[CW] Dumb down not justified - excuse the abortion, I accidentally hit `send' for `spell check'

Mon, 07 Jul 2003 00:11:08 +0000

  You said: "we are better off WITHOUT those who chose to "give up."
I don't think it was necessarily a choice, I don't think I had a choice.
I tried to learn cw for 20+ years without success. I don't think any
book has been of any help to me, in fact I think they were part
of my problem, I learned the Morse code visually instead by melody.
   I have a friend that built a receiver (in the 20's) and listening
to it he learned the Morse code.  I took 5 two hour classes in a
friend's kitchen and got my novice license. (Without the numbers
or punctuation!)
   Until I joined a local HAM club that had code classes to HELP ME I
tried and struggled for over 20 years to learn to become a competent
cw operator.  I went from 2 or 3 wpm to 12 or 13 wpm in 13 weeks,
several of my class mates that started at 0 passed their 20 wpm test,
several never took the written test, they just didn't care to become
HAMs. I guess those are your kind of HAMs.

As I said: "Some folks had no trouble learning cw, the rest failed . . ."
   It is hard for some folks, that had no trouble learning cw to realize
everyone can not learn the skills of Morse code in one year, with no help,
and no idea how or where to acquire these skills.
   If "Natural Selection" means only those that had no trouble or had
some kind of help learning cw, belong in HAM Radio, it is a sorry society
indeed, I had no idea.

   HAM Radio failed it's self horribly when thousands of military radio
operators left the service after the war to became HAMs, with the attitude
"learning the skills of Morse code in one year, with no help, and no idea
how or where to acquire these skills" is a proper "write of passage" that 
everyone must pass through, even though they learned Morse code over
6 to 16 (or more) weeks of 7 hours/5 days a week of `commercial
operator quality' training, AND failed to set up code classes for ALL
prospective HAMs, other than one limited enrollment class a year, at
one time of the day.

   I do not believe challenges are not that much help if you can't figure
out how or where to learn the skills of Morse code.
  Challenges can surely make you a better operator, but when you don't
understand the first "Q" signal or any abbreviations or numbers, not being
able to copy solid sure makes it hard to figure out what you just copied
or if you copied it correctly.  This is one of the wonderful things about
the ARRL code practice sessions, gud signal and copy that you can look up.
   I think every HAM should belong to a local HAM club, and those with
teaching skills should teach anyone willing to take the classes (FREE
classes) everything they know.  It will make the hobby better and give our 
government (where ever you live) a valuable resource.
   Did you ever see the movie "Independence Day"?  Ham Radio saved the
earth from the uglies! (it's on our FOX affiliate here tonight at 7 pm EST)

   Ron 73

> You have made a point in favor of that which you argue against. I started 
> out as a crystal-controlled Novice in February 1958 (Age 14). I made MANY 
> contacts in that "unusable" 40M CW band with my old Globe Chief and 
> Knight R100A (later replaced with an NC-183D). Sure it was sometimes 
> difficult, but to some, the challenge made it fun, not an excuse to give 
> up. I passed my General in September of the same year. 
> 
> I firmly believe, although I am called an old curmudgeon and misanthrope 
> for saying so, that we are better off WITHOUT those who chose to "give 
> up."  I believe Darwin had a similar theory, he called it "Natural 
> Selection."
> 
> Unfortunately, challenges are considered "politically incorrect" these 
> days. Anything that prevents the laziest, or, dare I say, dumbest person 
> to get what he wants is frowned upon, and probably overturned in the 
> courts at the behest of the ACLU. Illiterates graduate from High School 
> (and College, too, if they can play Basketball). It is sad to see the 
> same movement "giving away" a hobby and pursuit I have enjoyed for 44+ 
> years.
-- 
        73 (= Best Regards) de: Ron [email protected]
     100% Slack. since July, 1997 (still free!) SENT D&T are UTC
        Visit my HAM Web SITE at: http://www.qsl.net/ka4inm