[CW] FCC's response to fraudulent CW license

[N2EY at aol.com]

In a message dated 8/7/05 7:35:21 PM Eastern Daylight Time, n1ea at arrl.net 
writes:


> Since around 1982, the "Licensed FCC" operators have been a "thorn in the 
> side" of President Reagan - who crazily enough earned the money to be an 
> "extra $$ class" person by radio, and VP George Bush who as owner of Zapata 
> Ships sided with EXXON in eliminating "baggage" such as the CW operator.

It's economics, pure and simple.

How much does it cost to have *one* full time radio operator on a ship? Not 
just salary but benefits, taxes, etc.?

The bean counters look at that price and then see what a GMDRSS system 
supposedly costs, and the numbers make their case.
> 
> Evidence?  Elimination and illegality of CW on any US Department of Defense 
> frequency.
> 
> What's that? -
> 
> Illegality.
> 
> If you send CW - you can be prosecuted.
> 

Why should any ham transmit Morse Code on a DoD frequency?

--



> Wake up hams!
> 


What can be done?

---

Perhaps an analogy from my own line of work will help....

>From the earliest beginnings until about 60 years ago, US railroads were 
mostly powered by steam locomotives. The early ones were woodburners, and there 
were some that burned oil, but most burned coal. For well over a century they 
were the kings of the Iron Road.

Yet in the dozen years following WW2, they completely disappeared from most 
US railroads. A few were preserved in museums, and some still operate on scenic 
and tourist lines, but they are the exception that proves the rule. Like 
sailing ships before them, they were eclipsed by technology.

At first glance, the Diesel electrics that replaced the steamers seemed an 
unlikely choice. The first generation of Diesel locos cost about twice what a 
steamer of comparable horsepower did. Diesels use #2 oil, and are much fussier 
about it than steamers are about coal or bunker oil. The first Diesels were 
much less powerful than the big steamers, and required much more precise 
maintenance and mechanical parts. The first generation Diesel road locos actually 
needed a fireman to operate them properly!

But the Diesels won out because their total cost to operate was lower. 
Multiple Diesel units could operate together, controlled by a single crew. The 
massive infrastructure that provided water and coal to steamers, and removed the 
ashes, was completely eliminated, as were the jobs needed to take care of all 
that stuff, and the taxes paid on the facilities.

Diesels required less heavy maintenance, had no boiler to explode, and could 
run equally well in either direction. A Diesel could be left idling unattended 
in cold weather, ready for instant use, or could be shut down in warm weather 
and restarted in far less time than was needed to get up steam in even a 
small steamer.

So the steam locos, and their water towers, coal dumpers, track pans, ash 
pits, roundhouses, tenders, etc., all became memories. So did many of the jobs 
attached to them. 

It wasn't that the top brass didn't like steamers, or that they were sold a 
bill of goods by the loco builders. It was cost per ton-mile, nothing less, and 
the Diesel-electric won out. The RRs had no choice - they barely survived the 
'60s and '70s even with Diesels.

Yet as wonderful as Diesels are, most railfans are far more interested in 
steam locos. 


73 de Jim, N2EY