[CW] W5YI groups suggestions on ham radio licensing

[Donald Chester]

>
>So, doesn't this mean that the written test should be
>removed?  After all, it is a barrier to people
>becoming hams.  What about the mentally challenged
>individuals (e.g. Down's Syndrome) who want to become
>hams, but don't have the mental capacity to pass the
>written test.  Is this really fair to them?  Should we
>exclude them?

That may not be as far-fetched as it seems.  Remember, the 5 wpm code for 
General and Extra was adopted because of the handicap waivers the FCC 
determined were required under the Americans-With-Disabilities-Act.  When it 
became obvious that many of the waivers were fraudulent (largely by having 
otherwise competent physicians who happened to be unaware of the nature of 
telegraphy, to certify that a person's handicap precluded him/her from being 
able to send or receive Morse code at 13 or 20 wpm), the FCC "solved" the 
problem by granting everyone the waiver, handicap or no handicap.

Don K4KYV

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