I'm not to sure about the first test being 5 words per minute. Someone more
savvy than I will have to let us know what the real scoop was.

I believe that 13 was the minimum until the novice came into being in the
50s.

The commercial licenses were a bit tougher. The standard circuits
(commercial mariners) operated around 25 to 30 words per minute in the mid
60s. I know as I was with some folks that inspected a commercial vessel on
Guam in the mid 60s and I chatted with the radio officer.

The 5 words per minute test was to allow entry level folks a chance to get
their feet wet. It had nothing to do with being able to chase someone off a
frequency.

What no one appreciates is that way back when, in almost any endeavor, there
were no licenses. Who would Wilbur Wright apply to for an aircraft license?
The first automobiles had no licensing restrictions. After a bit, they
started posting speed limits as the "horseless carriages" startled horses!
The same applied to radio. No licenses at first. Only when the airways
started to get a bit crowded and folks started acting like they do in this
newsgroup did laws come into being.

Eventually, folks needed laws. They needed to have a method of going down a
street and knowing who had the right of way. Do you want someone parking in
the middle of a street? Or going 60 or 80 miles per hour down a residential
street?

Unfortunately, many do not understand that laws are to allow all of us to
use limited resources in such a way that all can enjoy them.

As to Morse, I'm neither for nor against; I am however, somewhat aghast at
the folks that do have a license and appear quite clueless as to any of the
rules and regulations that are designed to protect all.


73 from Rochester, NY
Jim AA2QA



"b.b." wrote in message
oups.com...


b.b. wrote:
Dee Flint wrote:
"Paul Traina" wrote in message
oups.com...
You could be right, sigh. I feel a little guilty for doing it this
way, but if the FCC says it's good, then who am I to argue.
Besides, I
bet a few of them couldn't pass the new element 3. I took it in
1978-9 timeframe, and it's a new ballgame.


No need to feel guilty. Besides if look at the history of licensing
the
earliest requirements were only 5wpm on code.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE

I've been pointing that out for years, but the PCTA tend to ignore that
aspect of testing.

And another thing. I recall Jim or Kelly or some other Extra explain
that prior to the first 5wpm code exam, that there was no code exam.
But it was important to be able to understand code so that a government
station could tell you that you were interfering with them. And so
they implemented the 5wpm exam. And now that no other service uses
code...