Found on qrz.com. The ARRL now only wants only no code hams. And as
for the rest of us?

W1AW Special Event, Midnight Exam Sessions to Mark New Amateur Rules

NEWINGTON, CT, Feb 9, 2007 -- As new Amateur Radio Service rules phase
in Friday, February 23, eliminating the Morse code requirement, Hiram
Percy Maxim Memorial Station W1AW will mark the milestone with a
weekend-long special event. In addition, a number of Central
Connecticut volunteer examiners will be on hand at ARRL Headquarters
-- both before and after the new rules become effective at 12:01 AM
EST -- to offer Amateur Radio examinations under both the current and
new rules. ARRL Regulatory Information Specialist Dan Henderson, N1ND,
is helping to coordinate the celebration. He says Headquarters staff
and other volunteers will keep W1AW active for the "Welcome Weekend"
event.

"W1AW will be on the air all weekend for this special event to
celebrate the fact that so many amateurs have gained or will earn new
privileges as a result of the rule changes," he said. "The station
will operate starting at 12:01 AM Eastern Time on Friday, February 23,
continuing into the wee hours and resuming operation during the day.
Then W1AW will be on the air on both days of the weekend, from 10 AM
until 5 PM -- perhaps longer as conditions and enthusiasm dictate."

Operation will be on both SSB and CW. W1AW operators will concentrate
their activities on the Technician and General class HF subbands. On
SSB, the station will use its normal phone frequencies -- 1.855,
3.990, 7.290, 14.290, 18.160 and 21.390 MHz. On 10 meters, W1AW will
operate SSB on or about 28.480 MHz.

Henderson says operating will be casual unless pileups develop. "The
purpose is to welcome newcomers to new privileges," he said.

"First Contact" certificates will be available as part of this event.
ARRL invites anyone making a first contact or first HF contact to
enter the contact information on the ARRL "Welcome Weekend" Web site
and receive a certificate in return. "If the first contact is with
W1AW we will also be including a W1AW QSL card for the contact,"
Henderson added.

The ARRL anticipates a huge influx of upgrade applications once the
Morse code requirement disappears. In addition, all Technician
licensees will have limited HF privileges starting February 23,
whether or not they've passed a Morse code test.

Amateur Radio exam sessions both before and after the zero hour will
offer an opportunity for applicants either to upgrade under the
outgoing licensing rules at the last possible opportunity or under the
new licensing rules at the first possible opportunity.

"Dual exam sessions are scheduled at ARRL Headquarters around the
effective time of the new licensing rules," says Brennan Price, N4QX,
a former ARRL staff member and an ARRL VEC volunteer examiner. "At 11
PM on February 22, a session will be held for candidates wishing to
upgrade under the existing rules. A few folks have expressed interest
in such a session." Price says all Amateur Radio written and
telegraphy elements will be offered until midnight.

"At 12:01 AM February 23, a second session will begin under the new
licensing rules," he said. "Examiners will not only be evaluating
previously earned Certificates of Successful Completion of Exam
(CSCEs) for upgrades, but will be offering all written elements." Two
teams of volunteer examiners will be on site until all applicants have
been served.

On or after February 23, applicants upgrading on the basis of a valid
CSCE must present the certificate for element credit, fill out an
application and pay any applicable exam session fee, which most VECs
charge. Only after the VE team has issued a CSCE for upgrade credit
may applicants actually use their new operating privileges on the air.

Additional Welcome Weekend information will be available on the ARRL
Web site in the days leading up to February 23.