On Fri, 29 Jul 2005 19:37:30 GMT, "KØHB"
wrote:

An interesting announcement! Here in Canada, Morse Code is now an
alternative method of qualifying for HF privileges.

In other words - Morse survived!

A couple of the other requests from the Amateur community (via the
RAC proposal) were granted as well - increasing the pass marks on the
exams to 70% from 60%, and the addition of commercial kit-building
privileges for Basic license holders.

Not bad - now there's a regulatory agency that listens. Well done,
Industry Canada!


73, Leo


Per Canada Gazette notice DGRB-003-05 22 July 2005, Industry Canada has adopted
elements of the RAC "Proposal on Morse Code and Related Matters" and has removed
the mandatory requirement for the Morse Qualification for access to the HF bands
below 30 MHz.


Effective immediately, amateurs certified with BASIC Qualification prior to 2
April 2002, and amateurs certified with both BASIC and ADVANCED Qualifications,
may operate on HF. Amateurs with BASIC only Qualification certified after 1
April 2002, and who achieved a pass mark of 80% or greater, will also be allowed
to operate on HF. Amateurs certified BASIC only Qualification after 1 April 2002
having achieved less than 80% pass mark, will either have to qualify in Morse,
write the Advanced or re-write the Basic examination to obtain HF privileges.
This latter requirement is related to a decision to increase the BASIC
examination pass mark to ensure that candidates have been tested in all areas of
the syllabus.


For details, see the Canada Gazette notice at
http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/inter.../sf08435e.html and the
"Latest News" page on the RAC web site at http://www.rac.ca .

--
73, de Hans, K0HB

"KØHB" ) writes:
"an old friend" wrote

Logicaly therefore I would expect in time This to evolve into 80 for
access now or pass the test and wait 2 years for access by experence,

Nope, if you pass the Basic written (but don't make an 80% score) you must then
take the Morse exam to get on HF.

73, de Hans, K0HB


Part of me is thinking that there was a reduction in the passing mark
at some point, and this just addresses it. I've not paid attention, and
the documents issued in 1990 after the restructuring says nothing about
the passing mark. But though I've not paid full attention, it is
something I have a vague feeling might have happened. If there
was such a reduction, then obviously that date is when it happened,
and this new bit just acknowledges that a higher pass mark is
deemed necessary for HF.

Or perhaps it's just simply in grandfathering people, they decided
that it wouldn't be as automatic as some might have wanted.

Micahel VE2BVW

) writes:
K=D8HB wrote:
While they removed the requirement for a Morse exam, note that they incre=
ased
the written examination passing score for the Basic License. FCC could l=
earn
something from these guys.

Yep

What's interesting too is that new Basics can access HF two ways:

1) Pass the written with 80% or more right

2) Pass the written with less than 80% right *and* pass the Morse Code
test.

IIRC, the basic pass level is 60% (!)

Sounds a little like my old "Chinese Menu" idea.

73 de Jim, N2EY


Well, according to the bulletin, the passing mark is no 70%.

But your're right about the menu. When they restructured back in
1990, some people interpreted it as a coherent number of steps,
with the Basic license at one and and the advanced with code
at the other. But it was (and still is) more of a mix and match
setup. People could pass the Basic and Advanced tests without
needing to pass a code test. Of course, that meant no HF privileges.
Pass a code test, and you got some HF; pass the faster code test
and you got full HF privileges. Code determined whether or not
you could operate at HF.

A few years back, I think it was 2000, they dropped the faster
code test.

Michael VE2BVW

wrote

What's interesting too is that new Basics can access HF two ways:

Another way of looking at it is.

1) They've raised the passing score on the written exam to 70%.

2) With that passing score, and a 5WPM Morse exam you gain access to HF.

3) If you pass with a score of 80% or greater, the Morse exam is waived for HF.

73, de Hans, K0HB

wrote:
K=D8HB wrote:
While they removed the requirement for a Morse exam, note that they inc=
reased
the written examination passing score for the Basic License. FCC could=
learn
something from these guys.

Yep

What's interesting too is that new Basics can access HF two ways:

1) Pass the written with 80% or more right

2) Pass the written with less than 80% right *and* pass the Morse Code
test.

IIRC, the basic pass level is 60% (!)

Sounds a little like my old "Chinese Menu" idea.

73 de Jim, N2EY

Jim, are you advocating that 60% be the necessary score?

Leo wrote:
On Fri, 29 Jul 2005 19:37:30 GMT, "K=D8HB"
wrote:

An interesting announcement! Here in Canada, Morse Code is now an alte=
rnative method of qualifying for HF privileges.

In other words - Morse survived!

Morse Code *testing* survived - it's just not mandatory anymore in
Canada.

IIRC, this was exactly what the commentary on the proposal supported.

A couple of the other requests from the Amateur community
via the
RAC proposal) were granted as well - increasing the pass
marks on the
exams to 70% from 60%, and the addition of commercial
kit-building
privileges for Basic license holders.

Not bad - now there's a regulatory agency that listens. Well
done, Industry Canada!

I agree 100%!

They found a way to give everyone some of what they wanted.
They listened to what the majority of those expressing an
opinion supported, and acted on it. They produced a set of
regulations designed to reconcile or at least minimize
polarization, rather than increase it.

What concepts, eh? ;-)

Perhaps we in the USA should suggest such a system to FCC....



73 de Jim, N2EY

On 29 Jul 2005 19:25:49 -0700, "b.b." wrote:


wrote:
KØHB wrote:
While they removed the requirement for a Morse exam, note that they increased
the written examination passing score for the Basic License. FCC could learn
something from these guys.

Yep

What's interesting too is that new Basics can access HF two ways:

1) Pass the written with 80% or more right

2) Pass the written with less than 80% right *and* pass the Morse Code
test.

IIRC, the basic pass level is 60% (!)

Sounds a little like my old "Chinese Menu" idea.

73 de Jim, N2EY

Jim, are you advocating that 60% be the necessary score?

I don't think he is, Brian - Jim was surprised when I mentioned that
the pass mark was only 60% a while back. This has been fixed now - it
has been raised to 70%, effective today!

73, Leo

On Sat, 30 Jul 2005 08:30:40 -0400, Leo wrote:

On 29 Jul 2005 19:25:49 -0700, "b.b." wrote:


wrote:
KØHB wrote:
While they removed the requirement for a Morse exam, note that they increased
the written examination passing score for the Basic License. FCC could learn
something from these guys.

Yep

What's interesting too is that new Basics can access HF two ways:

1) Pass the written with 80% or more right

2) Pass the written with less than 80% right *and* pass the Morse Code
test.

IIRC, the basic pass level is 60% (!)

Sounds a little like my old "Chinese Menu" idea.

73 de Jim, N2EY

Jim, are you advocating that 60% be the necessary score?

I don't think he is, Brian - Jim was surprised when I mentioned that
the pass mark was only 60% a while back. This has been fixed now - it
has been raised to 70%, effective today!

73, Leo


Does this mean the guys that have the basic qualification now would
have to go back and rewrite to get HF privilege ?

"amateur" wrote in message
news
On Sat, 30 Jul 2005 08:30:40 -0400, Leo wrote:

On 29 Jul 2005 19:25:49 -0700, "b.b." wrote:


wrote:
KØHB wrote:
While they removed the requirement for a Morse exam, note that they
increased
the written examination passing score for the Basic License. FCC
could learn
something from these guys.

Yep

What's interesting too is that new Basics can access HF two ways:

1) Pass the written with 80% or more right

2) Pass the written with less than 80% right *and* pass the Morse Code
test.

IIRC, the basic pass level is 60% (!)

Sounds a little like my old "Chinese Menu" idea.

73 de Jim, N2EY

Jim, are you advocating that 60% be the necessary score?

I don't think he is, Brian - Jim was surprised when I mentioned that
the pass mark was only 60% a while back. This has been fixed now - it
has been raised to 70%, effective today!

73, Leo


Does this mean the guys that have the basic qualification now would
have to go back and rewrite to get HF privilege ?

I believe so. I saw something on that very thing somewhere on the internet
but can't remember where. Or alternatively, they can still take the Morse
test.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE

"amateur" wrote

Does this mean the guys that have the basic qualification
now would have to go back and rewrite to get HF privilege ?

Not in most cases.

As I read it, you are authorized HF access as of today, without further testing,
if...

1) ...you got your Basic certificate before April 2, 2002.
2) ...if you got your Basic certificate after April 2, 2002 AND at a score
of 80% or higher.
3) ...if you got your Basic certificate after April 2, 2002 at a score lower
than 80% AND pass a 5WPM Morse exam

Perhaps Leo can confirm (or correct) my understanding.

73, de Hans, K0HB