[CW] Another viewpoint

[Anthony W. DePrato]

>
>1.  I first got interested in amateur radio at age 8 or 9.  I got my first
>license 40 years later because my perception of the test process was that it
>was too difficult.  (I had no one to elmer me at the time.)

all good things are difficult if it is not worth working hard to get then 
it is not worth anything, that is why so many drop out of ham radio now, 
and have for the past 15 yrs . if it is given to you the ez way and you do 
not have to work for it then it really means very little.

>2.  Four months after passing my tech exam I passed the 5 wpm cw test to get
>my tech plus.  I found out that I was most attracted to cw even though it is
>a struggle for me.  After passing my general class theory test I failed 13
>wpm twice!  Were it not for restructuring I would never have been a general
>class.
>3.  I passed my extra class exam after studying the study guides for about
>10-12 hrs a day for 2 weeks.


if you can spend that much time on studying the questions and answers then 
why could you not spend that much time on the code ?

>4.  I am active in the local amateur radio scene.  I have served as
>president of our local club, taught several tech classes and am an ARRL
>sponsored VE.  These platforms have all given me the opportunity to promote
>CW (even though I still only can do about 15 wpm on a good day).

this seems to tell me that if you had spent more time on the code you would 
have passed the 13wpm i had a guy take it 11 times before he passed. but 
pass he did and he was not going to give up. he is now a great cw op at 30 
wpm..

>5.  If I still had to go take a test a the FCC office etc as in the past, I
>would probably not be a ham and would not have the opportunity to promote
>CW.

again sounds like a problem putting in effort and setting a goal and making 
up your mind to reach that goal

>6. My final point.  Making entry into ham radio reasonable will sell more
>radios.  If the major radio mfrs sell more radios they will be in a stronger
>position, along with the ARRL to protect the existing spectrum.

this is NOT TRUE they have been telling us this since  1967and it is just 
not true never was never will be. if you look at the record as to the 
number of new hams that got a ticket to the number that have dropped out it 
may surprise you. we have had only about a 10% staying rate since the 
dumbing down of the tests started in the 80's . FCC records show this.  it 
become too ez and very little effort had to be put out to obtain a ticket. 
most had little or no pride in what they had earned and soon tired . most 
just spent time on 2 meter fm and never upgraded to see what ham radio is 
really about.


>  As to
>modes, phone will most likely always be more visible.  It needs to be to
>feed the public's perception of amateur radio as an emergency service and
>hence deserving of the bands.  With no spectrum, CW ops will have no place
>to operate either.  I believe we would do ourselves well, not to criticize
>the ARRL, but to say we will support whatever decisions the board needs to
>make to preserve amateur radio and here's what we want in exchange for the
>support.

let me ask you one question WHEN did the ARRL every ask you as a member how 
you feel on a subject. ? or do they just make  rules as they see fit and 
some of us just follow along.
i do not mean this in any way as disrespectful. i thank you for stating 
your feelings but i just think a little more information as to what the 
ARRL has been doing for the past 20 yrs might change your mind. do go back 
and start in the last 60's and follow what has happened.
with respect
Tony WA4JQS


>72/73
>Bruce Shaw
>AG4NY
>Snow Camp NC