[Boatanchors] A short Vent
Rob Atkinson
ranchorobbo at gmail.com
Sun Dec 28 11:30:00 EST 2014
Glen hit the nail on the head; no need to reiterate what he posted.
I'll only add that eliminating the CW test was a mistake, not for the
reason many think, but because it relieved the need for knowledge of
CW and therefore, any reason to build, test and operate the most basic
and simple of all (legal) ham rigs, a CW rig. Naysayers will argue
anyone can learn CW if they want, but removing the CW test interrupted
an educational process that started with learning the code, followed
by constructing and operating a homebrew rig. Naysayers will state
that anyone can build a rig if they want, but if you don't know CW,
how will you learn about and enjoy a simple basic transmitter? How
do you identify a rig you are testing that isn't ready to be modulated
if you don't know the code? How do you test an antenna system with a
few watts CW if you don't know the code so you can ID your signal?
The original parallel path of CW testing, license exams along with
assembling a basic HF station needs to be returned to. It was a
mistake to eliminate all that. I understand new hams now start out on
2 m FM and rapidly get bored. What a surprise. What a mistake.
73
Rob
K5UJ
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