CQ NEWS (Press Release). Richard Moseson, W2VU, Editorial Director, sent out the following on January 18th: "WorldRadio Online Analysis Shows Ham Activity, Code Use, Both Up Since End of Code Testing -- An analysis by WorldRadio Online columnist Randall Noon, KC0CCR, suggests that levels of on-air ham activity and Morse code usage both have increased since the FCC dropped the requirement for Morse code testing in early 2007. Noon is the magazine's FISTS columnist. FISTS is an organization that promotes the use of Morse code among hams. Writing in the February issue of WorldRadio Online, Noon based his analysis on a combination of FCC licensing statistics and published results of ARRL Field Day activity from 2005 to 2009. He used Field Day data on the assumption that 'people who participate in Field Day are at least minimally active hams.'Comparing statistics for Field Day activity with the total number of licensees, Noon determined that both the raw number and the percentage of licensed hams operating in Field Day had increased since 2007. In addition, he found that the number of Morse code (CW) contacts in Field Day had increased as well, hitting an all-time peak in 2009. This is significant, he says, 'because it is assumed that hams will use the same modes on Field Day that they do when operating at other times.'
Since the FCC stopped requiring code tests, Noon concluded, 'it appears that the use of CW has gained in absolute usage because the newer hams licensed since 2007 appear to be more actively engaged in the hobby, as evident by the higher levels of participation in Field Day.' Noon's complete analysis appears in the February 2011 issue of World-Radio Online, which will be posted on or about January 20 on www.worldradiomagazine.com. The magazine is available to readers at no charge.
WorldRadio Online is an advertiser-supported publication of CQ Communications, Inc., which also publishes CQ Amateur Radio, CQ VHF and Popular Communications magazines. Richard Fisher, KI6SN, is the Editor."
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