[CW] Re: QSK?

[Fred Adsit]

I agree, Pedro. I know nearly all ships & shore stations don't use CW, & =
MARS won't permit it, but HAMS worldwide use it. One need only listen to =
a CW contest weekend to prove it - especially the skill level still =
extant. Hams will save the mode. Every day there are hams ready to have =
a CW QSO. Some are very new and slow. Fine. I like ragchews. Speed =
doesn't matter. They won't develop speed skills unless we welcome them. =
Many ham shack systems are so computerized they cannot work QSK by my =
definition of it - my computer setup could not keep up with my key & rig =
in QSK mode so the keyboard interface has been removed & is for sale. I =
did not build the interface I had planned on, & I don't miss it either. =
I like keys.=20

As for QSK, Ten-Tec in particular is unbeatable, but that is due to =
their basic design. QSK on my TS-570DG is not QSK really, not by my =
standards, but it is good enough up to about 40 wpm to catch any =
breakins. I don't routinely operate in that speed range anyway. The =
bells & whistles & fully informative display are far better than on most =
other rigs, but the filtering is what one pays for - audio DSP is next =
to worthless in crowded band condx. But at least the very narrow =
filtering is there, and I have learned how to get out of it the best it =
can provide, which is lots for the money, & shows the innovative =
practical brainpower of the Japanese ham who designed it. I have owned =
TenTecs, Yeasus, & Kenwoods. Considering I do not have properly working =
antennas at the moment, waiting for some good weather to get working on =
them, I am not on much. But look at the surveys, such as the one on the =
ARRL site. Hams are using CW. A LOT.=20

So I am sorry, David, I don't think we should be living in the past. We =
need to document it for the historical record, yes. Our heritage is =
important. Some elite military personnel still know CW. But CW's future =
is in HAM radio.. or it Will be if we use it & preserve some band space =
uncluttered with phone & other modes which make copy miserable no matter =
how good the filtering. =20

This is a CW forum, & it does not say we cannot talk about non-ham CW =
matters. But the reality is, we need to concentrate on just that - =
reality. The fact non-ham CW has essentially died has nothing to do with =
us hams at all. Reality is, we hams are the CW ops from now on.

SRI for taking up the bandwidth, but there's room & I just used it. =
Cheers. Onward ! We are all friends here, bonded by a common radio =
operating mode if nothing else. Arguing is destructive, but debate is =
healthy.

Ugly world out there. I feel a moral imperative to pursue that topic. =
But I know it won't play here, so I will reluctantly spare you That =
bandwidth. Keywords: There is no "rapture". Christ. Antichrist. Last =
generation. Millennium. Judgment. Eternity. Lake of Fire.=20

73
ZUT!
Fred Adsit, NY2V - FISTS 1293
ex-W2ZOJ - 1948
W2ZOJ - ZUT ARC -FISTS 7900
ZUT: "CW Forever"

----- Original Message -----
>From: "Pedro J. Santa" <pjs123@attglobal.net>
>To: "David J. Ring Jr - N1EA" <n1ea@arrl.net>, <cw@mailman.qth.net>
>Subject: Re: [CW] Re: QSK?
>Date: Sat, 15 Mar 2003 01:51:17 -0400
>
>This business about which countries keep boats manned by CW operators =
may
>be of interest to all of us Morse Code historians and others.  =
Nevertheless, I
>just don't see why these comments about what naval armadas do today =
could
>even arguably relate to CW operation by hams--the only radio operators =
who
>don't rely on infrasctructures to facilitate their worldwide =
transmissions.
>My comments regarding CW operation, as they relate to the topics =
relevant to
>this reflector, have nothing to do with what naval fleets in the world =
use
>today for their radio transmissions.
>
>Anyway, I remain at a loss to ascertain what is the prevailing subject =
of
>discussion in this supposed "CW reflector".  None of the comments I've =
read
>thus far tonight detract from the truth that CW is alive and well;  =
that it
>is a favorite mode of operation for a great deal of licensed hams, that =
it
>is by far the best brain to touch mode for wireless operation nowadays, =
that
>nothing compares to it in terms of reach, efficiency, excitement and =
the
>like, etc...
>
>Comments about the alleged disdain of CW by the Japanese, the claimed
>inefficacy of Japan-made rigs when it comes to CW and the remnants of =
Morse
>Code use by naval fleets of certain countries are just pure nonsense =
when
>gauged against the backdrop of the topic we are supposed to pursue here =
in
>this forum.