[CW] CODE TEST ABOLISHED!

[Artmouton]

The day the music died.
(with apologies to Don McLean)
Art K5FNQ

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "D. Chester" <k4kyv at charter.net>
To: "CW Reflector" <cw at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Friday, December 15, 2006 7:55 PM
Subject: [CW] CODE TEST ABOLISHED!


> FCC MODIFIES AMATEUR RADIO SERVICE RULES,
> ELIMINATING MORSE CODE EXAM REQUIREMENTS AND
> ADDRESSING ARRL PETITION FOR RECONSIDERATION
>
>
>
> Washington, D.C. - Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) 
> adopted a Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration (Order) that 
> modifies the rules for the Amateur Radio Service by revising the 
> examination requirements for obtaining a General Class or Amateur Extra 
> Class amateur radio operator license and revising the operating privileges 
> for Technician Class licensees.  In addition, the Order resolves a 
> petition filed by the American Radio Relay League, Inc. (ARRL) for partial 
> reconsideration of an FCC Order on amateur service rules released on 
> October 10, 2006.
>
>
>
> The current amateur service operator license structure contains three 
> classes of amateur radio operator licenses:  Technician Class, General 
> Class, and Amateur Extra Class.  General Class and Amateur Extra Class 
> licensees are permitted to operate in Amateur bands below 30 MHz, while 
> the introductory Technician Class licensees are only permitted to operate 
> in bands above 30 MHz.  Prior to today's action, the FCC, in accordance 
> with international radio regulations, required applicants for General 
> Class and Amateur Extra Class operator licenses to pass a five 
> words-per-minute Morse code examination.  Today's Order eliminates that 
> requirement for General and Amateur Extra licensees.  This change reflects 
> revisions to international radio regulations made at the International 
> Telecommunication Union's 2003 World Radio Conference (WRC-03), which 
> authorized each country to determine whether to require that individuals 
> demonstrate Morse code proficiency in order to qualify for an amateur 
> radio license with transmitting privileges on frequencies below 30 MHz. 
> This change eliminates an unnecessary regulatory burden that may 
> discourage current amateur radio operators from advancing their skills and 
> participating more fully in the benefits of amateur radio.
>
>
>
> Today's Order also revises the operating privileges for Technician Class 
> licensees by eliminating a disparity in the operating privileges for the 
> Technician Class and Technician Plus Class licensees.  Technician Class 
> licensees are authorized operating privileges on all amateur frequencies 
> above 30 MHz.  The Technician Plus Class license, which is an operator 
> license class that existed prior the FCC's simplification of the amateur 
> license structure in 1999 and was grandfathered after that time, 
> authorized operating privileges on all amateur frequencies above 30 MHz, 
> as well as frequency segments in four HF bands (below 30 MHz) after the 
> successful completion of a Morse code examination.  With today's 
> elimination of the Morse code exam requirements, the FCC concluded that 
> the disparity between the operating privileges of Technician Class 
> licensees and Technician Plus Class licensees should not be retained. 
> Therefore, the FCC, in today's action, afforded Technician and Technician 
> Plus licensees identical operating privileges.
>
>
>
> Finally, today's Order resolved a petition filed by the ARRL for partial 
> reconsideration of an FCC Order released on October 10, 2006 (FCC 06-149). 
> In this Order, the FCC authorized amateur stations to transmit voice 
> communications on additional frequencies in certain amateur service bands, 
> including the 75 meter (m) band, which is authorized only for certain 
> wideband voice and image communications.  The ARRL argued that the 75 m 
> band should not have been expanded below 3635 kHz, in order to protect 
> automatically controlled digital stations operating in the 3620-3635 kHz 
> portion of the 80 m band.  The FCC concluded that these stations can be 
> protected by providing alternate spectrum in the 3585-3600 kHz frequency 
> segment.
>
>
>
> Action by the Commission on December 15, 2006, by Report and Order and 
> Order on Reconsideration.  Chairman Martin and Commissioners Copps, 
> Adelstein, Tate, and McDowell.
>
>
>
> For additional information, contact William Cross at (202) 418-0691 or 
> William.Cross at fcc.gov.
>
>
>
> WT Docket Nos. 04-140 and 05-235.
>
>
>
> http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-269012A1.pdf
>
>
>
>
>
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