[CW] ARRL survey.

[scott mcmullen]

i don't agree with recent arrl policy vis-a-vis
license restructuring, but i have to agree that
'i don't operate cw' is a valid option to include
on the survey. they often have selections on their
polls like this, for example, this recent poll:

Poll date: May 21, 2004
When you operate FM mobile, do you use a full-sized
"mobile transceiver" or a handheld rig?

 I use a full-sized mobile transceiver 44.6 % (1679)
 I use a handheld                      15.9 % (598)
 I use both!                           30.6 % (1154)
 I don't operate FM in the car          3.5 % (132)
 I don't operate FM at all              5.4 % (204)
                                  Total votes: 3767

notice the 'i don't operate fm' options.
and again:

Poll date: April 23, 2004
What is the primary emergency power source for your
station?

Battery and/or solar                   53.3 % (1606)
Gasoline generator                     25.0 % (754)
Wind generator                          0.2 % (5)
Other                                   1.8 % (54)
I don't have an emergency power source 19.7 % (595)
                                 Total votes: 3014

again, notice the 'i don't have an emergency power
source choice'.

the arrl uses a random survey to solicit information
about membership interests. there was a recent
article about this in qst called something like
'a portrait of you' which described the changing
interests and demographics of amateur radio
operators.

the poll on the arrl web site is to easy to 
"cheat" on for them to rely on it. you can 
actually vote as many times as you like if 
you delete the cookie set by the poll using
your browser. i'm sure some members of the no
code crowd have figured that out and that is
possibly the largest source of votes in the
'I don't operate CW' category, as well as a
significant source of the votes in the other
categories as well.

73
scott nj0e


=====
Scott McMullen, NJ0E
http://www.geocities.com/scottamcmullen
scottamcmullen at yahoo.com
Dripping Springs, Texas


	
		
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