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October 16th 03, 07:58 PM

Alun Palmer

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(N2EY) wrote in
:

In article , Jack Twilley
writes:

I can understand why Novice and Technician Plus required five words
per minute -- the treaty and all -- but why did General require
thirteen words per minute and Amateur Extra twenty words per minute?

Is there a real reason?

12 to 13 wpm is generally agreed to be above the speed where things
such as "counting dits" work for most people. It's the beginning of the
skills which take one to higher speeds

20 wpm derives from the old 1923-24 "Amateur Extra First Class" which
chose 20 as double the old 10 wpm standard. It was reintroduced in 1951
when the current Amateur Extra class was created.

Both speeds are far below those required of experienced professional
Morse operators.

73 de Jim, N2EY

Experienced, yes, but no professional test went above 20wpm, which I think
may be the real reason for the speed chosen for Extra. The 1st class
Radiotelegraph licence in the US had random blocks at 16wpm and plain
language at 20wpm, whereas UK radio officers had to copy random blocks at
20wpm. I think 20wpm was standard around the world for testing ship's
radio officers. Of course, they don't have to do it anymore.

73 de Alun, N3KIP

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