Well, Bob, they may eventually eliminate the requirement, but they can't eliminate the fun. Continue to learn and improve your CW irrespective of what's on the test. :-)

Randy K7RAN

N4KZ is 100% right on the money. In the UK, amateur radio was in negative growth (shrink and die mode) until they established the Foundation class license. Now, in just 4 years, they've turned that right around. One-fourth of the influx of new amateurs are under 18 there now as well with lots of renewed radio club activity in the schools, etc. And now we hear that the negative growth is turning around in Australia too with many Foundation class hams upgrading so that they can use more than just the 10 watts output. Interestingly, a number of Foundation hams are learning CW on their own and participating in the lower portions of the bands as well. I'm a diehard CW op, by the way, but that's no reason not to embrace something that is clearly working -- the Foundation license seems like a winner to me.

Randy K7RAN

The sole survivor of the West Virginia mining accident is a ham. He is a young man who holds the Technician class license KC8VKZ, Randal L. McCloy Jr., of Philippi, WV. May God bless him as well as those who perished and their families.