[CW] Licensing?

[David J. Ring, Jr.]

John,

I think your wrong about their being no CW test.  I think at one time there 
was no need of a license (thus no test) if your transmitter wasn't strong 
enough to go over state lines - which if it did it fell under Federal 
Regulations.  Perhaps this is what Ted was speaking about.

In any event, the U.S. Congress passed an "Act to regulate Radio 
Communication" on August 13, 1912.  K6YN would have been the ripe age of 7, 
but perhaps he operated earlier.

I do remember that the original morse test was lower with the Department of 
Commerce, Federal Radio Commission, and I've seen both 8 and 5 wpm as the 
required passing grade, although I've seen 8 wpm most often.  Theory in the 
form of being able to construct a radio transmitter and receiving apparatus 
was tested for.

I can't find the exact code speed required though, but I have seen a summary 
of the commercial and amateur licenses of the time as well as having spoken 
to people who have been tested under the 1912 act - one still had his 
license signed by Herbert Hoover posted.  This all continued until the FCC 
was formed in 1933.

73

David Ring N1EA

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John/K4WJ" <k4wj at bellsouth.net>
To: "Steve-W0OOW" <w0oow at piperscreek.com>; <cw at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Monday, July 25, 2005 11:10 AM
Subject: Re: [CW] Licensing?


At 10:50 PM 07/24/2005, Steve-W0OOW wrote:
>Let's see now...
>Airlines with no testing for pilots.
>Buses with no testing for drivers.
>No auto or truck or motorcycle licensing.
>No police exams.
>No politician testing - wait, sorry, we already have that one.
>No requirements for the FCC - we can start our own.
>No testing - no failure.

No test is required for CW in order to prove proficiency. I know guys
that passed the test and can't send worth a dime.  My buddy Ted,
K6YN, was licensed before just about all of us were born. He turned
100 on April 30th. He never was required to take a CW test when he
applied for an amateur radio license. He only took a written exam. A
CW test was not part of the amateur test requirements back then.

Now at his age his fist leaves a lot to be desired but he is in there
pounding brass.

So it looks like the amateur licensing process will go full circle
when the FCC makes it ruling.

Let the newbies hear what good CW sounds like by SENDING good CW.
Properly formed characters with proper spacing between them is a lot
easier to copy then some of the banana sounding fists I hear on the
air. Some guys mangle the code in the process of trying to make their
fists sound unique.

Oh well, CU on the air.

73..de John/K4WJ
73..de John/K4WJ
***********************************************************
   John/K4WJ in Pembroke Pines, FL
    QTH  26 00 51 N
         80 16 16 W

K8PXG from 18 Jun 59 to 11 Feb 97
K8WJ  from 12 Feb 97 to 07 Apr 97
ZF2HZ from 17 May 84 to 31 Dec 84
***********************************************************


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