[Boatanchors] What's the code

[flood at Krohne.com]

I hate to continue this thread on this list but some of you "Old Buzzards" 
have me a bit puzzled here.  Perhaps it's different elsewhere in the 
states but in Eastern MA/ Southern NH., nearly all of ( excluding me as 
I've been around dusty BA's and this crowd to long) the "evil" no code 
Tech's I've heard are some of the most courteous, polite, and considerate 
operators I've heard over the past few years.  In  many cases a whole lot 
better than some of the pissin', moaning, and fighting I hear floating 
from my racks of gear that are in constant battle with the air 
conditioner. 

As I sit back and try to look at these replies I see a few key threads, 
first and most pathetic, IMHO, is the "I did it so should everyone else 
for eternity".  Thankfully, that wont play as if it did we would all have 
to get out the hand crank to start up our car in the morning.  Then there 
is the "CW is the most reliable means of com. in tough conditions" crowd. 
True I wont disagree, in fact I look up to and have respect for the old 
(or young) brass pounder who can copy 40+wpm, chew gum, and ogle at the 
pretty girl next door all at the same time.  How many of these guys can 
set up a radio based high speed digital com system as fast as they can 
build an oscillator and get a 1N34, wire and headphones to copy and send 
signals.  Open your minds boys and girls. Both are nearly just as 
important these days when the shtuff hits the fan.  The dummying down 
lot,... Hmmm....,  seems to me heading down the path with blinders on to 
stubborn to try something new and enhance the good parts of it sounds a 
bit dummying to me.

My vintage setup(s) are looking pretty good at this point with loads of 
help from a lot of really great people both here on the list and local 
elmers.  As far as I'm concerned, If you wont answer my call in a few 
months because I didn't pass a telegraphy test, fine, You know I scored 
pretty well when I passed the written general test and without even 
studying I can almost pass the extra practice test on-line.  I'm not sure 
if I really want to talk to someone that closed minded anyway.  It's too 
bad, I'm sure I could learn loads of stuff from you and would listen 
endlessly to all of the stories of your life's experiences, both in and 
away from radio.  You know, I bet I could also teach you a few things as 
well, like how to get used commercial 2way gear for next to nothing, 
something we all seem to love to do, and have it operating on ham bands in 
no time, with great results.  But I guess you'll miss out on that.  Oh 
well, some kind soul will answer me, I suspect, we'll have loads of fun 
when I tell him how many times I've burnt, bruised, cut, and shocked 
myself getting this stuff running.  Perhaps we'll QSO again and again and 
might meet each other at a fester as I'm draggin' some God awful heavy 
piece of junk back to my car.  I'll buy him lunch and we'll talk some more 
and you know I just might have that piece of unobtanium in my pile o' 
stuff he's been looking for for ages.  I'll give it to him and smile.  Yes 
those are the people I want to meet on HF

As for the rest of you sorry lot,  I am sorry for you in that you are not 
flexible enough to, if not embrace change, at least accept it and develop 
and enhance the better parts of it for improvement of the service/hobby. I 
wonder what could drag us down faster, new blood without code, in some 
cases, helped out by great elmers or a bunch of wankers crying because 
someone got a better deal than they did?  Then again I guess you guys 
stopped reading this long ago.....

One thing for sure, lets all be thankful we live in a place where we can 
freely flame each other like this.  Now stop getting me all wound up!

John Flood KB1FQG
TASC Department
KROHNE, Inc
7 Dearborn Rd.
Peabody, MA   01960
Tel.:  978-535-6060 / 800-356-9464
Fax:   978-535-8180