RUSSIA.......Says NYET......

[Ham-News] Amateur Radio Newsline 1266 - Nov. 16, 2001

RESTRUCTURING:  RUSSIA SAYS NYET TO NO-CODE

The Russian Federation has said `nyet' to no-code. According to the W.I.A. Victoria News, the Federation says that there are good reasons for the Amateur Service to continue with Morse as a license requirement for operation below 30MHz.  It also says that it has no plans to make any changes to its domestic licence conditions.

Amateur Radio Newsline's Roy Neal. K6DUE, takes a look at the surprise Russian position:

"Keep the Morse Code." 

That's the position of The Russian Federation.

It was revealed by the International Telecommunications Union on the 12th of October, when that organization released a position document for the World Radio Conference of 2003.

The Russian Federation told the ITU that it supports most changes to International Radio Regulation S-25, which sets forth qualifications for radio amateurs. 

But, says the Federation, keep the Morse code.

Reasons? 

First a strong belief that Morse testing is the big difference between Amateur Radio and the Russian version of Citizen's Radio Services. 

The Russian Federation also points out that lowering the code requirement in many other nations has not led to a significant increase in the number of hams in those countries.

The Federation says that it surveyed Russian radio operators and found overwhelming support for retention of the code and the Russians say Morse is one of the most effective means of communication in emergencies with clear benefits in reducing interference on the high frequency bands.

What does it mean to the rest of the world, this decision to retain Morse testing? Jim Linton, VK3PC, is the author of Australia's "Morse Code Watch."  He says the Russian Federation's position can be accomodated easily.  This because any new I-T-U Radio Regulation S-25 to come out of the World Radio Conference in 2003 will set only a minimum qualification standard for radio amateurs.  It will not force that standard on any country.

For the Amateur Radio Newsline, Roy Neal, K6DUE

As previously reported, the IARU Administrative Council voted on October 8th to support dropping Morse as a qualifying criterion for high frequency access.  It says that Morse testing is no longer relevant to the healthy future of amateur radio.  (W.I.A. Victoria, W5YI Report).