[ETSList] MORE COUNTRIES DROP MORSE CODE REQUIREMENT

[Drew_Moore]

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Two more countries have joined the small, but growing, list of
administrations that no longer require Amateur Radio applicants to pass a
Morse code test to have access to HF. Others have indicated they will do
so soon. Affected countries also have granted HF privileges to their
amateurs who hold "no-code" VHF/UHF licenses.

Joining Switzerland, Belgium, the UK and Germany are Norway and the
Netherlands. Waiting in the wings are Austria and New Zealand.

The actions are in response to the World Radiocommunication Conference
2003 decision to delete the requirement to prove Morse code ability from
the international Radio Regulations, leaving individual administrations to
decide if they want to retain it or not.

The Norwegian Post and Telecommunication Authority <http://www.npt.no/>
reportedly has told the Norwegian Radio Relay League <http://www.nrrl.no/>
that the three former license classes--with LA, LB and LC call sign
prefixes--were combined into one class on August 19. Those holding LC call
signs have been issued new LA-prefix call signs, and those holding
LB-prefix call signs may apply for LA call signs if they wish.

The Netherlands Radiocommunications Agency
<http://www.agentschaptelecom.nl/> announced this week that Morse
proficiency will cease to be a requirement for HF access as of September
1. The Netherlands' Class A and C licenses--which correspond to CEPT
Classes 1 and 2 respectively--will enjoy the same privileges, although
they'll retain their distinctive call sign prefixes for now. The change
does not affect the Class N license, which permits 2-meter and 70-cm
operation only. A letter to all amateurs was to go out this week to all
hams in the Netherlands.

Information from Austria's IARU member-society, the Austrian Experimental
Radio Transmitters Union (OeVSV) <http://www.oevsv.at/>, indicates that
country will grant provisional HF access to all CEPT Class 2 licenses
"sometime in September," pending formal changes.

New Zealand telecommunications authorities plan to remove the requirement
for Morse competency from the General class syllabus as part of the next
round of updates to that country's radiocommunications regulations. The
change is expected to go into effect later this year.

In the US, six unrelated petitioners have requested the FCC to delete the
requirement that applicants pass the 5 WPM Element 1 Morse code test to
gain HF access and make related changes in the Amateur Service rules (Part
97). The FCC has not yet invited public comment on any of these
petitions.--some information from RSGB, No-Code International and Kees
Murre, PA2CHM