"Alun Palmer" wrote in message
...
There have been lot of different rumours floating about, but it now looks
definite that the UK will scrap the code test on Friday. This will be the
second country after Switzerland, which already did it.

It looks as if quite a few countries will wait until after the CEPT
meeting, which turns out to be in September (I had thought it was earlier
than that).

73 de Alun, N3KIP (G8VUK, G0VUK)

Here's the details from a friend with RSGB access:

Here's a quote from the members only page of the RSGB's website:


The RSGB is pleased to announce that, with effect from Friday the 25th of
July, there is no longer a requirement to have passed a Morse code test in
order to operate on the HF bands in the UK. All Full and Intermediate Class
B licensees are therefore automatically granted their respective Class A
operating privileges and may operate on the HF bands using their existing
callsigns from the 25th of July. Class B licensees need not take any action
to obtain these additional operating privileges.

This long-awaited move comes about following the decision taken at the
recent World Radiocommunication Conference in Geneva, which agreed that a
Morse code test should no longer be an international requirement in order to
hold an HF amateur licence. The Radiocommunications Agency is to be thanked
for moving quickly in introducing this change in the UK. The official
'Gazette Notice' to bring in the change in the UK is scheduled to be
published on the 25th of July.

A series of 'Frequently Asked Questions' and answers about these changes
will be published on the RSGB website. Please note that these changes do not
affect Foundation Licensees.

The RSGB welcomes all former Class B amateurs on to the HF bands and hopes
that they will obtain even greater enjoyment from their hobby.


So the Brits have to honour of being the first to actually scrap Morse
testing (the Swiss have been granted "provision" access)

Cheers,
Bill K2UNK