From: Bill Sohl on Nov 3, 7:24 am

"K4YZ" wrote in message
wrote:


If the FCC were mandated to accept the simple majority of
comments, either way you look at it, Morse Code testing (in the United
Staes) in one form or another would be staying for some time to come.

IF the FCC were so mandated, but we all know they are
not bound by any "voting" analogy. What also is obvious
to those that have been around long enough is that
the current "score" is a dramatic shift from opinions
within the amateur community as compared to prior
efforts to "score" support (98-143) or back when the
first efforts to bring a nocode license began.

"Polls?" "Support?" About the ONLY thing available
there is ARRL writings, hardly an unbiased source of
"poll" information. Let's go through some history -

I started this "score card" posting at the beginning of
August as part of my own desire to get some "visibility"
into opinions as filed with the FCC. It isn't "official"
except the tallying has been done in an honest manner with
the best accuracy...such accuracy continuously verified
with the ECFS search engine totals for specified dates.

As of 1 PM EDT on 3 November 2005, there been 3,687 filings
in WT Docket 05-235 between the 2005 dates of 15 July to and
including 31 October. I've read ALL of those filings. I
have copies of ALL of those filings. Each and every filing
is available to anyone who has Internet access to the FCC.

In 1990 there was NO Internet for the public (it went public
in 1991). The Comments and Replies on 90-53 were only
visible by either subscribing to a copy service of the FCC or
going to their DC reading room in person. Just the same, the
final Report and Order DID create the no-code-test Technician
class license in 1991 and the numbers in that class have not
ceased growing in 14 years. Did the ARRL have some kind of
"poll" on those back then? I don't recall any from them or
from any other source. The MOVEMENT towards no-code-test
had begun years before.

In 1998 there was Internet access to the public and the FCC
had gone on-line with the beginning of their ECFS. They had
not fully organized clerical tasks and an examination of
WT Docket 98-143 will show several Petitions mixed in with
those for the "Restructuring" NPRM. That Docket was
extended more than once, finally getting an official end on
15 Jan 99. The only "poll" on those filings was done by
Leroy (Larry) Klose II. A masterful and complex task
involving several different subjects of the NPRM, it is
still in the ECFS as submitted, can be found by looking just
past 15 January 1999. The total comment time was about 11
months...from the first appearance date of first 98-143
comments to the official close of comments on 15 Jan 99.
The number of filings in that 11-month period were only
about 2200. Did the ARRL supply any "official poll" on
98-143? I don't recall any or even if they mentioned
Larry Klose' fine tabulation. Roughly 400 filings have
been submitted in the YEARS after the close of comments on
98-143, most past the final R&O 99-412 which essentially
voided any need for "more comments." Anyone with Internet
access can see all of those filings.

WT Docket 05-235 (about NPRM 05-143) has had 3,687 filings
in about 15 weeks, an average of over 240 per week. Has
there been any "official poll" from the ARRL about 05-235?
I haven't seen any. I haven't seen any from anyone else
which is one reason for my creation of this "score card."

Supposedly there IS another "poll" or "score card" done
elsewhere. A URL or other website information source has
not been revealed publicly in here. Those who are
interested in someone else's "score card" can go there...
or they can go in and READ ALL of them.

The only "polling" information I've seen on the code test
issue has been in the editorials of ARRL publications,
hardly an unbiased source about morse code use. The ARRL
has conditioned the thinking of generations of amateurs
into the belief that morse code skill was the very
epitome of amateur radio. On the other hand, the ARRL
membership has NEVER been greater than a quarter of all
licensed U.S. radio amateurs; as of July this year their
publicly-stated membership was only 20 percent. The
ARRL claims to "represent all amateurs" yet they will
only allow MEMBERS to vote on anything. They represent
NONE of those desiring to GET INTO amateur radio. The
ARRL is simply PRO-code-test and their ONLY Comment on
05-235 so far (filed 31 October, last official day) is
largely a STALLING tactic to attempt HOLDING any final
R&O until the far future...i.e., they IMPEDE progress.

I am ceasing public posting of any "score card" on WT
Docket 05-235. The official end of the Comment period
was reached on 31 October...but the official end of the
Replies to Comments period isn't until 14 November. I
will forward private e-mail tallies to those I select.
You are getting one, Bill.

I have received too many false charges of "inaccuracy"
and general "dishonesty" about my "score card" to make
it useless continuing this tally in public. NONE of
those crybaby finger-pointers have provided any
"improvements" to tallying opinions nor of providing
"greater accuracy." They have NOT proved a single charge
of "inaccuracy" nor of "dishonesty." They DO continue
to obscure this important issue in U.S. amateur radio
regulations with long, long, long postings alleged to
be "just questions" or "clarifications." They are
neither. They are HECKLING. Malicious heckling
probably done in hopes that I will not have any time
left but to post replies to their "just questions."

Not to worry on time. I can MAKE time for continuing
observation of NPRM 05-143 progress. I stand my ground
on what I've posted in public so far. Those who
charge "dishonesty" or "inaccuracy" had damn well
PROVE their point with EXACT locations. Negative
criticsm does nothing but further the "Animal House"
behavior that has polluted this venue called a news-
group for the last year.