From: utzoo!decvax!wivax!linus!genradbo!mitccc!jfw
Newsgroups: net.ham-radio
Title: Re: no code license
Article-I.D.: mitccc.203
Posted: Wed Dec  1 18:23:16 1982
Received: Tue Dec  7 02:30:28 1982
References: tpdcvax.218

My own feelings on this are as follows:

I think it would be best to keep the code requirement, not out of macho from
having mastered it myself, but out of some concern about the people getting
licenses.  CB was usable until it became trivial to get a CB license, at which
time it became a joke.  [Flame prevention:  regardless of what you feel the
percentage of twits on the Children's Band to be, it takes only a low number to
make life miserable for everyone else]  The code may be perceived as a pain,
but it *can* be useful, and it ensures that the person trying for the license
is willing to spend some effort to get the license, and either badly wants to
annoy people, or wants to use the license for something.  It should not be "easy"
to get a ham license, it isn't just a video-game class toy.  Perhaps the code
requirement is not the best way, perhaps it is a bit too stiff (somehow, I seem
to recall that Canada has a license class with a requirement of only "recognition"
of Morse Code (i.e., at 0 baud)(er, w.p.m.));  but a too-stiff technical exam
doesn't seem right either (too many good operators aren't EE types).  To some
degree, anyone can deal with the code.  As an additional benefit, one usually
learns code from current hams, thus ending up being relatively acculturated
when one starts.

John Woods, WB7EEL/1
...mitccc!jfw