FILE COMMENTS WHERE THEY COUNT

Although the FCC's Notice of Proposed Rulemaking addresses a variety of topics contained in 18 petitions, none has generated as much comment on QRZ.com and elsewhere as the proposal to eliminate a licensing requirement, that of demonstrating proficiency at communicating with Morse code.

To somewhat guide the effort, noting here that the FCC did not propose to ban Morse code, and in fact, the NPRM seems to forecast that the mode has a future.

In a statement regarding the proposal's likely impact on business (a regulatory requirement, it's like an environmental impact statement from a land developer), the FCC said:

"Because use of Morse code for amateur service communications would still be permitted even if the testing requirement is eliminated, a market would still exist for Morse code training material."

So, regarding one specific licensing topic within the 18 petitions covered in  the NPRM, the FCC has asked for YOUR comments on the agency's proposal

After a review discussed in the Notice of Propposed Rulemaking, the FCC also said  "We decline to propose any other changes to amateur radio service licensing or operating privileges in this proceeding."

Do you agree that they should not take on the other matters petitioned? Tell them as an officially filed Comment.

As a supporting issue, the FCC also expects to hear from the public as to whether

So, last week I asked QRZ.com founder Fred Lloyd to consider posting a standalone primer to help people who want to tell the FCC their thoughts on the matter, and what you're reading is just that. (thanks Fred for posting)

Here is the guidance from the FCC contained in the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking which specifically invites your participation.

Note: Although you get an FCC confirmation number that you have successfully filed, it can take the better part of a business day for your comments to be included and shown in the formal record.


UPDATE Aug. 9th
A good post on about Page 26 or so --

Thanks, and yes.

Regards,
Paul/VJB
Annapolis

 

That's a great idea--in fact, I created a page already detailing step-by-step how to file comments on this matter.

http://www.msu.edu/~volzmich/commenthelp.htm


Comments/suggestions welcomed.

73 de W8KAR

 

Nice!

 

An excellent idea! I have already made my submition.

 

Interesting: I put up a post several days ago. Why didn't one of the modorators relacate it here, or rename it, or something? It has links to the doccument, the current post, making a post, and the post I entered. This is the post I placed under Talk & Opinions, Amateur Radio

 

The fact that hams are allowed to submit comments to the FCC worries me more than anything the FCC has ever done.

If what we see here is typical, it's just what we need - a bunch of rants containing misspelled words written by people who can't construct a sentence.

That has be at least as good for ham radio as QRZ.Com.  

"High ther my name in hambo rambo and it seems to me that we need to git rid of that thar morris code stuff becuz it a antikeek and them thar marines dunt useing it any more too and just becuz them coder peeple usin it dunt mean that the new peeple shud half to be usin it too anymore you know what eye mean even my sisster says that morris codes stuff is stoopid and thos guys at nocode internatinal tole me that it is my constipational rights to not have to use that morris code stuf so you guys needs to get rid of it"

or....

"DUDE YOU NEED TO KEEP MORSE CODE CUZ IT THE ONLY THING THATS GONNA KEEP THEM GO* D**M CBER WEENIES OFF THE GO* D**M HAM BANDS. I BEEN A HAM FOR 69 YEARS AND I DUNT WANT SOME GO* D**M CBERS ON THE BANDS WITH ME IF THEYS TOO DUMB TO LEARN CW AND YOU CANT GET A LICENSE IN NIGERIA IF YOU DONT KNOW MORSE CODE SO YOU SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GET ONE IN AMERIKA TOO AND MORSE CODE IS THE ONLY THING THAT GONNA SAVE EVERYBODY LIFE IF THE TITANTIC STARTS A SINKIN."

Probably our best bet would be two form letters, written by someone with a spell checker.

A key factor to remember before you write the FCC is the fact that no matter what you say, it won't affect what they intend to do. Unless, perhaps, you can convince them that we are a collectively a group of idiots and they should consider cancelling us altogether.

73, Jim KH2D
P.S. When you write to the FCC, don't forget to mention that Amateur Radio is a "Hobby". They have this weird preconceived notion that it's a "Service"....

 

How about a hyperlink right to the comment page?

 

Interesting: I put up a post several days ago. Why didn't one of the modorators relacate it here, or rename it, or something?

Maybe because you can't spell "moderators" or "relocate"?

73, Jim KH2D

 

It's worth mentioning, as a reminder, that it might be better to send comments online than in letter form: US Mail going to Washington DC is still being screened for security reasons and that's delaying letters going to Federal Agencies.

 

An excellent idea! I have already made my submition.

Dude, there has never been a call sign issued in the history of Amateur Radio that is more appropriate than yours.

C U on HF (as soon as I get my SSTV stuff working).

73, Jim KH2D

 

Paul & Doug,

Thanks for posting those links. For some reason all this crap shows up in the summer when I'd rather be fishing & camping and about a year after my last comments to the FCC. Thanks for the shortcut, so I don't have to figure out that screwball system again.

Jim,
Thanks, I appreciate that wit & I'll cu on CW. Look for my "illiterate" pro CW comments.

73 All

Marty WB2RJR AMI #20, SPAR#27, GACW #786, 10-10 #10135, HHH #506, and ex-TA1ZJ

A Ham = CW OP since 1963

 

VERY SCARY I read through comments posted to the FCC and the PRO-Code ones seem to out number others ...... in my selected read by a wide margin.
If the code is not dropped and we continue to live in the 1920's how will we compeat for the young?

WE simple will not and with the average age of HAMS about 60 right now how many of us will still be here in 20 years ?

I'm not anti code just a realist looking at so few even my age comming into the hobby.

 

hello to all i think this is a great move cause ive been a no code tech since 1996 and always wanted to be a general and did not see why i should need to know code when all i want to do is use the phone portion of the hf bands dont get me wrong i think code is interesting
but i just dont have the time to study it and being that i like to talk all the time the phone portion would be satisfactory . think about most of the other countries already dropped the code so what are we waiting for anyway lets hope for the best


73's from n2akj

 

I tried that, but you must go to the form first and enter the number. Otherwise I would not have set it up going tto the form first.

Marty, WB2RJR Thanks:

And maybe you never typed something (Either tired, in a hurry or both) and accidently struck wrong keys???

 

I just picked 4 random comments to read. They happened to be 2 and 2, for and against. ALL FOUR had spelling and grammar errors so grievous that they were painful to read. I'm glad everyone is so skilled in their native language! I have to go and post my comments now to prove that at least a few of us know how to speak, spell, and write. I know that not a single soul at the FCC will read the comments, their mind is already made up. That in itself saves us SOME embarrassment for the crass, ill-mannered, semi-literate crap that's been on this board since it began.