[CW] Dissing the ARRL

Sat, 10 Jan 2004 11:58:46 -0600

True.
I hated it, even though I found it easy to learn.  I didn't use it for
months when I got on HF, because there were thousands of "new" things to do.
But as I accomplished some of my goals, and as conditions for DX worsened
with the fading of the sunspots, I got into it, and now use it all the time.

But at the same time, I got turned off by all the potential Elmers, who
instead of encouraging me to get my speed up, came on this list (and others)
and bitched about "lowering standards" ruining the bands.

Get real.  Get out there and TEACH someone to do it right.  Not to do it
YOUR WAY, but the RIGHT way.  Realize that some people will never use CW, so
teach them electronics, or tubes, or antenna design, and definitely teach
them all protocol and etiquette.  And when you find one that loves the
code - make them BETTER than you are.

But don't force anyone to learn something they don't absolutely HAVE to
know.  That wil turn them off.  RF safety is one area that all hams need to
know - and I daresay that many QCWA hams don't - because it wasn't an issue
when they got licenses, so unless they picked it up on their own.....  But
Morse is NOT, beyond recognizing what it is, so as not to inadvertently
interfere with it (which falls under etiquette, see above).

Make it fun, and they'll learn it anyway - make it required and
unnecessarily hard, and you just run potential good ops off.

Jay
AD5PE
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bob Wilder" <[email protected]>
To: "Tony Martin W4FOA" <[email protected]>; <[email protected]>; "John
Rippey" <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, January 07, 2004 4:06 PM
Subject: Re: [CW] Dissing the ARRL

> 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
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> CW mailing list
> >> [email protected]
> >> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/cw
> >
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