On Sat, Oct 19, 2013 at 11:04 PM, Gary AL9A <al9a@mtaonline.net> wrote:
> This "NO CODE" ham certainly operates in the CW band. At the time I took my
> written Extra exam, and passed it with a 100% score BTW, the FCC also
> required a 20 wpm CW test element. Before I could get my code speed up to
> snuff to take that element of the exam the FCC modified the rules
> eliminating the CW requirement altogether. My written exam credit was still
> valid however so I applied for and was granted my Extra (NO CODE) license.
> Now, years latter, I happily work CW contests and chase DX at 30 -32 wpm. Go
> figure!
I passed the old Element 4B twice, in 1996 and again in 2000. Both
times, I tried Element 1C but just never made it. Cashed in the 4B
for the Amateur Extra in April of 2000 as soon as the rules changed.
Ironically, I'll leave the radio on a DX station running CW at 25+ and
I make out a lot of stuff (CQ, 5NN, TU, etc, but other stuff, too) so
much so that I find 20 wpm slow. If W1AW's Code Qualifying Runs were
scheduled on a regular (rather than random) basis I'd probably have a
20 word CP certificate. And I am glad that I didn't have to take the
modern Element 4 since it would have been the hard questions from the
Advanced test all over again. As it was, the 4B was easier than the
4A.
Regardless of all *that*, the Morse Code telegraphy exam was *never*
an effective lid filter.
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