On Mon, Dec 18, 2006 at 09:01:04AM -0600, Peter Laws wrote:
> As you may have seen, the FCC has announced its intention to drop the
> Element 1 Morse telegraphy test from all license classes.  No date for
> the change has been published yet.

I just sent a request to the "additional information" contact named in the
R&O; I expect that his mailbox has been full since Friday afternoon, and
that his phone has been ringing all weekend. I'll share his response.

> It appears, from early tea-leaf reading, that Technicians will
> automatically become Tech Pluses, meaning CW/Data/Phone on the "Novice"
> portion of 10m and CW on General portions of 15, 40, and 80 m.

The R&O has that effect, though it's worded a bit differently:

"Therefore the FCC, in today's action, afforded Technician and Technician
 Plus Licensees identical operating privileges."

> To upgrade to General, and get phone (and everything else) on the rest
> of HF, you need only pass the Element 3 General written.

> If you have an unexpired CSCE from passing the General and hadn't gotten
> around to taking the code, you may be able to use that CSCE for a "paper
> upgrade" assuming that the CSCE hasn't expired by the time the new rules
> take effect.

That's what I expect, too, though ICBW.

> Again, this is all from tea-leaf reading, so check arrl.org for updates.
>
> Also note that SCARS will likely be having an extra test session or two
> to handle the anticipated demand.

Nor would this surprise me.

Technicians: Welcome to the HF bands, once this R&O becomes effective. Play
nice, now!

--
Mike Andrews, W5EGO
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Tired old sysadmin