Jim,

I had a 2nd class radiotelegraph license back in 1967. One needed to be 21
(I was still a teenager) plus have sufficient service time to qualify for
the 1st (I forget, but it seems it was one year at sea running
communications under the supervision of a 1st telegraph). The second was 20
words per minute and the 1st was 25 words per minute. From what I have
heard, the 25 was sufficient to get you a not too good paying job on the
slow side circuits whilst you had to be 100% copy and reliable at 30 to get
the good jobs on the main circuits. Of course, this would pre-date 1967 by
quite a few years

From what I recall, back in the 60s you tended to hear the newcomers at 5 to
10 words per minute, a minor number in the 13 to 20 range, a number in the
30 word per minute range, and a surprising number in the 40 plus word per
minute range. I did run into one guy that I had a problem with until he
realized I wasn't the guy he was used to hearing at KG6NAC and finally
slowed down to about 50 (which was really pushing limits for me at that
time). I originally called cq at about 40 to 45 and he responded at around
60. Fortunately, I got most of his call but that was a bit much.

73 from Rochester, NY
Jim AA2QA


"N2EY" wrote in message
...
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


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"Jim Hampton" wrote in message ...
Jim,

I had a 2nd class radiotelegraph license back in 1967. One needed to be 21
(I was still a teenager) plus have sufficient service time to qualify for
the 1st (I forget, but it seems it was one year at sea running
communications under the supervision of a 1st telegraph). The second was 20
words per minute and the 1st was 25 words per minute. From what I have
heard, the 25 was sufficient to get you a not too good paying job on the
slow side circuits whilst you had to be 100% copy and reliable at 30 to get
the good jobs on the main circuits. Of course, this would pre-date 1967 by
quite a few years

Phil Kane has posted that there was a *shortage* of licensed
radiotelegraph ops for the maritime services during the Vietnam
conflict. Supplies going to VN went mostly by ship, all of which were
US flag vessels....

Any connection to incentive licensing is pure speculation.

From what I recall, back in the 60s you tended to hear the newcomers at 5 to
10 words per minute, a minor number in the 13 to 20 range, a number in the
30 word per minute range, and a surprising number in the 40 plus word per
minute range. I did run into one guy that I had a problem with until he
realized I wasn't the guy he was used to hearing at KG6NAC and finally
slowed down to about 50 (which was really pushing limits for me at that
time). I originally called cq at about 40 to 45 and he responded at around
60. Fortunately, I got most of his call but that was a bit much.

It's still that way today. 'tother night I had a nice QRQ ragchew with
a French amateur on the low end of 80. Had the bug weight waay back!

I recall a post sometime back where a veteran described a code test
for US Navy "A" school, circa 1958. The test was to receive, on a
standard Navy mill, 5 letter groups at 24 wpm. For a solid hour.
Maximum of 3 errors in the entire hour.

73 de Jim, N2EY

(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

On 16 Oct 2003 18:58:55 GMT, Alun Palmer wrote:

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,

The First Class Radiotelegraph test was 25 WPM plain language and
20 code groups per minute, one minute solid copy out of five minutes
sent and corresponding error-free sending.

To qualify for that license, one also had to be over 21, have or
qualify for the Second Class Radiotelegraph Operator certificate,
and have at least one year in the aggregate (360 days "on the
books") of handling manual Morse traffic at a ship or coast station
open to public correspondence, civilian or military.

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.

The UK requirements were the same as the US requirements for each
level of certificate - both contries' requirements derived from the
ITU Radio Regfulations and the International Convention for the
Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).

My reference for the UK requirements is: Handbook for Radio
Operators Working Installations Licensed by Her Majesty's Postmaster
General, General Post Office, London, 1961 - Appendix 4.

--
73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane

No, not really.

Except for the fact that the old timers had to do it, so they're
making sure that the newcombers have to. Nothing really
past that except misplaced anger & meaningless, needless
jealousy.

Clint


Oriiginal message follows:

"Jack Twilley" wrote in message
...
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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?

Jack.
- --
Jack Twilley
jmt at twilley dot org
http colon slash slash www dot twilley dot org slash tilde jmt slash
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