FCC drops Morse code requirement for ham licenses

Morse code will no longer block anyone interested in getting an amateur radio license from doing so. The FCC has ruled that requiring Morse code testing is an "unnecessary regulatory burden."

In its report on this news the ARRL notes:

The question of whether or not to drop the Morse requirement altogether has been the subject of often-heated debate over the past several years, but the handwriting has been on the wall.

The decision is against my minority view, expressed to the FCC more than a year ago during the public comment period, that went beyond ARRL recommendations (to keep a code requirement for extra class licensing). But the ruling itself will not change my preferred mode for radio communication, and I expect plenty of company in the (shrinking) CW bands as long as I'm on the air.

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1AQD / NU1AQD / W1AQD QSL Collection

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WBR update

The WBR Receiver is now pulling in 60m SSB from W3, W4, G1, and elsewhere. Removed a single winding from each side of L1 and a tagalong cap (10 picofarad?) in parallel at C8. Maximum signal was achieved by grounding the antenna center conductor at its entry to the board. (But the signal pot still has little or no influence, so something else may be amiss.) Great to have the "new" ham band in the ears for the first time since privileges were granted. Nice foundation for a 60m band plan . It will be a help while I try to sort out frequencies and tuning range. Edits 2007-03-06 At the top of my tuning range are NPR broadcasts carried on 5446.5 by American Forces Radio. AFR is just below some cross-Atlantic meteorological observations in a female voice. Another useful resource via HFLINK . Alerted by LA3ZA to 7N3WVM regen, which Sverre merged (PDF) with N1BYT's. Makoto suggests a ferrite bar antenna.

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