[Elecraft] OT: VOA Article about Hams in India

[Stephen W. Kercel]

Hi Fred:

I'm very encouraged that some young people are taking up ham radio. Given 
the "politically correct" attitude of the times, I have heard ham radio 
dismissed as a "middle aged white guy's" amusement. It is good that events 
show that this is not strictly true.

Frankly, I hope that a lot of newcomers do take up the more sophisticated 
digital modes. Ham radio has always had a tradition of advancing the 
technology, and now is no time to stop. Although I think that there will 
always be CW, I suspect that the analogy to sailing is very sound. It will 
be a popular (and even indispensable) niche within a much wider range of 
activities.

Your point about publicizing the no-infrastructure character of CW is well 
taken. Beyond that, with rare exceptions nobody but hams use CW these days. 
We're keeping the art from becoming lost.

BTW. I'm strictly CW myself. I tried operating SSB a few times but could 
never get the hang of it. CW is far less difficult.

73,

Steve
AA4AK


At 07:01 PM 1/5/2005 -0800, you wrote:
>Hi Steve,
>
>We are of a similar mind.  I too was initially dismayed at the
>possibility that CW would be dropped, in the US and worldwide, as a
>licensing requirement.  Your response was somewhat courageous in these
>polarized times.  I think I've begun to realize that any newcomer to the
>hobby, and the younger the better, is an asset.  Some will embrace CW,
>some will go for FM and repeaters, some (the really young ones) will
>advance the digital radio arts.  All of it benefits you and me.
>
>Here in Placer County, the HS students must complete a Senior Project to
>graduate.  It is something they must "do", just not report on.  I serve
>on the community boards for these students, and it is something I look
>forward to each and every year ... it renews my faith in the coming
>generations.  Two years ago, I was a mentor (a required part of the
>project) for the son of a ham friend.  Like all 18 yr olds, he was a bit
>distracted at times during the project ... we raised four kids, we're
>somewhat aclimated!  Of course, I was not on his Community Board.
>
>He got his license -- that was the goal of his project.  For his
>Community Board presentation (I wasn't on it of course), he operated
>from my station in the CQ WPX using his Dad's call ... a WX6 prefix,
>presented a description of ham radio, emergency service, and his
>experience in the contest ... and got hooked on the competition.
>Somewhere, he figured out that phone was one mode, but there were
>others, and CW wasn't that hard to learn (he was still young, that's
>when we all did it, no?)
>
>Infrastructure-free communications is still a critical issue in times of
>severe disaster.  I wish there was more "press" about it.
>
>73,
>
>Fred K6DGW
>Auburn, CA CM98lw