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Allen Pitts, W1AGP
Media and Public Relations
Manager
ARRL
(860) 594-0328
apitts@arrl.org
Newington, CT, Feb. 8, 2007- The last federal license requirement for proficiency in Morse code ends at midnight, February 22. Amateur Radio (also known as "ham radio") was the last place where the FCC still required the 170 year old skill. But that era is coming to an end. The hams at the ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio, headquartered in Newington, CT are not letting the Morse code requirement be dropped without notice! Volunteer Examiners from the ARRL staff and the surrounding area are holding "The Last Code Test" at 11p.m. on February 22 - and will end it just before the stroke of midnight.
Immediately after midnight, a second session will begin under the new FCC licensing rules which do not require Morse code skills. The sessions will be conducted under the auspices of the ARRL/VEC who are certified by the FCC to conduct testing sessions on behalf of the federal government.
Many other clubs and groups around the country are doing similar projects. After February, people will learn and use the code for the joy of it, not just to pass an exam.
"This is another good opportunity that local groups have to get news coverage," says Allen Pitts of the ARRL's Media & PR Department. "The last code test is both audible and visual, and signals the end of a major era in communications."
Developed in the 1830s by Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail as a means to communicate using Morse's new telegraph, the code of dots and dashes became the standard for long distance communications over wires and, at the turn of the century, by early radio operators. Even after voice transmissions were common, Morse code remained a valuable radio skill. But concurrent with the development of computers and digital radio signal processing, radio's dependence on Morse code diminished. On February 23, knowledge of the code will no longer be required.
"This is far from the end of Morse code overall," claims Pitts. "Other countries are reporting the `Tom Sawyer' effect. When the code requirements were dropped there, the learning and use of Morse code actually increased. When it is no longer a chore, people can and will do it for fun."
In addition, plans are also being made to welcome thousands of Technician class Amateur Radio operators to the HF (shortwave) frequencies. This is another change the FCC has made to Amateur Radio in the USA. Half of America's 656,000 Amateur Radio operators are Technician class licensees and, beginning February 23, the new rules allow these ham operators limited privileges on the HF frequencies that, in good conditions, can provide worldwide communications. Previously, use of these HF frequencies required one of the higher level, more difficult licenses - which included requirements for Morse code proficiency. Since the announcement of the rule changes, staff at the ARRL reported the demand for study materials used to earn Amateur Radio licenses has more than doubled.
Hundreds of experienced hams will be on the air between February 23 and 25 to welcome the new Technician class licensees to the HF frequencies and aid them in their entry into worldwide communications. Among the welcoming committee will be the famous Amateur Radio station W1AW, the flagship station of the ARRL.
