[CW] CW going away - not for me !

[Donald Chester]

>From: "Joe Cotignola" <joecot@superlink.net>


>Seen a few postings as to whether cw will be dropped at the FCC level..

You may have misinterpreted what they were saying.  I think they were 
talking about whether or not the CW requirement will be dropped from the 
amateur exams. There's been a load of speculation in that direction lately, 
and many countries are pushing for it at the next WARC.  Recently, the 
Russians and the Germans have expressed misgivings about the idea.  It isn't 
a sure thing just yet.

If the requirement is dropped internationally, chances are it will be 
dropped by the FCC as well.  Too many no-coders licensed.  I think the last 
statistics I saw were that there were more codeless techs than all other 
classes combined, or at least  many more than any other single licence 
class.  If the exam requirement is dropped, newcomers to CW will dwindle to 
a slower trickle than it already is.  Let's be  realistic. The vast majority 
of us never would have bothered to learn telegraphy if it hadn't been a 
licensing requirement.

I have noticed in the last few years, part of the standard exchange in a CW 
QSO, in addition to one's QTH, name and RST is one's age and how long one 
has been licensed.  I rarely hear this in phone QSO's.  Most of the stations 
I work are at least in their mid-50's, usually in their 60's or 70's, and 
not infrequently in their mid to late 80's.  Usually licensed 25 years or 
more.  Before long, the CW generation will be going the way WWII vets are 
going today.

As the population of hams proficient in CW dwindles, there will be less 
activity on the air.  I can imagine a decade or two from now, with no more 
code tests, you will occasionally hear a CW QSO in some obscure spot in the 
HF bands, and that's about all that will be left. But I predict there will 
always be a few, for decades to come.  Remember, the "death" of AM phone was 
touted more than 40 years ago, but there is still a sunstainable AM 
community.

Don K4KYV

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