Special FCC Announcement

[Brian Carling]

WOW BRUCE, thank you so much....
for a minute there I thought I had woken up and everything was 
right with the world again! Heavenly...

On 1 Apr 2006 at 12:09, Bruce Sugarberg wrote:

> International Press, Washington, DC.
> 
> 
> Today, in an unprecedented move, the Federal Communications Commission
> issued an emergency reinstatement of Morse code requirements for all amateur
> and commercial radio licenses.  In addition, the amateur radio license
> structure has been reverted to 1985 standards.  All codeless amateur and
> commercial licenses have been placed on a "conditional 30 day temporary
> permit" and all such license holders will have to pass an appropriate Morse
> code test by May 1, 2006 or face permanent revocation of their licenses.
> 
> 
> All American registered commercial vessels are now required to have a
> crewman onboard that can copy Morse code at 13 WPM or they will be denied
> port clearance.  A temporary provision has been made in the FCC regulations
> that will allow amateur radio operators that completed FCC administered
> Morse code tests prior to the implementation of the VEC program to meet this
> requirement.  This generated such a demand for licensed amateur radio
> operators that the pay scale quickly escalated to $1000 per day for  such
> services.  In a bidding war, many major shipping companies have provided
> generous expense accounts,  luxury accommodations on vessels, sponsorship of
> DX-peditions and immediate long term pension benefits.
> 
> 
> In a related issue, this action has caused a significant shortage of Morse
> code keys, and surplus military J-38 keys that sold for a dollar each after
> WW II are now fetching upwards of $300 each on ebay, regardless of
> condition.
 
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