Italy joins no-code ranks as FCC revives Morse debate in the US

Italy is reported to be the latest country added to the list of those that no longer require Amateur Radio applicants to have passed a Morse code examination to gain HF access. The Daily DX reported this week that current IW-prefix "no-code" VHF/UHF licensees in Italy now will be allowed to operate on HF. Canada eliminated Morse as the "sole additional requirement" for HF access in late July.

To date, more than two dozen countries around the world - including such major players as the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia and New Zealand - no longer require
Amateur Radio applicants to pass a Morse code examination to operate below 30 MHz. If the FCC's past observations on the subject are any clue, the US may join the no-code-required club in the future.

"We believe that an individual's ability to demonstrate increased Morse code proficiency is not necessarily indicative of that individual's ability to contribute to the advancement of the radio art," the FCC maintained in its
December 1999 Amateur Radio restructuring Report and Order (R&O). "As a result, we find that such a license qualification rule is not in furtherance of the purpose of the amateur service, and we do not believe that it continues to
serve a regulatory purpose."

The Commission in 1999 retained a minimal 5 WPM Morse requirement for all license classes only because of the treaty obligation then in place. World Radiocommunication Conference 2003 (WRC-03) subsequently decided to let
countries determine for themselves whether or not to require amateur applicants to demonstrate Morse ability.

In its Notice of Proposed Rule Making and Order (NPRM&O)
in WT Docket 05-235, released July 19, 2005, the FCC proposed to eliminate the 5 WPM telegraphy examination altogether. At the same time, it dismissed petitions calling for - among other things - a new entry-level license with HF
privileges.

In wording that closely mirrored remarks in its 1999 restructuring R&O, the Commission said its review of the 18 petitions and comments in the proceeding showed that "the majority agree" with its 1999 stance on the Morse requirement. The FCC said it believes it should treat Morse code like any other Amateur Radio mode. The FCC further said it was not persuaded by the ARRL's petition request to retain the 5 WPM Morse requirement solely for Amateur Extra applicants.

But perhaps recalling what it also said in 1999 - that few issues coming before the Commission "present such a clear dichotomy of viewpoints" as Morse code - the FCC stopped short of making the Morse requirement disappear. Instead, it invited another round of comments.

The US Amateur Radio community has taken up the Commission's offer with great enthusiasm. As of week's end, more than 1400 comments had been posted via the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS). The majority focused solely on the Morse issue. While most tend to file brief "yea" or "nay" comments, many postings reflect the deeply emotional nature of the Morse debate.

Those favoring the Morse requirement frequently suggest that dropping it altogether will lead to a overall decline in the skill and dedication of new operators. Others cite Morse as a longstanding tradition that ought not be cast aside lightly, and a few cite its potential in emergency communication. The FCC already dismissed such arguments in 1999.

Those endorsing its elimination often assert that Morse is largely irrelevant today and that retaining the requirement is keeping a lot of people from pursuing Amateur Radio. Several commenters also have contended that Morse code should rise or fall on its own now, not be mandated for
licensure. These are arguments the FCC essentially agreed with in 1999 and again in 2005.

Generally speaking, the Commission has been disinclined to revisit what it considers once-trod ground.

Following WRC-03, Switzerland became the first country to announce it was eliminating Morse code as a requirement for HF access. It was followed in short order by the United Kingdom.

In addition to Italy, Canada, Switzerland, the UK, Germany, Australia and New Zealand, the list of countries that have dropped Morse code as a requirement includes the Czech Republic, Spain, South Africa, Iceland, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, France, Ireland,
Kenya, Luxembourg (provisional CEPT Class 2 HF access), The Netherlands, Norway, Poland (limited), South Africa, Hong Kong, Papua New Guinea and Singapore.

To file on-line comments on the FCC NPRM&O in WT Docket 05-235 or to view others' comments in the proceeding, visit the ECFS site and click on "Submit a Filing" or "Search for
Filed Comments."

In either case, type "05-235" in the "Proceeding" field, being careful to include the hyphen but not the quotation marks. Directions for filing comments, which can be in the form of an attached document, are on the ECFS site. Click on "Getting Started" to learn more.

The FCC is not expected to release a Report and Order in WT Docket 05-235 until late this year at the soonest.

Source: ARRL Letter - courtesy of The American Radio Relay League

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