Assuming the no code licencee can only use voice... what happens when they loose interest in only being able to use voice.... Larry ve3fxq
----- Original Message ----- From: "Barry Murrell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, January 20, 2007 4:41 PM Subject: RE: [digitalradio] US Hams Codeless Feb 23 > Never fear USA - South Africa went code-free in February 2005, and has > enjoyed a dramatic resurgence in Amateur Radio growth since, without any > of > the forecasted shambles occurring. Despite dire predictions of doom and > gloom from several old-timers, the no-code hams have taken to HF with > enthusiasm, and the vast majority have proved to be responsible and > sensible > operators. > > Our route was however slightly different: Our restricted licence class > (ZR > prefix) had in the past only needed to complete a 12wpm CW test to > upgrade > to an unrestricted (ZS prefix) call, giving HF privileges (ZR licensees > could operate only above 30MHz). There was only one written exam > category. > Under our new regulations a candidate writing his RAE qualifies for a > ZR-prefix call, giving him access to limited portions of HF spectrum on > 80,40,20,15 and 10m only (incidentally including the digital > subsections!) > with a limit of 100W. Upon completion of certain "assessments" the > licensee > can then upgrade to a ZS prefix, giving him unrestricted access to the > HF > bands (with a limit of 400W, max power allowed in South Africa). There > are 5 > assessment routes: Provide proof of 100 contacts (QSLs), provide proof > of > technical qualifications that include a radio-related subject, provide > logged proof of community service using radio equipment, complete a > homebrew > project in the form of a working receiver, or complete a 5wpm CW test. > Additionally before a licence is issued, the candidate is also tested on > his/her ability to set up and operate an HF transceiver. > > The holders of ZR licences at the time of the promulgation of our new > regulations were all required to undertake this assessment route in > order to > obtain ZS prefixes. Some elected to keep their ZR prefixes, as this > rapidly > became sought-after by the prefix hunters, but many chose the upgrade > route, > and are today pretty much indistinguishable from those old-timers who > went > the CW way - in fact in many cases they are proving to be far superior > operators! > > I for one am an example of a n-coder that went the upgrade route: I had > held > a ZR call since 1985 (a whopping 20 years!!), having pottered around > until > 2001, when I became active on 6m from Johannesburg. I have a VUCC with a > 200-grid endorsement, and over 300 grids worked. 74 countries confirmed > on > 6m (from a country with only 4 6m DXCCs issued EVER), plus the UKSMG > Worked > All Europe Award. I was the first South African to work WSJT JT44 mode > digital into Europe (beating Hal ZS6WB to it by 1 day!!) and was one of > the > first group of WSJT operators in ZS-land. AO-40 satellite operation > netted > me 75 countries via satellite, and I had the pleasure of several RTTY > and > SSTV QSO's via AO-40. Yet despite this I was denied access to HF due to > a CW > test! Since the regulation changes in 2005 however, I have been very > active > on HF: I upgraded to my current call in July 2005 (after over 1500 QSOs > under my ZR call, the vast majority in digital modes) and currently have > 226 > DXCC entities worked (209 confirmed, and around 180 worked in digital > modes). Not bad for a no-coder eh? > > The real twist has been taking place the past few months; I have > recently > acquired a MicroHam MicroKeyer, with it's built-in Winkey. I decided to > play > around with CW decoding via the PC, and sending through the Winkey. > Using > MixW for the software, I have found that I have been working quite a few > stations on CW recently - including the VU7RG, 5A7A and XT2C > expeditions. > Suddenly after some 22 years as a licenced ham I am beginning to develop > an > interest in CW - as after a turbulent few years with health troubles, > financial troubles and other disasters my life is finally settling down > to > normality, I have begun to make plans to finally learn to decode CW by > ear. > Had the regulations not changed, I doubt if this would ever have > happened. > > To all the codeless guys out there : I hope you enjoy HF as much as I > have! > To the old-timers: this is where you get to help the new guys become the > type of hams we all hope they will become! The late John Hugo ZS2J (went > SK > a few weeks back) made a point of looking for the newcomers and > welcoming > them onto the air - he was my first QSO on 40m. It makes a big > difference! > > > 73 de Barry ZS2EZ > (EX ZR2DX / ZR6DXB) > KF26TA - Port Elizabeth,South Africa > Member : PEARS, SARL, ARRL, SA AMSAT > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > On > Behalf Of John Champa > Sent: 20 January 2007 06:52 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [digitalradio] US Hams Codeless Feb 23 > > Danny, > > Yes, I have always thought that was a strange statement, too! > > My experience would cause me to write something more like: > > "...eliminates an unnecessary regulatory burden that keeps many > otherwise technically well qualified individuals from enjoying the > benefits of Amateur Radio." > > After all, the technical written exam is identical. Plus the day > the announcement came out 6 highly qualified engineers at > work decided they will now take the examination and get their > licenses. It is something they had wanted to do long before > college, but the Morse Code requirement kept them away. > > Besides, wouldn't we all rather be codeless than be clueless as > are those Extra Class jerks on 80M??? (HI) > > 73, > John > K8OCL > > > ----Original Message Follows---- > From: "Danny Douglas" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Reply-To: [email protected] > To: <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: [digitalradio] US Hams Codeless Feb 23 > Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2007 20:19:08 -0500 > > "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," the FCC remarked in the Morse code R&O. > > B A L O N E Y > SK > > Danny Douglas N7DC > ex WN5QMX ET2US WA5UKR ET3USA > SV0WPP VS6DD N7DC/YV5 G5CTB all > DX 2-6 years each > . > QSL LOTW-buro- direct > As courtesy I upload to eQSL but if you > use that - also pls upload to LOTW > or hard card. > > moderator [EMAIL PROTECTED] > moderator http://groups.yahoo.com/group/DXandTalk > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Radioguy" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Friday, January 19, 2007 6:07 PM > Subject: [digitalradio] US Hams Codeless Feb 23 > > > > > > > > Codeless Amateur Radio Testing Regime Appears Set to Begin February 23 > > > > > > > > > > Announce your digital presence via our DX Cluster > telnet://cluster.dynalias.org > > Our other groups: > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dxlist/ > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/themixwgroup > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/contesting > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wnyar > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Omnibus97 > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > _______________________________________________________________________ > This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content and is > believed to be clean. For more information please visit our website at > www.axxess.co.za or phone our 24/7 call center on 0861 300 900 > >
