In article , daviesl2003
@aol.com says...
I think that since Morse Code is old, but not completely useless, I feel it
should no longer be made to be learned to gain access to the HF bands.

Do I feel that Amateur Radio be made a free for all? No, it should not. There
should be a test, but not a really hard test, but not a easy one either.

I'll even admit, I'll never get a new Icom 7800, at $10,000.00 - I'll be lucky
to maybe get a used 706 at about 400 or 500 or so.

I didn't find the series of tests difficult at all. The 5WPM and 13WPM
were fairly easy too, as I had time to practice the 5WPM while on a
rainy camping trip. Good thing I brought plenty of batteries and a code
practice tapes.

13WPM was gotten by actually working HF with what privileges I had as a
Tech+. From there, up to 20WPM and all done.

I think the biggest detriment to testing now is the publication of the
question pools. People can get into the hobby via rote memorization,
which by the way is what schools teach kids, not how to think but how to
memorize.

So over time the hobby is just going to be awash in nitwits, and then
fade away. There are too many other options to communicate.