wrote

What's interesting too is that new Basics can access HF two ways:

Another way of looking at it is.

1) They've raised the passing score on the written exam to 70%.

2) With that passing score, and a 5WPM Morse exam you gain access to HF.

3) If you pass with a score of 80% or greater, the Morse exam is waived for HF.

73, de Hans, K0HB

wrote:
K=D8HB wrote:
While they removed the requirement for a Morse exam, note that they inc=
reased
the written examination passing score for the Basic License. FCC could=
learn
something from these guys.

Yep

What's interesting too is that new Basics can access HF two ways:

1) Pass the written with 80% or more right

2) Pass the written with less than 80% right *and* pass the Morse Code
test.

IIRC, the basic pass level is 60% (!)

Sounds a little like my old "Chinese Menu" idea.

73 de Jim, N2EY

Jim, are you advocating that 60% be the necessary score?

On 29 Jul 2005 19:25:49 -0700, "b.b." wrote:


wrote:
KØHB wrote:
While they removed the requirement for a Morse exam, note that they increased
the written examination passing score for the Basic License. FCC could learn
something from these guys.

Yep

What's interesting too is that new Basics can access HF two ways:

1) Pass the written with 80% or more right

2) Pass the written with less than 80% right *and* pass the Morse Code
test.

IIRC, the basic pass level is 60% (!)

Sounds a little like my old "Chinese Menu" idea.

73 de Jim, N2EY

Jim, are you advocating that 60% be the necessary score?

I don't think he is, Brian - Jim was surprised when I mentioned that
the pass mark was only 60% a while back. This has been fixed now - it
has been raised to 70%, effective today!

73, Leo

On Sat, 30 Jul 2005 08:30:40 -0400, Leo wrote:

On 29 Jul 2005 19:25:49 -0700, "b.b." wrote:


wrote:
KØHB wrote:
While they removed the requirement for a Morse exam, note that they increased
the written examination passing score for the Basic License. FCC could learn
something from these guys.

Yep

What's interesting too is that new Basics can access HF two ways:

1) Pass the written with 80% or more right

2) Pass the written with less than 80% right *and* pass the Morse Code
test.

IIRC, the basic pass level is 60% (!)

Sounds a little like my old "Chinese Menu" idea.

73 de Jim, N2EY

Jim, are you advocating that 60% be the necessary score?

I don't think he is, Brian - Jim was surprised when I mentioned that
the pass mark was only 60% a while back. This has been fixed now - it
has been raised to 70%, effective today!

73, Leo


Does this mean the guys that have the basic qualification now would
have to go back and rewrite to get HF privilege ?

Leo wrote:
On 29 Jul 2005 19:25:49 -0700, "b.b." wrote:


wrote:
K=D8HB wrote:
While they removed the requirement for a Morse exam, note that they =
increased
the written examination passing score for the Basic License. FCC co=
uld learn
something from these guys.

Yep

What's interesting too is that new Basics can access HF two ways:

1) Pass the written with 80% or more right

2) Pass the written with less than 80% right *and* pass the Morse Code
test.

IIRC, the basic pass level is 60% (!)

Sounds a little like my old "Chinese Menu" idea.

73 de Jim, N2EY

Jim, are you advocating that 60% be the necessary score?

I don't think he is, Brian - Jim was surprised when I mentioned that
the pass mark was only 60% a while back. This has been fixed now - it
has been raised to 70%, effective today!

73, Leo

Thanks for being such a good sport, Leo. It's good that Jim has a
surrogate to speak for him since he can't speak for himself.

"KØHB" ) writes:
Per Canada Gazette notice DGRB-003-05 22 July 2005, Industry Canada has adopted
elements of the RAC "Proposal on Morse Code and Related Matters" and has removed
the mandatory requirement for the Morse Qualification for access to the HF bands
below 30 MHz.


The RAC site dates it July 30th and if that's not a typo, then one has
to wait till Saturday to make use of these changes. So prompt it is now.
When I was a kid and they dropped the requirement that you be over 15 to
get a ham license, the announcement came in December, but it didn't go
into effect till the end of April.

I'd actually consider another part of the bulletin maybe more significant:
Holders of only the BASIC Qualification may now construct, install
and operate transmitters from kits that have been commercially
designed and packaged. BASIC-only holders still are not authorized to
modify or install and operate modified commercially manufactured
equipment.
It's not a return to complete building, but it's far better than the
previous restriction. (When things were restructured back in 1990,
BASIC holders could not build any transmitters, you had to have the
advanced license.)

Now there's even less difference between the two licenses. If you want
a full kilowatt you need the advanced license, and if you want to control
a repeater you need the advanced license, and if you want to build a
transmitter from scratch you need the advanced license.

Michael VE2BVW

Michael:

I can guarantee you, those "regulations" have been broken since they were
enacted...

.... and logic suggests, how would they ever prove that the transmitter was
built by a novice, and not an advanced who then gifted him the transmitter?

That is the real problem, regulatory fools never get a clue, take themselves
far too seriously and end up being a form of comedy more hilarious than the
three stooges...

John

"Michael Black" wrote in message
...

"KXHB" ) writes:
Per Canada Gazette notice DGRB-003-05 22 July 2005, Industry Canada has
adopted
elements of the RAC "Proposal on Morse Code and Related Matters" and has
removed
the mandatory requirement for the Morse Qualification for access to the HF
bands
below 30 MHz.


The RAC site dates it July 30th and if that's not a typo, then one has
to wait till Saturday to make use of these changes. So prompt it is now.
When I was a kid and they dropped the requirement that you be over 15 to
get a ham license, the announcement came in December, but it didn't go
into effect till the end of April.

I'd actually consider another part of the bulletin maybe more significant:
Holders of only the BASIC Qualification may now construct, install
and operate transmitters from kits that have been commercially
designed and packaged. BASIC-only holders still are not authorized to
modify or install and operate modified commercially manufactured
equipment.
It's not a return to complete building, but it's far better than the
previous restriction. (When things were restructured back in 1990,
BASIC holders could not build any transmitters, you had to have the
advanced license.)

Now there's even less difference between the two licenses. If you want
a full kilowatt you need the advanced license, and if you want to control
a repeater you need the advanced license, and if you want to build a
transmitter from scratch you need the advanced license.

Michael VE2BVW

On Fri, 29 Jul 2005 19:37:30 GMT, "KØHB"
wrote:

An interesting announcement! Here in Canada, Morse Code is now an
alternative method of qualifying for HF privileges.

In other words - Morse survived!

A couple of the other requests from the Amateur community (via the
RAC proposal) were granted as well - increasing the pass marks on the
exams to 70% from 60%, and the addition of commercial kit-building
privileges for Basic license holders.

Not bad - now there's a regulatory agency that listens. Well done,
Industry Canada!


73, Leo


Per Canada Gazette notice DGRB-003-05 22 July 2005, Industry Canada has adopted
elements of the RAC "Proposal on Morse Code and Related Matters" and has removed
the mandatory requirement for the Morse Qualification for access to the HF bands
below 30 MHz.


Effective immediately, amateurs certified with BASIC Qualification prior to 2
April 2002, and amateurs certified with both BASIC and ADVANCED Qualifications,
may operate on HF. Amateurs with BASIC only Qualification certified after 1
April 2002, and who achieved a pass mark of 80% or greater, will also be allowed
to operate on HF. Amateurs certified BASIC only Qualification after 1 April 2002
having achieved less than 80% pass mark, will either have to qualify in Morse,
write the Advanced or re-write the Basic examination to obtain HF privileges.
This latter requirement is related to a decision to increase the BASIC
examination pass mark to ensure that candidates have been tested in all areas of
the syllabus.


For details, see the Canada Gazette notice at
http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/inter.../sf08435e.html and the
"Latest News" page on the RAC web site at http://www.rac.ca .

--
73, de Hans, K0HB

Leo wrote:
On Fri, 29 Jul 2005 19:37:30 GMT, "K=D8HB"
wrote:

An interesting announcement! Here in Canada, Morse Code is now an alte=
rnative method of qualifying for HF privileges.

In other words - Morse survived!

Morse Code *testing* survived - it's just not mandatory anymore in
Canada.

IIRC, this was exactly what the commentary on the proposal supported.

A couple of the other requests from the Amateur community
via the
RAC proposal) were granted as well - increasing the pass
marks on the
exams to 70% from 60%, and the addition of commercial
kit-building
privileges for Basic license holders.

Not bad - now there's a regulatory agency that listens. Well
done, Industry Canada!

I agree 100%!

They found a way to give everyone some of what they wanted.
They listened to what the majority of those expressing an
opinion supported, and acted on it. They produced a set of
regulations designed to reconcile or at least minimize
polarization, rather than increase it.

What concepts, eh? ;-)

Perhaps we in the USA should suggest such a system to FCC....



73 de Jim, N2EY

N2EY:

Perhaps introduce testing for "African Message Drum" also, bet some of those
guys could pound out a little ditty and have it carry a message to! Maybe
chant a little rap with it too!

Some testing in the care maintenance of carrier pigeons might be in order to,
for the guys who wanted real DX!

John

wrote in message
ups.com...
Leo wrote:
On Fri, 29 Jul 2005 19:37:30 GMT, "KØHB"
wrote:

An interesting announcement! Here in Canada, Morse Code is now an
alternative method of qualifying for HF privileges.

In other words - Morse survived!

Morse Code *testing* survived - it's just not mandatory anymore in
Canada.

IIRC, this was exactly what the commentary on the proposal supported.

A couple of the other requests from the Amateur community
via the
RAC proposal) were granted as well - increasing the pass
marks on the
exams to 70% from 60%, and the addition of commercial
kit-building
privileges for Basic license holders.

Not bad - now there's a regulatory agency that listens. Well
done, Industry Canada!

I agree 100%!

They found a way to give everyone some of what they wanted.
They listened to what the majority of those expressing an
opinion supported, and acted on it. They produced a set of
regulations designed to reconcile or at least minimize
polarization, rather than increase it.

What concepts, eh? ;-)

Perhaps we in the USA should suggest such a system to FCC....



73 de Jim, N2EY