[Elecraft] Dropping the Code Test

[Matt Osborn]

On Sat, 3 Sep 2005 10:03:28 EDT, N2EY at aol.com wrote:

>
>But will dropping Element 1 cause the bands to be "full"? Is the Morse Code 
>exam so difficult that it stops large numbers of would-be hams?

The ability to read Morse Code is a talent which people possess to a
greater or lessor degree.  Like reading and math, geometry vs algebra,
some find Morse relatively simple while others find it very difficult.

I'm a 59 year old software engineer who decided last May to try
Amateur Radio.  I spent two weeks earning the technician license, not
tough at all.   I bought a K2 with all QRP options, assembled the
kits, learned a lot about electronics, radios  and operating.  I'm
currently studying for the Extra license.

I've spent 30-45 minutes every day since May listening to Morse Code
and I still can't get pass 'g'.  I've tried all known methods, Chuck
Adams CD, the Koch method (G4FON), flash cards, sending first, etc.
There is a disconnect somewhere between the Morse Code and
intelligibility.

I've tried to identify why Morse is so difficult to learn.  There is
the problem of translation of dits and dahs to letters. I've avoided
that problem by learning at 13 WPM character speed.

To me, each character presents itself as a sequence of one or more
sounds.  Combined into individual characters, these 'tunes' are
straight forward and easy to identify. When placed in context with
other characters, however, the sequence of sounds that make up
individual characters merge with sounds of the leading and trailing
characters such that they lose their correct associations.  In short,
they don't make any sense.

How many give up the hobby because Morse Code is so difficult for them
to learn is impossible to know.  They didn't become hams first and
then quit, so there really is no record. We could look at the numbers
of technicians who have stayed Technicians over the years.  Is it
Morse Code that keeps so many Technicians from becoming Generals?  I
don't know, but I do know that the test for General is a piece of
cake, not more than a week or two of study.

The final aspect is the number of Technicians.  Does the number of
Technicians accurately reflect the number of people who wish to become
Hams but can't (or won't) learn Morse Code?  Again, not having studied
the numbers, I simply don't know.

It is reasonable to assume that Technicians who lack the wherewithal
to seriously pursue line of sight communications soon lose interest in
the service.  That is, there might very well be a high turnover rate
among Technicians.  Many come in, some stay and some drop out.

Then of course, there are those who refuse to even consider learning
Morse Code and never enter the hobby at all.  We have no way of
knowing about these folks except that 'I can't learn Morse Code' is an
oft heard phrase. The latter is often, wrongly in my opinion,
discounted as laziness by Morse operators

All in all, I would suggest that Morse Code is a significant barrier
to the service.  Does the value of that barrier offset its cost?