Dee Flint wrote:
"Frank Gilliland" wrote in message
...

On 19 Sep 2005 17:28:11 -0700, "
wrote in
ps.com:


snip

Show us by documented fact that morse code manual radiotelegraphy
is IN USE by radio services other than amateur radio TODAY.


Morse is required for the Public Mobile Services (Part 22), the
International Fixed Public Radiocommunication Services (Part 23),
satellite uplinks (ATIS, Part 25), and other services including
Experimental, Special Broadcast, etc. Morse is also a requirement for
a Commercial Radio Operators License (Part 13).

I should also point out that every communication needs a sender, a
receiver, and a message. Although manual Morse may not be -required-
to send or receive the message, Morse is used so the communication
-can- be done manually by either the sender or receiver (or both)
should the automatic systems fail.



The fact is, morse is very much alive within amateur radio.

It has AGED. It will eventually become terminal.


Doubtful. Morse code is the simplest and most univeral method of radio
communication, but is hardly limited to radio -- don't forget that it
was invented for -wire- telegraphy. It has also been used extensively
with optical and other types of communication. It has existed since
before radio was invented, continues to exist outside the sphere of
radio, and certainly won't die if it's abandoned as a requirement for
radio. But as long as Morse code exists, radio operators will continue
to use it.

Now that's not an argument either for or against the dropping of the
code requirement. Like I said before, it's no big deal. And like I
also said before, what -IS- a big deal is the dumbing down of the
written test. I still don't understand why there is so much bitching
(from both sides) about the code test yet almost no discussion about
the 'memory' test. Anyone care to explain that?



That genie got out of the bottle a long time ago and as with most things,
once it's out, you can't put it back in. However there has been some
discussion on it but the tone has been that there's now no likelihood that a
changed can be made.

The test is no more dumbed down than just about everything else in the
world. I've seen testing regimens where the outcome of incompetence is
possible injury or worse that also use question pools. The student buys
the book, and there they go.


While I earned my license under the current open question pool system, I
approached my study as if the questions were not published. I chose to
learn the material, memorize equations, learn how to apply the equations,
etc. Then simply used the published questions as a check to see if my
understanding was correct.

I still think that the prospective Ham should prepare for his/her
license in similar manner as a thesis defense. Come up with a new radio
related research project, and do a couple years research, then defend it
in front of a panel of "steely eyed" FCC experts...... 8^) Just kidding
of course.

I bought a study guide from 1957 or 58 at a hamfest. It looks
surprisingly like what we have now, save for the mostly hollow-state
emphasis. Given a few days to learn about the VT stuff, I have no doubt
that I would be able to pass any of the tests - except for the Morse
code tests. Some of the questions were amazingly easy. And all from "The
Golden Age" of Amateur Radio! Some time I think I should post some of
the questions.

I have no problem with the tests as they are now. I prepared for the
tests in a similar fashion to the way you did, except I took the on-line
tests as a check, mostly for the questions that have to be memorized,
such as the band edges - stuff like that. I used the tools at hand.

The material is there. If we choose to learn it well, it is a good
starting point. If we don't, we just cheat ourselves. Seems harder to
memorize the entire question pool anyhow.

- Mike KB3EIA -