[CW] cw operator's age

[Jason Artz]

Hello Al,

I am 29 years old and operate 100% CW, usually around
27-30WPM.

I started when I was 18 and then was QRT for almost 10
years.  Just got back into it about a year ago.

Nobody in my family's a ham.  The challenge of
learning a new "language" was actually a lot of what
appealed to me -- plus some goading by my elmer.

The current licensing scheme, in my opinion, removes
much of that challenge and achievement factor,
unfortunately. 

I don't volunteer my age - if they say theirs, I'll
say mine.  They usually ask for a repeat. 29? :)  

I believe there are other young-ish CW ops out there,
but I rarely come across them.

A lot of them might just be DXers or contesters -- not
rag chewing.  

Most people my age probably don't have time to
operate.  Heck, I barely have time.  And unless they
got their licenses young, they weren't forced to learn
CW at a meaningful speed (I passed the 20wpm at age
19, but most of my peers were NCTs), and probably
never had much fun with it on the air.  My first rig
was loaned to me without a mic, so it was CW or bust. 
And I liked it.

But once I have a kid... I may be QRT for a while
again.

73,
Jason
ak7v



--- Alfred Lorona <w6wqc at dslextreme.com> wrote:

> I recorded the ages of the past 26 ops I contacted
> on 40 meter CW who volunteered their age. The
> average age for the 26 ops is 65. The youngest was
> 49 and the oldest was 91. Six were in the 50's age
> group. 13 were in the 60's age group. 3 were in the
> 70's age group. 2 were in the 80's age group. One
> each in the 49 and 90 age group. What do you make of
> this?
> 
> 73, AL, w6wqc
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