On Sun, 17 Aug 2003 14:53:28 -0400, "Ralph Mowery"
said:


Bob Brock wrote:

General Class license still requires a Morse Code test. Morse has not
been "wiped." It has however, been lowered for the two higher class
licenses from 13 and 20 wpm to 5 wpm for both licenses. Morse is not
required for the Technician license which give full priviliges on
VHF/UHF.

So, once again ernie, you are wrong.

Not required here for some years now, at least for what you are
calling a "Technician license" which covers 2 metres and is useful for
communication in that band.

Are you going to call me wrong on this issue???

I can't remember a time whem morse code was ever required fot the
*tech* class licence. I have some HAM study books from back in the
60's and even back then (in the U.S.) there was no code required for
the *tech* class. A few years ago the code requirment was lowered to
5wpm for *all* classes. IIRC, this was done in order to get more
people into HAM radio and to help uncrowd the 2m band. And IIRC, once
you pass the 5wpm code test for the *general* class licence you are no
longer required to take anymore code tests for the *extra* class
licence. They did away with the *advanced* class, IIRC.

Here's a question....Who these days gets the *novice* class licence ?
Why didn't they get rid of the *novice* class instead of the
*advanced* ?

YOu remember wrong. I was licened as a Tech in 1972 and there was a 5 wpm
test for that license. Not sure exectally when but it was in the late 80's
or eairly 90's that the code requirement was removed from the Tech class.

As far as your question , there are no new novice class licenses or advanced
class. Only the Technichian, General, and Extra are being issued now. It
is still possiable to renew the other classes.

All the above is for the US.


I'll accept that. My books must be wrong. I wasn't sure about the
novice class, my study books still has it listed as a class one can
still get.