[NJARC] Fwd: [heathkit-yahoo] Re: Special FCC Announcement

[Scott Roberts]

I know it is no longer the 1st April, but I though
enough members would enjoy this, I'm passing it along.

Scott

> > International Press, Washington, DC.
> > 
> > 
> > Today, in an unprecedented move, the Federal
> Communications Commission
> > issued an emergency reinstatement of Morse code
> requirements for all amateur
> > and commercial radio licenses.  In addition, the
> amateur radio license
> > structure has been reverted to 1985 standards. 
> All codeless amateur and
> > commercial licenses have been placed on a
> "conditional 30 day temporary
> > permit" and all such license holders will have to
> pass an appropriate Morse
> > code test by May 1, 2006 or face permanent
> revocation of their licenses.
> > 
> > 
> > All American registered commercial vessels are now
> required to have a
> > crewman onboard that can copy Morse code at 13 WPM
> or they will be denied
> > port clearance.  A temporary provision has been
> made in the FCC regulations
> > that will allow amateur radio operators that
> completed FCC administered
> > Morse code tests prior to the implementation of
> the VEC program to meet this
> > requirement.  This generated such a demand for
> licensed amateur radio
> > operators that the pay scale quickly escalated to
> $1000 per day for  such
> > services.  In a bidding war, many major shipping
> companies have provided
> > generous expense accounts,  luxury accommodations
> on vessels, sponsorship of
> > DX-peditions and immediate long term pension
> benefits.
> > 
> > 
> > In a related issue, this action has caused a
> significant shortage of Morse
> > code keys, and surplus military J-38 keys that
> sold for a dollar each after
> > WW II are now fetching upwards of $300 each on
> ebay, regardless of
> > condition.


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