QRE: [Elecraft] Slow Code Watering Holes?

Tue Jun 27 00:37:21 EDT 2006

Kevin, the work you're doing with ECN represents the finest in giving back
to the hobby, as far as I'm concerned. You'll never know how many Have had
an enjoyable time and sharpened their skills just because you've gone out of
your way to enjoy CW by helping others enjoy CW. 

I see you know about "Pay Forward". It's a vitally important concept in
today's world, no matter what we're doing. A lot of the troubles of this ol'
planet have related to people with a "me first" attitude who never learned
the joy of paying attention to what others dream of and aspire to achieve.
As teenager, one of the most captivating parts of this hobby to me was the
idea that I could get to know some of those people out there whose lives are
so very different from mine in places so very different from my home town.

One thing almost every one of us had in common was the issue of building
something that would work. Store-bought rigs were the exception, by far.
Every "How to Become a Ham" book started out with projects to build
receivers and then, when one got a license, how to build a transmitter.
Becoming a Ham was all about building one's station from parts. No Elecraft
(although Heath was coming along fast) and no reflectors on the internet.
With luck, a club nearby that met once a month and perhaps another within
reach. Most of the time we were left to work alone cobbling parts from old
radios and trying to make them work like the Handbook or a QST article said.
That gave us a common ground and a huge sense of achievement when we met on
the air.

That's no longer the dominant theme of Hamming. I think those of us who
build kits are certainly in the minority, much less those of us who still
doodle on a scratch pad then set about building their own ideas into a
working receiver or transmitter. But we're a group that hasn't died out and
isn't likely to do so. 

Still, the majority of Hams buy their rigs at the store like a cell phone
and plug 'em in and get on the air. I don't fault them for "radiosporting".
They are drawn to the hobby for entirely different reasons and I'm happy to
help them enjoy what they do. Someone answers my CQ with a name, RST, QTH
and "73 dit-dit" I'll just say "73 OM" and wish him or her lots of fun as I
go about looking for a rag chew with someone who still considers a key and
soldering iron as essential parts of Hamming. I'm glad to have the 30, 17
and 12 meter bands for contest weekends when I'm not in a contest mood
(which is more often than not). 

But just because the majority of Hams on the air today buy their rigs and
hunger for each contest, fingers poised above a keyboard, doesn't mean we're
dying out. Ham radio, like virtually every part of human endeavor, has been
moved forward not by the masses pursuing the popular activities, but by the
few who don't follow the crowd. 

All of us Elecrafters are part of that group who may enjoy the company of
the gang, but we tend to like doing something a little different. We like to
get our fingers into the electrons. We like to wonder and tinker and learn
about what's going on behind the front panel. 

There's room for all of us too in Ham radio.

Ron AC7AC

-----Original Message-----
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Kevin Rock
Sent: Monday, June 26, 2006 8:28 PM
To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: QRE: [Elecraft] Slow Code Watering Holes?

Hear, hear Mr. D'Eau Claire,
    I think it is a lot of fun to get folks on the air using my favorite  
mode.  If it had not been for the hard, patient work of a few very fine  
operators I would not be as happy with CW as I am today.  Their skill at  
pushing me along bit by bit made CW FUN!  I try to tell others about how  
much excitement there is in amateur radio by hearing a distant signal  
amongst the noise and picking out a like minded soul to share my thoughts  
of life and living.
    During FD a day or so ago I warmed up by going to the Novice bands and  
working the slower folks.  Then to keep stretching I moved down the band  
until I had reached 7000 kHz.  I felt I had learned a great deal since I  
only skipped one or two operators who were Hell bent for leather sending  
at 10^6 wpm.  Last year I skipped far more of them so I seem to be  
catching on just a wee bit.
    However, paying forward for all I owe seems the only way to show my  
respect to my patient mentors.  I owe it to them to pass the flame on to  
the next folks seeking the calling.  If I don't care about them who will?   
If I don't work to make their code better, as my mentors did for me, how  
will I ever find someone to work when my friends have passed on?  I am in  
this for the long haul so a little more work is not a hardship.  It is my  
way of helping others enjoy a hobby which has given me a great deal.
    Kevin.  KD5ONS

On Mon, 26 Jun 2006 15:15:41 -0700, Ron D'Eau Claire  
<rondec at easystreet.com> wrote:

> Every Ham worth the name (IMHO) who would answer their QRS CQ would be 
> a
> FB
> "code buddy". It's too bad we no longer have the Novice license and  
> bands,
> because it gave everyone a place to congregate while developing CW  
> skills.
> But since we don't it should be no surprise to hear a slow signal almost
> anywhere.
>
> Now, it's rather impolite to answer someone who just sent a CQ at 25 
> wpm
> at
> 5 wpm and expect him (or her) to QRS. However, I often run across a very
> slowly sent CQ and I'll usually stop and answer at his/her speed, just  
> as I
> used to spend time in the Novice bands when they were busier. And I think
> it's my obligation to reply at the other station's speed, when he/she is
> sending slower than I am.
>
> For me, Ham radio is all about having fun. The best way I've ever 
> found
> to
> have fun, no matter what I'm doing, is to help other people have fun too.
>
> Maybe I'm just out of date, but the world of Ham radio I was 
> introduced
> to
> in the 1950's stressed cooperation over competition. I still cringe when  
> I
> see the term "radiosporting" since sports virtually always put  
> competition
> first. (At least the way I played football did, Hi!) And that includes  
> most
> of the contests. It's just darn impolite to expect a lot of callers to a
> very slow signal when almost everyone out there is trying to rack up a  
> lot
> of QSOs.
>
> Some people seem to practice "contesting" even when there is no 
> contest. Their CW skills don't involve being able to do more than 
> complete a high-speed exchange of name, RST and QTH followed by "73 
> dit-dit". They remind me that "Novice" operators come in all guises. 
> Some never learn anything else because it doesn't interest them just as
some Hams will
> never
> touch a key.
>
> The good news is that there are a lot of operators on the CW bands who
> feel
> as I do; It shows up loud and clear in their on-air habits.
>
> Ron AC7AC
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