representatives - be it on a worldwide or regional basis -
did in fact not consider the general attitude of the radio
amateurs being their members. It is all too obvious that
quite a few club representatives may not have considered
the democratic view of their members as well. The reasons
for this kind of behaviour should be made a subject of
discussions right now!=20
Votings like the one just taken in Germany have not been
too many around so far. Known instances like that were
conducted in Russia, Australia, France and now Germany.
Quite interesting: Many club officials of those countries
that normally feel proud pointing at their democratic
society failed to consider to find out what the radio
amateurs and members do think about the matter of the
Morse code requirement for HF licensees. Perhaps it was
not wished or considered to do so to avoid the binding
facts. However, these officals should be asked why they
are so "lifted off" from their members and why they
apparingly do not worry too much about loosing contact
with the general membership they have to represent.
Martin Hengemuehle
DL5QE
Chaiman, DTC
DTC - Statement Regarding "CW and WRC 2003"
(DTC 03/02/2002)=20
The World Radio Conference WRC 2003 is appearing at
the horizon already. The WRC agenda will deal with a
proposed change of article S.25.5 which pinpoints the
necessities regarding the licensing of radio amateurs and
currently requires given proof of any individual's capability
to send Morse telegraphy by hand and receive it by ear if
access to the bands below 30 MHz is to be granted by that
license. The proposed change on the WRC 2003 agenda
regarding the item just mentioned has already brought
new life to the old and ever continuing discussions pro or
contra the need to pass a CW exam for HF access
licensees.
Some national radio amateur organizations in a couple of
countries being IARU members as well favour the
abolishment of any enforced CW exams. Other do favour a
retainment of this requirement. Not too very long ago IARU
(and within IARU its Region 1 suborganization) put
forward a strong vote to retain the Morse code requirement
internationally. However, suddenly its view has changed
and IARU is now following the ideas of those who just
want the contrary, e.g. the abolishment of the very
requirement.
The Deutsche Telegrafie Club (DTC) of cause pleas for the
retainment of the Morse code exam and emphasizes that
any CW organization worth its name has no choice other
than this!
Besides principle arguments DTC sees some fundamental
arguments that prove its position right and a necessity
favouring a sound future of the Amateur Radio Service in
general::
1.) re: No CW exam means an increase in membership
numbers
Membership numbers of most national amateur radio
organizations seem to show no growth or even a decline
meaning a stagnation or decline in income from
membership fees. The tendency is - a decline! The waiving
of 12 wpm exams and the very replacement by an "much
easier" 5 wpm one did not show the intended increase in
membership numbers of the big national radio clubs
despite that it was just this anticipated increase that was
the main among the reasons given to implement that
"speed". The only thing that happened was a reshuffling
within the membership already there regarding the
individual license classes. An increase in membership
numbers just didn't take place! The proposed abolishment
of the Morse code exam requirement will but continue the
aforementioned reshuffling within (!) the already existing
membership and not gain a bulk of new members!
Statistics in the most industrialized countries show the
population to decrease and the average individual's age to
inrease. This tendency is not "out of bounds" regarding
radio amateurs and therefore membership numbers will
not be altered by any movement or step to get rid of the
Morse code requirement as such. The trend will be ever
decreasing numbers for some time to come. It appear that
some efficient public relations is also missing to give
amateur radio its fair share among the ever increasing
number of leisure activity offers and hobbies. Obviously
there is an urgent need to think things over! Getting rid of
"unnecessary burdens" will not necessarily make our
hobby more attractive, quite the contrary appears to be the
case! Those who favour the "Take it easy - no CW!"-view
probably should look at the CW clubs membership
numbers around: they increase and the CW clubs prosper
well! People seem to be attracted much more by
"difficulties" than general Morse code waivers...
2.) re: CW exams may easily be replaced by an increase
level elsewhere
Quality retainment following that way instead of retaining
the Morse code requirement will turn out to be but poor
choice as amateur radio will become a kind of
"hi-technician's hobby" then. Is that what we want it to
become? Also, levels in exams are up quite high already.
Amateur radio besides being a technical hobby is also a
hobby of communication among radio amateurs and thus
a big question arises: if our hobby becomes a much more
technical one by increasing that level in future exams, will
the future licensees be active radio amateurs e.g. make
their QSOs in somewhat the same manner as we are used
to now? Or will they just try out what they will have had
constructed and then discontinue QSOing afterwards? Will
there be rag chews anymore then?=20
3.) re: Abolishment of the Morse code requirement will not
impair the future of telegraphy in the Amateur Radio
Service
This claim is very much to be doubted! Who is going to
teach and learn Morse if that is no longer required? The
argument is often supplied with an additional remark that
these people have no doubts that CW is an efficient means
of communication and thus will continue to prosper within
the Amateur Radio Service. It will not! Most CW operators
did learn the code due to the imposed requirement to do
so. And most did gain their proficiency and capability to
QSO in CW lateron. Would it not have been for the imposed
requirement the "lateron" development would almost
never have taken place. Those who favour the
no-code-view and also think that Morse will prosper in
future are either a bit "off the road" or do want to tell lies.
Look at them and you will notice that almost noone of
these people has put up anything that will be likely to make
Morse prosper within the Amateur Radio Service in the
proposed no-code-future. Split- minded?
Double-tongued? Exam-proven CW radio amateurs are no
"better" hams, but they are indeed better capable ones,
having shown discipline! This has been of no damage for
amateur radio so far. Rather the contrary, as quality has
been a characteristic of our hobby up to now - and
apparingly also due to the discipline that is required to sit
down and learn the Morse code. This gained quality is one
of the aspects that are suitable to convince other people to
pay our hobby the necessary owe and attention. Why
throwing that away? People who separate from their own
roots are most likely to become homeless!
4.) re: "Individual national rules" requiring CW exams are
possible even if WRC 2003 cancels the Morse code
requirement
Some national IARU representatives - among them being
ARRL - indeed argue that way. Rather there are doubts
they really mean it. Why should the national
telecommunications authorities do so if the international
requirement is no longer there? And why do those who
argue that way fail to notice that they put one of the main
achievements of the last decades at risk, e.g. the
international agreements that set a common minimum level
and allow a much easier reciprocal licensing? Are we
going to go national only again? It sounds but a bit idoitic
to a) tell we all need to waive the Morse code requirement
and then b) we might enforce it again on a national level.
What is really meant? a) or b)? And does that idea not only
try to please those who are against the abolishment of the
Morse code requirement and intents to calm those people
down to not interfere with the very "new" approach? The
argument is not logical as such and therefore fails to work
as intended!
Considering the above DTC is sure to be on the right track
pleading for the retainment of the Morse code requirement
as being set by the currently existing article S25.5 .=20
Also DTC very much welcomes the Russian Federation's
approach of putting its demand to retain the Morse code
requirement onto the agenda of the forthcoming WRC
2003. The Russian Federation thus follows the democratic
view of its radio amateurs and is convinced that quality
standards of the Amateur Radio Service are linked with the
Morse code exam requirement. The Russian radio
amateurs deserve our thanks in having achieved that!
The Russian WRC 2003 agenda item is well reasoned. This
has already triggered a similar move by the French Union
Fran=E7aise des T=E9l=E9graphistes (UFT) to consider
approaching their national IARU organization (REF) which
they are affiliated with. Even within IARU there appears to
be no common view on the matter of code vs. no-code
requirement and our national IARU representative DARC
apparingly still is trying to make up its mind somehow on
the matter... The French UFT however has come forward
with the proposal to focus the interests of all those who
are in favour of retaining the Morse code requirement. DTC
explicitly welcomes UFT's proposal and we will try to
contribute and cooperate on that behalf in a suitable way.
DTC believes that trying to convince the very national
telecommunications authorities to vote for a retainment of
the Morse code requirement at the WRC 2003 is the best
and most effective way to get our views through. While of
cause the organizations of the amateurs are well suited to
focus the different ideas on national and international
levels DTC is sure that the best way to forward the
common ideas is to stick with and approach those who
have a) the right to put an item onto the WRC 2003 agenda
as well as b) have the right to vote there - which makes it to
be the respective national telecommuncations authorities.
Our fellow Russian radio amateurs deserve the honour of
being the first ones to have already finished on that path.
Congrats!=20
We do, however, also notice that quite a couple of nations
still are trying to find out what their view regarding a
retainment or abolishment of the Morse code requirement
actually is, while others are already in a much more
developed stage of decision making or even already at the
acting level. "Those who come late will be punished by
life" is what Gorbachov said. Exactly.=20
One of DTC's mottos is "Telegraphy is one of the
fundamentals of amateur radio!". Thus DTC is firm in its
position to retain the Morse code requirement at WRC
2003, e.g. to have put into plain words into article S25.5 the
explicit requirement to show given proof of sending by
hand and hearing by ear of the Morse code for all
individuals who wish to be issued an amateur radio
license to get access to the HF bands. No less, no more!.
January 2002
Deutscher Telegrafie Club e.V. (DTC)
Martin Hengem=FChle
DL5QE
Chairman
For the benefit of all interested the Russian WRC 2003
agenda item in its original text version:
Agenda Item 1.7.1- Possible revision of Article S25
The Administration of the Russian Federation agrees that
there is a need to modify Article S25, and fully supports the
proposals by the International Amateur Radio Union
(IARU). In this regard , it would like to express its concern
regarding the deletion of certain provisions:=20
S25.5=20
We consider it advisable to RETAIN the provisions in the
Radio Regulations which stipulate the need for a command
of Morse Code in order to be issued a radio amateur
licence.=20
REASONS:=20
(A) A knowledge of Morse Code determines the boundary
separating users of the radio- amateur service from citizen
band (CB) users.=20
(B) An analysis of the current situation carried out by
Russian radio amateurs shows that the lowering of
requirements regarding knowledge of Morse Code in
different countries did NOT lead to a significant increase in
the number of radio amateurs. On the contrary, to abolish
the requirement regarding knowledge of Morse Code in the
short-wave bands may produce a significant increase in the
number of untrained radio amateurs.=20
(C) The working statistics of major radio contests indicate
that roughly the same number of communications are
effected using telegraph (Morse Code) as single sideband
modulation, and a very low percentage of
radiocommunications are effected using modern digital
transmission facilities.=20
(D) A survey of Russian radio amateurs has shown that an
overwhelming number of those having submitted
comments are in favor of requiring a knowledge of Morse
Code for the issue of a licence to operate at frequencies
below 30 MHz.=20
(E) Russian radio amateurs consider that revoking the
requirement for a knowledge of Morse Code would lower
the level of proficiency and lead to numerous infringements
in parts of the amateur ranges.=20
In addition it is well known that:=20
(F) Radiotelegraphy signals constitute the most
interference-suppressing means of effecting amateur radio
communications, this being of no small importance to radio
amateurs.=20
(G) Radio telegraphy constitutes one of the most effective
means of communications in Emergency situations.=20
CONCLUSION:=20
The practical ability to work in telegraph mode when
operating in frequencies below 30 MHz, i.e. using Morse
Code, is a mandatory condition, when it comes to
examining the proficiency of individuals wishing to be
issued a radio amateur licence.=20