[CW] FCC TESTING

[Will White]

Can I ask why *you* say so?

I do agree, for the simple reason that I believe that having a 5 WPM test does
more harm than good, in terms of getting people turned-on to morse code
communication.

I am no QRQ guy here, but even 10 WPM is painfully slow, to actually use on the
air. Five WPM is intolerable.  I don't do it. I won't, unless I hear some poor
soul CQ'ing forever and ever, and then only 2 or 3 short exchanges.
Learning/testing at this speed just frustrates everyone, the ones who just want
to work voice/kb modes and never touch a key, and *also* the ones who would
like to be CW ops, or at least give the mode the old college try.

I won't get into the "filter" argument, i.e. the code keeps the lids/cb-types
out. I like CW very much, and want to see it continue in vigorous use on the
ham bands a long long long time, so I think teaching someone morse at 5 WPM is
a crime, a set-up for failure, and a big waste of (everybody's) time.

KB3CWK@aol.com wrote:

>  i hope the FCC does away with CW im all for that. i hear it may even happen
> next year. any in put on that ? what did you hear ?   73

--
Will White, KD7BFX
Seattle WA US
King County, Grid CN87tq
ITU Zone 6, CQ Zone 3
***************************************************
"The wireless telegraph is not difficult to understand.
The ordinary telegraph is like a very long cat.
You pull the tail in New York, and it meows in Los Angeles.
The wireless is the same, only without the cat."
                                                      - Albert Einstein
***************************************************