My other passion.
Well, I've shared my current passion for cycling (MTB mountain bike) and also my previous passion 4 wheel drive off-road.
This time I'll share another of my current hobby, amateur radio. I'm a licenced ham radio operator Class B with privileges on the 2 metre VHF (very high frequency 144-148Mhz) band, 70 cm UHF (ultra high frequency 430-440Mhz) band, 6 metre 50-54Mhz and HF 28-29.7 Mhz.
At the present moment I do not have full privileges on all HF bands which will allow me to talk to like minded hams all over the world as my licence is not a Class A. To upgrade to Class A licence, I will have to sit for the CW morse code test of which I have totally no interest at all. Hopefully by 2007, the Malaysian government will abolish the morse code requirement. Then, I can get myself an all-band radio and talk to the world! As for the Class B, I had to sit for the RAE exam conducted by MCMC, a federal government department. I got my licence is 2002.
I'm mainly active on the 2 metre VHF band and rag-chew/QSO while mobile in the car. Basically, I can now talk to hams as far as Brunei and whole of Sabah with some blind spots here and there.
Attached are some pictures of the radios that I used to own/still own. There's also a picture showing my base antenna at home which is a Diamond F23 mounted approximately 50 feet above ground.
It's actually quite fun talking to fellow hams whom you do not know. You get to make new friends and when one has full HF privileges, you can then talk to the world anytime anywhere.
So, I'm actually waiting for the government to abolish the morse code requirement like other countries in the world who have done so.
Whenever you fly on board a plane, look at the plane's body and tail, you will see a call sign. Example, all Malaysia Airlines and Air Asia planes carry the call sign 9M???. The 9M indicates it's from Malaysia and the other suffixes indicates it's individual call sign. So, mine is 9W6VX. The 9W indicates I'm from Malaysia, the 6 indicates I'm from Sabah and VX is my invidual call sign.
Other examples are Singapore 9V, Australia VK, Brunei V8, Thailand HS, New Zealand ZL etc. etc.. Each country has a individual prefix designated by the ITU (International Telecommunications Union) based in Switzerland.
posted by 9W6VX @ 5:39 PM
1 comments
1 Comments:
THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE MORSE CODE ARTICLE MONE CAN BUY
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1. Should the morse code be eliminated or should the morse code remain status quo with a reduced word per minute (wpm) speed requirement?
MY ANSWER
I do NOT think morse code should be eliminated.
The morse requirement should be maintained by at 8 wpm instead of the present 12 wpm, BUT maybe Class B holders can have some HF operating privileges. I think Class B holders can operate on HF bands subject to the following restrictions:
Within the 2 years of obtaining Class B license:
HF band privileges – mode: SSB telephony only
40 Meter band – to operate below 7.050Mhz /100 Watts max
2. When is the appropriate time to eliminate Morse Code?
MY ANSWER
There should not be any elimination as above. This will continue for those wishing to get a 9M callsign.
3. If morse code requirement is eliminated, do you think that the proliferation of new services and technology could assist or compliment the use of amateur service during times of emergency, accident and national catastrophe?
MY ANSWER
High tech digital modes could assist or compliment but could not replace CW as a cheap, easy and a simple way to communicate over the air over extremely long distance ie. thousand of miles away. It is madness to think that high tech gear can and will replace CW. CW traffic dominates the HF band today (and not voice chat) and CMC kept getting their facts wrong. Except for a negligible few, Malaysian hams do NOT use digital modes and no one can receive such digital data on air simply because no one can really afford the equipment or took time to even understand them. All HF radios come morse code phone jack (as standard - unlike digital mode) and some HF sets even come standard with CW keyers.
4. One of the distinguishing elements between Class A and Class B amateur of these licensees are Morse Code proficiency. Would the elimination of those classes promote grass root interest in the use of amateur radio?
MY ANSWER
Cancellation of the entire RAE would also create new hams in the thousands. Why not abolish RAE altogether, one might ask. The argument that abolishing the Morse test will make more people interested in the amateur radio service in Malaysia is taken out of context, because Rae is MORE difficult that the morse. If recent statistic is anything to go by, almost one out of two failed the RAE!!
We state that the Morse proficiency or ‘Morse code literate’ is the distinguishing element between ham radios and commercial taxi drivers The old adage - “Any fool can talk into the microphone” couldn’t be more right. Is that CMC wants out of Malaysian hams? Russian retains CW. Why? In UK, the novice level includes a morse appreciation class. Why? In South Africa, it is retained. Why?
5. Kindly submit suggestions or comments on any Morse code related issues that faced by Malaysian Amateur Radio Operators today.
MY ANSWER
• Create VE (Voluntary Examiner) scheme to conduct the Morse test
• Reduce the speed from 12 to 8 wpm
• Change the alphabet and the number test, which is outdated. The Morse test should no longer be divided in to alphabet and number test, but to send a the test text for only 2 minutes (instead of the present 3 minutes) and that numbers (such as dates, weather temperature, time (and punctuations) should be inserted in the text.
• If the speed is reduced to 8 wpm, CMC can encourage budding hams to even sit for the 8 wpm test BEFORE the RAE (since it’s supposed to be more efficient under the VE scheme)
• Have the Morse test every single month. The test is so straightforward and I don’t know why it took CMC too long to work this out. There is no maximum number of re-sits.
• Reduce the test fee.
• Create awareness programme by publishing pamphlets on Morse and RAE. Support the study of amateur radio and Morse (as co-curriculum) at Secondary Schools (Sekolah WAWASAN) nationwide.
• Morse test for the disabled should be seriously looked into, such as for the blind and those with physical disabilities.
QUESTIONS B
1. Should Malaysian amateur radio operators maintain current class of operators or to adopt new classes of operators proposed above? Any comments on proposed classes, or alternatives as to know how to encourage the public about amateur radio without minimizing the standards of amateur radio service in Malaysia?
MY ANSWER
• Maintain the current class A and class B license.
• Class B has some HF privileges, as proposed above.
• Create a new Novice class (Class C) – The Novice exam syllabus will not be as challenging or as tough as the RAE,.
• CMC cannot maintain the erratic and slow pace of RAE exam (worse for Morse test) as we have seen for the last 6 years.
• To immediately cease to lump and dump amateur service in Malaysia into the category of ‘commercial’ or ‘industry oriented’, from amateur radio application forms to the ‘apparatus assignment’ concept which is alien to amateur service and a disregard of our international obligations to give proper and correct recognition to amateur radio service. Amateur repeaters are NOT commercial repeaters.
• CMC to create a budget to improve public awareness of amateur radio service and simplify the admission process.
• AP from SIRIM should be reviewed. No necessity for AP, if there is class and type approval method to be introduced by CMC
• Maintain the current tax exemption for amateur radio sets. This must extend to antennas, meters, calibration equipment, CW accessories, RF amplifiers. This is a key policy to be adopted to get more to join the hobby.
• For the avoidance of doubt, amateur licensees can purchase, own and operate a satellite parabolic dish, at home or mobile.
Should Malaysian amateur radio operators adopt a practical proficiency test additional to the current RAE in order to compensate from the elimination of the Morse Code?
MY ANSWER
I would say NO.
There is NO elimination of Morse code in the first place. Only a reduction from 12 to 8 wpm for those wishing to obtain Class A license. This will forever destroy the argument that Morse test is difficult. Further class B may in any case operate on HF with limited privileges and 100 Watts max.
Practical test will only make the RAE more difficult. I do not support a practical proficiency test.
1. In order to promote the development of amateur radio services in Malaysia, kindly forward your suggestions and opinions to be incorporated into the review of amateur radio services.
Eligible age should be 9 years old. This helps in their mathematics and appreciation of basic electricity and physics when they reach secondary schools. Especially so for the Novice Class.
NO AGE limit for Morse test. If a 6 year old can do Morse (which is widespread in the West), so much the better!
Completely eliminate the “processing fee” when it comes to renewal of ham license.
Create real support for School’s amateur radio clubs. Also in Universities, Technical and Vocational colleges and Army amateur Clubs.
Completely revamp the description “apparatus assignment” for amateur radio
Amateur radio competency (designated skill) is licensed personally to an individual who have showed sufficient technical knowledge in radio electronics after passing the RAE. It is therefore legally wrong to say that it is merely ‘apparatus assignment’, for to say that means amateur radio is part of the commercial communications industry. This is against international law on amateur radio. The reason is not unknown. CMC is too preoccupied with the ‘industry’.
To completely do away with the concept of Certifying Agency that has to be a BERHAD. Amateur Radio Societies in Malaysia and all over the world are non profit societies. In Malaysia, hams have difficulty to even find a place call “Office” or HQ because we have no funds. Let alone running a BERHAD. This is silly because the whole law is designed with commercial interest in mind, and lumping (amateur radio service) ARS in the same group is totally unacceptable.
DE 9M2SZ
MALAYSIA
CW-DXCC
CROATIAN CW TELEGRAPHIC CLUB
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