[CW] VEC, VE, FCC, ARRL, W5YI

[Rein A. Smit]

    Hi Greg and All,

    Still do not quite understand that relationship VEC/FCC/ARRL in detail.

    In most countries outside the US, the testing was in the hands of the local
    radio administrations. ( PTT, telephone and telegraph  and the like ) as it 
    was in the US for a long time.
    And I believe most, if not all of these national communication administrations
    just follow what the ITU decides. Period, end of discussion. See G, HB, DL etc.
    It is like the rules of the Sea or perhaps rules in Aviation, Fishing  etc.
    
    Then as part of the continuous battle about the role of the Federal Government
    in the US, one of the 2 parties forced the FCC to do away with it,( shorted
    story,) and other countries just had to do the same, as the US had done it and
    it HAD to be the right thing to do ( other shorted story ) because the US is 
    always the leader. 

    Coming from a small country with quite an active radio amateur population
    it is hard to understand and to swallow all the talk about battles, 
    dumming down, prestige, in connection to a mode of radio communication.

    Still many here are blaming the ARRL for a stand or the lack there of but
    we have the VEC,s asking the FCC, no ARRL input as far as I can see.

    I have the 1st and 2d print of ON4UN's book and in his book I have never seen
    any comments or concerns about code speed or dumming up or down. 
    What he is writing about in great detail is Noise Figure, antenne gain, Intermod,
    Mixing, filtering and quite a few other concerns regarding making QSO's under 
    difficult conditions, I guess John takes it for granted that radio amateurs who
    are interested in that soort of communication use CW and teach themselves how to
    participate in a pile up, or contest. Just tools of the trade.

    Difficult for me at least.

    73 Rein PA0ZN