Hong Kong dropping Morse requirement:
Hong Kong has become the latest country to announce it will drop the
requirement that Amateur Radio applicants pass a Morse code examination for access to
frequencies below 30 MHz. In conjunction with the announcement, Hong Kong will
cancel all existing amateur station license (ASL) classes (and/or authority
to operate), replacing them with a new authorization that does not carry a
license class. "The existing Intermediate and Restricted class of ASL holders are
allowed similar operational privileges as the existing Full class of ASL
holders," the Office of the Telecommunications Authority (OFTA) announced February
11. OFTA also opened the 430 to 440 MHz band for portable and mobile operation
and allocated 10.45 to 10.5 GHz to the Amateur Service. OFTA did not specify
an implementation date for the changes but indicated they would "come into
effect soon."
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Bob Reed, W2CE
Toms River, NJ 08757
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