On 4/21/2015 4:23 AM, gareth wrote:
I wonder if the dumbing down, whereby those who were too lazy or too
stupid, or both, to pass a Morse Code test were let onto the HF and LF
bands,

The reason the Code Test was dropped has nothing to do with "Dumbing
Down" and everything to do with the needs of the Military.. They no
longer use Morse Code.. and thus the US stopped supporting the
international rule that required it and THUS the rule expired and was
not renewed and Thus... The test was dropped.

Though I fully disagree with the FCC on this. they considered it obsolete.

As for me... I have used Morse Code at least twice in the last 30 years
due to OTHER means of communication failing and only Morse Code remained
as a way to communicate.. I did this PROFESSIONALLY, and my job title
was EMERGNCY DISPATCHER so you can guess how important it was.


--
Home, is where I park it.

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