The decision is made. After years of speculation, thousands of heated letters both pro and con to the FCC and ARRL, and countless hours of on and off the air bickering, the FCC made the big, long awaited decision. The code issue is dead. Effective February 23, 2007, the Morse Code is no longer part of the examination requirement for an Amateur Radio license.

Finally!

The debate over the code requirement has been going on for years. No issue since incentive licensing has so divided the amateur community as this one. Whichever side you took, if you expressed it, you were certain to be flamed on the Internet or snickered about by more "enlightened" hams. But no more. The debate is over.

Finally!

CW has always been my favorite mode of operation as my 275 confirmed CW DXCC entities attest. Over 90% of all my contacts are on this mode. Few hams can claim to have more of an affinity for the code than I do. However, for years I have failed to see the need to show proficiency in the code in order to quality for a license. It's a part of our ham radio tradition--a great part--but hardly a necessity in light of current technology. Nearly all arguments I've heard through the years for keeping the code requirement have been more sentimental than logical. Anyway, that fight is over.

Finally!

The good news is this: now we can get on with enjoying the code without having to defend it. Shucks, we might even be able to get along together again since the issue is now a mute point.

Finally!

Actually, the code is doing quite well today on the ham bands. Just listen to the CW frequencies during a major contest. And observe the growth of the FISTS CW Club and North American QRP CW Club. All attest to the continued and increasing popularity of this great mode of communication.

Regardless of what your opinion may be on the code issue, it's time to put it in the past and move on. If you love it, use it; if you hate it, don't use it. Let's put our efforts now into fighting really important issues like BPL, band intrusion, and the like. Let's work to preserve the service not destroy it.

Finally!