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Would-be hams and licensed Techs, good news!

1K views 28 replies 12 participants last post by  ASUsax 
#1 ·
For those who never obtained their ham license or stayed at the Technician license level because of the Morse code requirements for General and Extra Class licenses, good news! The Morse code requirement is being lifted in its entirety for all license classes according to the ARRL and FCC in press releases released today. The new rules are expected to be formally released in February.

That means you can get your General or Extra Class license by just taking a bit more advanced electronics and regulation exam than what is required for the Tech license. The benefit is that you gain access to virtually all of the US ham bands which opens up the HF band for voice (SSB/AM/etc.) and long-distance world-wide talking.

Now we're talking fun when comparing the severe limitations placed on those with Technican licenses that are mostly limited to line-of-sight communications on the higher frequency bands that are more like using cell phones or FRS than real ham radios. Plus the power limitations are raised signifantly so you can legally run the big high power amplifiers!

Anyway... this is very good news for those who couldn't manage learning Morse code, or who didn't want to bother to try to learn it.

Of course you will be subject to the razzing of those of us hams who managed to pass our Morse code tests. ;)

Further info can be found on the FCC site at http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-269012A1.pdf

Jerry
N6TAY
 
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#5 ·
Excellent!! I have been contemplating biting the bullet and learning code (again, former tech+ expired), but I can wait until Feb and rip through the Extra.

Are they completly eliminating an Element from the FCC tests, or just removing it as a Ham requirement?
 
#7 ·
Jerry Bransford said:
Of course you will be subject to the razzing of those of us hams who managed to pass our Morse code tests. ;)

Jerry
N6TAY
I saw that on Wrangler Forum- I like that I can upgrade to General so I can FINALLY use the equipment left to me by my uncle. YES I will still get my code cert because code was my uncles passion and it just wouldn't be right to not honor that.

Chad
 
#8 ·
Bgeddes said:
Excellent!! I have been contemplating biting the bullet and learning code (again, former tech+ expired), but I can wait until Feb and rip through the Extra.

Are they completly eliminating an Element from the FCC tests, or just removing it as a Ham requirement?
It looks like they are just removing the REQUIREMENT. You can still qualify I believe.
 
#10 ·
That's good to know, thanks Jerry. I bet the old-timers* are going berserk over it on the usenet boards. I remember they birthed a turkey over technicians not needing it. Not that I don't think it's valuable in it's own way, just that it's becoming less useful to know.

I've been wanting to get into ham for years, but I haven't found a good way to justify another hobby to my wife. :eek:

*not meant to be disrespectful. I just don't know what else to call the hams who've been around awhile. :D
 
#11 ·
Jerry Bransford said:
I think the FCC should include a big ASTERISK in the new callsign with any General or Extra class license earned without passing the code test. Like K6ABC*. ;) :D
DITTO
:brickwall :brickwall :brickwall :brickwall

20 WPM was a bear to get past for me and I think the code process makes the end results more sweet and appreciated.

Great filtering tool too !
 
#13 ·
NnF said:
Great filtering tool too !
I used to think that too until I noticed the average age for those with General, Advanced, and Extra Class licenses is right at where they are starting to need walkers to get to their local ham club meetings. :laugh:

We definitely need new younger blood in this hobby and I doubt many technically astute young people are interested enough to go through the ordeal of learning Morse code like you and I did. They're astute enough to know that Morse code just isn't used any more. It's nice to know Morse code and passing those minimum code speed hurdles IS sweet but... :)
 
#14 ·
I've recently been looking online at ham related sites it's all very interesting and I'd like to get involved with it (and add another thing to the jeep)...would you guys reccomend an online course? I can't seem to find any classroom courses in my area (Mid-Hudson Valley New York) thanks
 
#15 ·
Pipedrummer said:
I've recently been looking online at ham related sites it's all very interesting and I'd like to get involved with it (and add another thing to the jeep)...would you guys reccomend an online course? I can't seem to find any classroom courses in my area (Mid-Hudson Valley New York) thanks
Here's a good place to start... http://www.hello-radio.org/
 
#16 ·
That is interesting to hear. I was glad to hear they had reduced the requirements to 5 wpm a few years ago. Must be it did not generate enough interest or money from the licenses and they think this might be a good way. Now I will be able to use all of my 706 instead of just the 2m and listening.
 
#17 ·
thanks jerry, lots of info and found a club not too far away
 
#18 · (Edited)
Pipedrummer said:
thanks jerry, lots of info and found a club not too far away
Use some Practice Tests...
http://www.qrz.com/testing.html

They help considerably. :thumbsup:

When I'm done with my Master's (at least the first one) I'll study up to pass the General and Extra classes. I'd love to have a 10M rig in my Jeep.

ASUsax
KE7GSA
 
#19 · (Edited)
Jerry Bransford said:
I used to think that too until I noticed the average age for those with General, Advanced, and Extra Class licenses is right at where they are starting to need walkers to get to their local ham club meetings. :laugh:

We definitely need new younger blood in this hobby and I doubt many technically astute young people are interested enough to go through the ordeal of learning Morse code like you and I did. They're astute enough to know that Morse code just isn't used any more. It's nice to know Morse code and passing those minimum code speed hurdles IS sweet but... :)
Ding, Ding, Ding, we have a winner.

:thumbsup:

ASUsax
KE7GSA
 
#20 ·
I studied for it a about 15 years ago but felt the coding was a waste of my time. The electronics portion wont be a problem except to refresh the ole brain for formulas. the laws and such should be simple memorization.

Maybe I'll go after it again.
 
#21 ·
Eh, I may upgrade, 10m in the heep would be nice, but I may get interested in base stations, and that would be another expensive hobby
 
#24 ·
tjchad said:
Not trying to make HAM elitest are we? :wave:
No! If you read my posting on this Forum you will see I am not in anyway.

The only thing I worry about is an over flow of people becoming HAMs just because they can and turning the Amateur Frequencies into another Chicken Band fiasco, like happened to the CB Band back in the (I think) the 80s.
This was when the Licensing requirement was removed from the CB Band and everyone and their brother and sisters got a CB and you couldn't get a word in edge wise.

I am not saying the No-Code requirement is bad, I am saying we need a filter to make sure the people applying for the HAM License really want to be a HAM, take a test and we will see if you really want this license or not.

On second thought, maybe allowing a lot of people into the HAM Ranks will lower the equipment cost and maybe if all of the Jeepers/Off-Raoders were HAMs then we wouldn't need all the CB advise that is going on in this forum and this would save a lot of people a lot of time.

I am a CBer from the word go and willing to help anyone CBer or HAM Elitist.

Later,
SandyB
N1MAU
 
#25 · (Edited)
Pipedrummer said:
I've recently been looking online at ham related sites it's all very interesting and I'd like to get involved with it (and add another thing to the jeep)...would you guys reccomend an online course? I can't seem to find any classroom courses in my area (Mid-Hudson Valley New York) thanks
Here's my idea... if you already know some basics...

Get the Question book, read it, (boring) answer the questions in the book.

Reread the sections related to questions you didn't answer correctly the first time.

Mark down all of the correct answers.

Everyday read the questions and the correct answers, over and over again, at least a couple of time a day.

Go on line and take the ARRL Tests until you can get the necessary amount of correct answers to pass.

Find a HAM Club that gives tests and take the test.

My daughter thinks the Rat Shaq Books (Gordon West) are good, easier to read and understand than the ARRL Books.

I used this same method for every HAM test I've taken and it worked out for the best.
The over all idea is to pass the test, not to know the material.

Luck,
 
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