Two more countries have joined the small but growing list of countries that no longer require radio amateurs to pass a morse code test to gain access to the HF band. In addition to these countries, others will follow. Everything is just a matter of time. Countries that have already abandoned telegraphy have also given access to HF to holders of VHF-UHF licenses.
Switzerland, Belgium, Great Britain and Germany were joined by Norway and the Netherlands. Austria and New Zealand will soon join them. These activities are a response to the decision of the World Radiocommunication Conference 2003, which deleted the requirement for Morse code control from international regulations, leaving it up to the ministries of individual countries to decide whether they want to keep this requirement or not.
Norwegian Post and Telecommunications http://www.npt.no/ reported to the Norwegian Radio Relay League https://nrrl.no), that the licenses of classes LA, LB and LC were combined into one class on August 19. The team who had the LC class license changed to the LA class license and the LB class license holders can apply for the LA class license.
The Netherlands Radiocommunications Agency (The Netherlands Radiocommunications Agency) announced this week that Morse code control will no longer be a requirement for access to the HF band from September 1st. Dutch class A and C licenses - which can actually be compared to CEPT classes 1 and 2 - will have the same rights, even if they are left with their current characteristics for the time being. The change will not affect the N class license, which only allows broadcasting on 2m and 70cm. All radio amateurs received this notice this week.
Information from the Austrian ARU member-society, the Austrian Experimental Radio Transmitters Union (OeVSV) https://www.oevsv.at/home indicate that the country will temporarily guarantee HF access to all CEPT class 2 licenses sometime in September, formal changes are still being discussed.
Telecommunications in New Zealand plans to remove the Morse code requirement from the General Syllabus as part of the next round of changes to radio communications rules. The changes are expected to take place at the end of this year.
In the United States, six independent companies petitioned the FCC to delete the telegraph's obligation to access the lower HF bands and confirm these changes in the amateur radio laws (Part 97). The FCC has not yet solicited public comment.
Source:
ARRL Letter Vol. 22, No. 33 August 22, 2003