[Fists] China and CW

[Nancy WZ8C]

RESTRUCTURING: REGION 3 AND THE MORSE CODE
 
The W-I-A News reports that a recent ad hoc survey of International
Amateur Radio Union Region 3 member societies has found that a number
of countries still require a Morse code proficiency test for their
higher grade of amateur licenses. These include China, India, Japan,
Malaysia and Sri Lanka. Most have retained a 5 word per minute test
requirement, although Malaysia remains at 12 word per minute exam with
a proposal to drop it to 8. 
 
China has experienced a growth of some 30,000 new radio amateurs in
the past four years. At the moment it considers the Morse code tests for
its Class 1and Class 2 licenses are necessary to maintain the more
traditional style of High Frequency Amateur radio operation. The
concern appears to be that new arrivals to the hobby may change its
culture dramatically through their use of new perhaps
internet-inspired vocabulary and style of operating. 
 
Elsewhere in Region 3, Australia, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Papua New
Guinea and Singapore are among those who are part of the world-wide
trend to fully abolish the code requirement. This has occurred as a
result of the World Radio Conference 2003 Article 25 change, making
code proficiency no longer be an international mandatory requirement
for access to amateur frequency bands below 30MHz. (WIA News