Larry Roll K3LT wrote:


I don't see why the Extra-class code test requirement needs to be set at the
current 5 WPM level. A 12-wpm code test would be a better idea, and anyone
interested enough in achieving Extra could go from nothing to that level in a
matter of weeks. However, since Extra is already dumbed-down to 5 WPM, I
guess there's no putting the toothpaste back in the tube.



The medical wavier issue would pop up again. And the FCC doesn't want
to deal
with that. As I (mis)undestand it, all you had to do to get a wavier
was to tell your
family doctor you had this problem with the code, and all he had to do
was sign off
on it. Most doctors probably didn't understand the issue beyond that
there was no
safety issue involved ("What, you can't learn how to drive a bus, well,
here's a
wavier to take to the DMV to get a commercial driver's license") and it was
unlikely that anyone would question the doctor about it. So it was
easily abused,
and the FCC doesn't want to deal with it. And the FCC doesn't gain anything
out of requiring higher speed code (it's not a lid filter, as witness
14.313 before
restructuring).