[CW] Dissing the ARRL

Wed, 07 Jan 2004 16:06:59 -0600

I have been following this thread about CW and its need and found some interesting things.
1. CW is alive and well...just listen to 40 meters in the wee hours of the morning.
2. CW will be with us for decades to come.
3. I for one still use either a straight key and now a BK-100 Japanese bug...but will never
go to a set of paddles or a keyboard to generate CW.
4. As far as requiring CW to get a ham licence...who cares?  CW is fun for those who like
to use it is not necessary for the rest of the world.
5. I feel that it is more important to the ham community that new modes are important.
I remember when SSB first started and the doomsday hams predicted that ham radio was done.
6. Progress is the key to the survival of of ham ardio.

At 03:45 PM 1/7/2004 -0600, Tony Martin W4FOA wrote:

>John,
>
>Part of what you say is very true, especially regarding the lack of
>recruitment from within the CW ranks as well as the fact that "Elmers" are
>unfortunately almost a thing of the past.  However, I think you have missed
>the MAIN reason, that being the very fact that CW is no longer required to
>get a ham license..(after all, 5 WPM requires practically no skill).  The
>average new ham takes the path of least resistance....if there was a serious
>CW requirement, you might have less hams but at least there would be some
>effort required...."if it's worth having, it's worth working for".  I can't
>imagine being restricted to "a shack on the belt". Heck, my cell phone does
>a better job and I don't have to "identify" or ask "anybody using the
>frequency"?
>
>Some of the blame falls on each of us, some of the blame falls on ARRL, and
>some of the blame falls on today's society.  So many people today in North
>America simply want something for nothing!  I think it is unfair to cast any
>blame at the FISTS organization...at least they are trying to do something.
>I try my best to encourage the new hams to at least give CW a fair shake and
>I'm happy to report, several have taken the challenge and are enjoying CW.
>
>Just my opinion...YMMV.
>
>--...  ...--  (73 for the CW challenged)
>
>Tony, W4FOA
>Chickamauga, GA
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "John Rippey" <[email protected]>
>To: <[email protected]>
>Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2004 2:04 PM
>Subject: [CW] Dissing the ARRL
>
>
>> I would like to ask the ARRL bashers what goal is being sought here?
>>
>> The pro-Morse-code argument on this web site can be reduced to a demand
>> that the Federal government continue a Morse testing requirement. In other
>> words, some CW ops want a federal bailout, just like many other interest
>> groups do, ranging from illegal immigrants to Dakota wheat growers.
>>
>> Asking Uncle Sam's help implies that CW cannot stand on its own as an
>> appealing way to communicate and therefore must be mandated by federal
>law.
>> This may also mean, couldn't it, that CW enthusiasts over the years have
>> not bothered to promote the mode and recruit newcomers to it? If there had
>> been a conscious, organized, directed recruitment program (ever heard of
>> Amway? What has FISTS been doing all these years?), there likely would be
>> lots more CW ops today and far less need for the ongoing hand-wringing.
>The
>> alternative argument, of course, is that no amount of vigorous recruitment
>> would have been be able to attract newcomers to a dying mode. Since no
>> serious recruitment effort was made, either supposition may be correct.
>>
>> No matter, that horse is out of the barn and I find it unseemly that a
>> number of our fellow citizens are looking to Uncle Sam as our savior once
>> again to make up for one more private-sector failure.
>>
>> 73,
>> John, W3ULS
>>
>> _______________________________________________
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>> [email protected]
>> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/cw
>
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