[CW] Ain't it awful?

[KØHB]

Somebody wrote

> Don't look now, but ham radio has been going downhill a lot longer than
> 12 years.  Most "old timers" refer to the '50's and '60's as the "Golden
> Era" of amateur radio, and from all accounts, they were right.  It was
> in the late '60's when they started playing with the licensing requirements,
> and Incentive Licensing, which was botched by the ARRL by not
> making adequate grandfathering provisions, began the NCTA and the
> ultimate Balkanization of the ARS we experience now.  As to when
> ham radio is going to "crash," I'd say that's pretty much already
> happened, as of 4/15/2000 with the announcement of "Restructuring."


Larry, your jeremiad is not original. This same dismayed chant has
been going on for 90 years, ever since 1912 when Hiram Percy Maxim
was forced to give up his call, "SNY", move above 200 meters, and
knuckle under to government regulation including a (gasp) 5WPM
Morse test.

"Ain't it awful what they've done to us?" was the cry.  But ham radio
went on and flourished.

Then in 1919 they raised the Morse test to 10WPM.

"Ain't it awful what they've done to us?" was the cry.  But ham radio
went on and flourished.

Throughout the 20's CW gradually replaced King Spark, and spark was
eventually outlawed.

"Ain't it awful what they've done to us?" was the cry.  But ham radio
went on and flourished.

In 1923 they introduced something called "Amateur Extra First Grade"
with special calls and privileges.  The class was discontinued
when only 6 people applied in 1926.

"Ain't it awful what they've done to us?" was the cry.  But ham radio
went on and flourished.

Then in 1927 they reduced the license classes from two to only one
class.  Old "Second Grade" had to upgrade within one year, or go
QRT.

"Ain't it awful what they've done to us?" was the cry.  But ham radio
went on and flourished.

In 1932 they changed it all again, dividing us up into Class A, B,
and C, all with a 10WPM code test.

"Ain't it awful what they've done to us?" was the cry.  But ham radio
went on and flourished.

In 1936 they said there were too many new hams coming into the
hobby, so they raised the Morse test speed to 13WPM.

"Ain't it awful what they've done to us?" was the cry.  But ham radio
went on and flourished.

In the early 50's they renamed everybody from A, B, or C to
Advanced, General, or Conditional. They also introduced 3
new license classes called Novice, and Technician at 5WPM, and
Extra at 20WPM.

"Ain't it awful what they've done to us?" was the cry.  But ham radio
went on and flourished.

In the late 60's they invented something called Incentive Licensing.

"Ain't it awful what they've done to us?" was the cry.  But ham radio
went on and flourished.

In 1976 they quit requiring us to certify we had been on the air
for 12 hours last year (for renewal).  They also ended the
Conditional license.

"Ain't it awful what they've done to us?" was the cry.  But ham radio
went on and flourished.

In 1991 they removed the Morse requirement for VHF/UHF-only
licensees.

"Ain't it awful what they've done to us?" was the cry.  But ham radio
went on and flourished.

In 2000 they changed Morse testing back to the 1912 requirement of
5WPM, and the number of classes to 3.

"Ain't it awful what they've done to us?" is the cry.

With all kind wishes,

de Hans, K0HB