[Elecraft] OT: VOA Article about Hams in India

[Douglas Westover]

You want hidebound "middle aged white guys" just listen to
14208 in the morning. SSB hurts my ears, CW forever!

Doug
W6JD

----- Original Message -----
From: "Stephen W. Kercel" <kercel1 at suscom-maine.net>
To: "Elecraft Reflector" <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2005 8:57 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] OT: VOA Article about Hams in India


> 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
>
>
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