Fw: [PropNET-Online] FCC Eliminates Morse Code Requirement (Text Inline)

[David A Aitcheson - KB3EFS]

Terry and All,

Having gone to bed and slept just to make sure I wasn't dreaming, and pinched
myself to make sure I was not "anything else" ...

Like the ARRL Web site says the only thing missing is an effective date.  Which
would be 30 days after _publication in the Federal Register_ so my guess is
some time in January?

At least it is in time for "a holiday" so new toys can be placed under a certian
"tree" by some jolly OM in a fur trimmed red suit!

73
Dave
KB3EFS

Terry Fox wrote:
> FYI...
> Terry
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Mark Thompson" <wb9qzb at yahoo.com>
> To: <PropNET-Online at yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Friday, December 15, 2006 10:47 PM
> Subject: [PropNET-Online] FCC Eliminates Morse Code Requirement (Text
> Inline)
> 
> 
> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:                                   NEWS MEDIA CONTACT:
> December 15, 2006
> Chelsea Fallon:  (202) 418-7991
> 
> FCC MODIFIES AMATEUR RADIO SERVICE RULES,
> ELIMINATING MORSE CODE EXAM REQUIREMENTS AND
> ADDRESSING ARRL PETITION FOR RECONSIDERATION
> 
> Washington, D.C. – Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
> adopted a Report and Order and Order on Reconsideration (Order) that
> modifies the rules for the Amateur Radio Service by revising the examination
> requirements for obtaining a General Class or Amateur Extra Class amateur
> radio operator license and revising the operating privileges for Technician
> Class licensees.  In addition, the Order resolves a petition filed by the
> American Radio Relay League, Inc. (ARRL) for partial reconsideration of an
> FCC Order on amateur service rules released on October 10, 2006.
> 
> The current amateur service operator license structure contains three
> classes of amateur radio operator licenses:  Technician Class, General
> Class, and Amateur Extra Class.  General Class and Amateur Extra Class
> licensees are permitted to operate in Amateur bands below 30 MHz, while the
> introductory Technician Class licensees are only permitted to operate in
> bands above 30 MHz.  Prior to today’s action, the FCC, in accordance with
> international radio regulations, required applicants for General Class and
> Amateur Extra Class operator licenses to pass a five words-per-minute Morse
> code examination.  Today’s Order eliminates that requirement for General and
> Amateur Extra licensees.  This change reflects revisions to international
> radio regulations made at the International Telecommunication Union’s 2003
> World Radio Conference (WRC-03), which authorized each country to determine
> whether to require that individuals demonstrate Morse code proficiency in
> order to qualify for an amateur radio license with transmitting privileges
> on frequencies below 30 MHz.  This change eliminates an unnecessary
> regulatory burden that may discourage current amateur radio operators from
> advancing their skills and participating more fully in the benefits of
> amateur radio.
> 
> Today’s Order also revises the operating privileges for Technician Class
> licensees by eliminating a disparity in the operating privileges for the
> Technician Class and Technician Plus Class licensees.  Technician Class
> licensees are authorized operating privileges on all amateur frequencies
> above 30 MHz.  The Technician Plus Class license, which is an operator
> license class that existed prior the FCC’s simplification of the amateur
> license structure in 1999 and was grandfathered after that time, authorized
> operating privileges on all amateur frequencies above 30 MHz, as well as
> frequency segments in four HF bands (below 30 MHz) after the successful
> completion of a Morse code examination.  With today’s elimination of the
> Morse code exam requirements, the FCC concluded that the disparity between
> the operating privileges of Technician Class licensees and Technician Plus
> Class licensees should not be retained.  Therefore, the FCC, in today’s
> action, afforded Technician and Technician Plus licensees identical
> operating privileges.
> 
> Finally, today’s Order resolved a petition filed by the ARRL for partial
> reconsideration of an FCC Order released on October 10, 2006 (FCC 06-149).
> In this Order, the FCC authorized amateur stations to transmit voice
> communications on additional frequencies in certain amateur service bands,
> including the 75 meter (m) band, which is authorized only for certain
> wideband voice and image communications.  The ARRL argued that the 75 m band
> should not have been expanded below 3635 kHz, in order to protect
> automatically controlled digital stations operating in the 3620-3635 kHz
> portion of the 80 m band.  The FCC concluded that these stations can be
> protected by providing alternate spectrum in the 3585-3600 kHz frequency
> segment.
> 
> Action by the Commission on December 15, 2006, by Report and Order and Order
> on Reconsideration.  Chairman Martin and Commissioners Copps, Adelstein,
> Tate, and McDowell.
> 
> For additional information, contact William Cross at (202) 418-0691 or
> William.Cross at fcc.gov.
> 
> WT Docket Nos. 04-140 and 05-235.
> 
> – FCC –
> 
> News and other information about the Federal Communications Commission
> is available at www.fcc.gov.
> 
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: David A Aitcheson - KB3EFS <kb3efs at gisco.net>
> To: PropNET-Online at yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Friday, December 15, 2006 9:32:54 PM
> Subject: [PropNET-Online] AAA QST QST QST [Fwd: [LARCMD] News About Morse
> Code Requirement]
> 
> 
>>From another group!
> 
> -------- Original Message --------
> Subject: [LARCMD] News About Morse Code Requirement
> Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2006 20:37:37 -0500
> From: Diane Zimmerman <aa3of at arrl.net>
> Reply-To: LARCMD at yahoogroups.com
> To: LARCMD at yahoogroups.com
> 
> Check out the front page of the FCC web site, first item.
> 
> Here's the url:
> 
> http://www.fcc.gov/
> 
>