ARRL Proudly Celebrating NO CODE

[N1ESE]

Blasphemy, now I really don't feel that bad for letting my subscription, er membership, lapse.

W1AW Special Event, Midnight Exam Sessions to Mark New Amateur Rules

NEWINGTON, CT, Feb 9, 2007 -- As new Amateur Radio Service rules phase in Friday, February 23, eliminating the Morse code requirement, Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station W1AW will mark the milestone with a weekend-long special event. In addition, a number of Central Connecticut volunteer examiners will be on hand at ARRL Headquarters -- both before and after the new rules become effective at 12:01 AM EST -- to offer Amateur Radio examinations under both the current and new rules. ARRL Regulatory Information Specialist Dan Henderson, N1ND, is helping to coordinate the celebration. He says Headquarters staff and other volunteers will keep W1AW active for the "Welcome Weekend" event.

"W1AW will be on the air all weekend for this special event to celebrate the fact that so many amateurs have gained or will earn new privileges as a result of the rule changes," he said. "The station will operate starting at 12:01 AM Eastern Time on Friday, February 23, continuing into the wee hours and resuming operation during the day. Then W1AW will be on the air on both days of the weekend, from 10 AM until 5 PM -- perhaps longer as conditions and enthusiasm dictate."

Operation will be on both SSB and CW. W1AW operators will concentrate their activities on the Technician and General class HF subbands. On SSB, the station will use its normal phone frequencies -- 1.855, 3.990, 7.290, 14.290, 18.160 and 21.390 MHz. On 10 meters, W1AW will operate SSB on or about 28.480 MHz.

Henderson says operating will be casual unless pileups develop. "The purpose is to welcome newcomers to new privileges," he said.

"First Contact" certificates will be available as part of this event. ARRL invites anyone making a first contact or first HF contact to enter the contact information on the ARRL "Welcome Weekend" Web site and receive a certificate in return. "If the first contact is with W1AW we will also be including a W1AW QSL card for the contact," Henderson added.

The ARRL anticipates a huge influx of upgrade applications once the Morse code requirement disappears. In addition, all Technician licensees will have limited HF privileges starting February 23, whether or not they've passed a Morse code test.

Amateur Radio exam sessions both before and after the zero hour will offer an opportunity for applicants either to upgrade under the outgoing licensing rules at the last possible opportunity or under the new licensing rules at the first possible opportunity.

"Dual exam sessions are scheduled at ARRL Headquarters around the effective time of the new licensing rules," says Brennan Price, N4QX, a former ARRL staff member and an ARRL VEC volunteer examiner. "At 11 PM on February 22, a session will be held for candidates wishing to upgrade under the existing rules. A few folks have expressed interest in such a session." Price says all Amateur Radio written and telegraphy elements will be offered until midnight.

"At 12:01 AM February 23, a second session will begin under the new licensing rules," he said. "Examiners will not only be evaluating previously earned Certificates of Successful Completion of Exam (CSCEs) for upgrades, but will be offering all written elements." Two teams of volunteer examiners will be on site until all applicants have been served.

On or after February 23, applicants upgrading on the basis of a valid CSCE must present the certificate for element credit, fill out an application and pay any applicable exam session fee, which most VECs charge. Only after the VE team has issued a CSCE for upgrade credit may applicants actually use their new operating privileges on the air.

Additional Welcome Weekend information will be available on the ARRL Web site in the days leading up to February 23.

[KA4DPO]

That's just all wrong.

Hiram Percy would ____ a brick if he saw this PC crap out of his organization.

I wish they would take a stand for once that actually requires cajones instead of kissing butt every time the FCC does something stupid.

Pileups? That's a hoot.......

[NE6AO]

I would like to say here ,congratulations to all who have joined us here welcome,welcome welcome.Am I right to understand that at 9;01 pacific time thursday nite the new rules go into effect?I will be there>but probly 40 and 80 will hopefully be open.I remember how nervous I was when I went on the air.Save these logs of your first qso's,then a yr from now read what you put down,its all good.73'sNE6AO

[KN4DS]

Quote[/b] (KA4DPO @ Feb. 10 2007,14:23)]I wish they would take a stand for once that actually requires cajones instead of kissing butt every time the FCC does something stupid.

Right. Any VE team that really respects ham radio will simply refuse to pass anyone that does not take a CW exam, or will just refuse to hold anymore test sessions until CW is put back in as a requirement.

There's your answer. Just get every VE to refuse to hold exam sessions. If you can pull that off, there'll be no no-code upgrades.

[AI4EP]

uwl--- that kind of action will never occur...not on a large or small scale.

it just wont happen.


but then ---- prove me wrong !!

[WS2L]

Quote[/b] (KA4DPO @ Feb. 10 2007,07:23)]That's just all wrong.

Hiram Percy would ____ a brick if he saw this PC crap out of his organization.

He would do that and roll over in his grave with the Wouff Hong in hand.

I'm a certified ARRL VE but you will not see me giving exams at 0001 HRs local time, I will be fast asleep.

Now I'm starting to wonder where my dues have been going all these years and has it been worth it.

Oh, I wouldn't expect there to be much activity in the CW bands so if your looking to work W1AW there should be no pileups there.

[KA4DPO]

Quote[/b] (KE4UWL @ Feb. 10 2007,14:50)]

Quote[/b] (KA4DPO @ Feb. 10 2007,14:23)]I wish they would take a stand for once that actually requires cajones instead of kissing butt every time the FCC does something stupid.

Right. #Any VE team that really respects ham radio will simply refuse to pass anyone that does not take a CW exam, or will just refuse to hold anymore test sessions until CW is put back in as a requirement.

There's your answer. #Just get every VE to refuse to hold exam sessions. #If you can pull that off, there'll be no no-code upgrades.

What a stupid idea.

I said ARRL should have stood up to the FCC not to make a broken system worse.

Spin it any way you like you can't put words in my keyboard.

[KN4DS]

Quote[/b] (ai4ep @ Feb. 10 2007,14:54)]uwl--- that kind of action will never occur...not on a large or small scale.

it just wont happen.


but then ---- prove me wrong !!

Oh, I know it's not going to happen. I just tossed it out there for those who simply refuse to accept the rules change and any activities that're going along with it.

So many people claim to be so opposed to the change, but I haven't seen a single one of them file a petition for reconsideration. What that means is they'll bitch and moan about it, but they won't lift a finger to *do* anything about it.

Even if not successful, they'd at least be able to say they went down fighting.

Those truly serious about not wanting the rules to change would go so far as to file a federal lawsuit, claiming the FCC does not have the authority to remove CW testing requirements, and they could possibly get at least a temporary injunction (of course, that's a stupid argument, and would be a frivolous suit, which would open the plaintiff up to sanctions). But that hasn't happened, either.

In short, a few are really upset by it, but they're not really serious about doing anything to change it.

[NE6AO]

Ok so you were there .Why didnt you take your own advice and do this ?
I saw a lot of effort but the feds said we're the feds and we're gonna do it and no body in the arrl has any real effect on the way we do business.I wouldnt fall into the trap of being a monday morning quarterback,full of recriminations.We need to focus on how to make the new guys more knowlegable and help them.The govt isnt really up to date on much we do or do not .I am amazed at the way that we hams and the arrl were so INEFFECTUAL,its the only reality we have to work with.

[AG3Y]

"Flogging the expired equestrian animal " WILL IT EVER END ? ? ?

Get over it, guys. The FCC will do what it wants to do, the ARRL will be the ARRL, regardless of what we do or say, and the world will continue to spin on its axis until God decides that it has spun long enough.

If it is really bothering you all that much, maybe I can suggest another pastime for you, like maybe, underwater basket weaving ! ! !