[CW] My comments

Larry Makoski W2LJ Makos327 at worldnet.att.net
Mon Oct 31 20:51:04 EST 2005


For what it's worth (sigh):

Gentlemen,

There have been many persuasive arguments put before the Commission as 
to whether or not the Morse Code requirement should be kept as part of 
the examination process.  It appears the Commission deems that Morse 
Code requirement is an anachronism that no longer has any validity and 
should be eliminated. In my opinion, I believe the Commission is being 
shortsighted and that we should maintain the requirement.

Many amateurs and organizations point to the fact that the military and 
other professional communications services have abandoned Morse Code.  
To some extent, this is true.  But those services have gone on to highly 
advanced satellite communications systems.  Amateur radio operators, at 
least for the majority, have not.  Our communications depend mostly on 
voice or radiotelegraphy in the High Frequency portion of the 
electromagnetic spectrum.  Radiotelegraphy has proved itself to be the 
most reliable method of communications using those portions of the 
spectrum that we, for the most part are relegated to. During times of 
"radio blackout" due to increased sunpsot or other types of geomagnetic 
activity, often Morse Code communications using Continuous Wave 
transmission is the only permissible means of radio communications.  It 
should also be noted that the most "cutting edge" frontiers of Amateur 
Radio - meteor scatter, spread spectrum, low power and microwave and 
weak signal communications all rely on Morse Code and CW as the "mode of 
choice" in completing communications.

The Commission has expressed a concern that the providing of Morse Code 
testing presses an "undue burden" on the part of the VE examining 
teams.  I would like to say, that in over ten years personal experience 
as a Volunteer Examiner, my team and I never found administering the 
Morse Code exam to be a burden.  In fact, we took extreme pleasure in 
administering the exam and watching untold numbers of candidates pass.  
Again, in my personal experience of over a decade as an examiner, I have 
never come across an individual who was unable to pass the exam given 
enough time to properly prepare.

The argument has been proposed that the Morse Code exam is a roadblock, 
preventing untold numbers of qualified individuals from entering the 
Amateur Radio service.  I believe this claim to be unsubstantiated at 
best; and just another "urban myth" at worst.  The Commission has indeed 
licensed children as young as the age of six or seven as Radio 
Amateurs.  While this is the exception rather than the rule, I would 
suggest this points to the fact that anyone with a fair amount of 
ambition, desire and discipline can master a 5 word per minute Morse 
Code exam.  For those who honestly and truly have a valid medical reason 
for being unable to complete the Morse portion of the test, the 
Commission has already provided recourse via the medical waiver.  I 
would like the supporters of this argument substantiate their claims 
with some kind of documentation.  It is not proper to make "wild claims" 
before the Commission without proper documentation.  Furthermore, it 
would seem inappropriate for the Commission to accept these unproven 
claims as the rule; rather than the exception.

Were the Commission to delegate the Amateur Radio Service as some 
non-essential radio service such as CB, GMRS or the FRS then I would 
accept the hypothesis that the Morse Code exam is of little value and 
should be eliminated.  But clearly, the Commission has repeatedly avowed 
the importance of the Amateur Radio Service and the need for it's 
continued health and well being.  I would hope the Commission would 
agree with me that to maintain that health and vitality; that it is 
paramount to not lower standards; but on the other hand to maintain or 
increase them.

Respectfully submitted,

Lawrence Makoski W2LJ



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