[QCWA] FCC Drops Morse

[Paul L Schmidt, K9PS]

Jeffrey D Angus wrote:
 
> Just like driving a car and getting a driver's license, they no longer
> require
> you to know how to hand crank a Model T, nor expect you to know which
> end of a horse to put the hay in. Of course, with SOME of the drivers I
> have to deal with in Los Angeles, an artificial barrier like that would
> be a
> "Good Thing(tm)".
>

I think the Morse requirement was more like requiring drivers be able
to drive a standard transmission.

The fact that one isn't tested over driving a straight shift doesn't mean
one CAN'T do it if one chooses to do so.  I've got vehicles both
ways - the minivan has an automatic, but my compact is a straight-shift.

You will rarely find a straight shift in a modern full-size car, but
you can certainly find one in a compact or sports car.

While the typical soccer mom driving her kids around probably wouldn't
know what that pedal to the left of the brake is for, you can be sure
that the Indy car drivers are quite familiar with it.

There are trade-offs between convenience, economy, and performance
in ham radio as well as in automobiles.

Dropping the morse requirement shouldn't come as a surprise.  We've
had no-code techs for several years now, and for myself -- I can
count the number of times I've been on CW in the last 10 years
without taking my shoes off (although I still occasionally tune
into the W1AW code practice and can still copy the 30 wpm text
pretty well).  Ham radio has a lot of things to do that don't
involve morse -- SSB, digital modes, video modes, satellite,
FM and repeaters, etc.  CW hasn't been ruled unimportant -
just non-essential. 

With the requirement gone, CW can now be seen as something done
for enjoyment -- something we CAN do -- rather than a hurdle to
get across -- something we HAVE to do.

So hams who are into simple rigs can enjoy the CW economy, others
can enjoy the CW performance, and others can choose other modes
for convenience. or whatever reason.

Just my $.02 

73,

Paul / K9PS
Life member ARRL
Life member QCWA