[Fists] CW Down the Tubes?

[Jeff Davis]

Dan.

I agree with you completely that we need to spend more time on the air.
That's one reason why I've set a personal goal to make 1000 non-contest CW
contacts in 2002. If 1000 people would make that same commitment that would
yield 1,000,000 non contest CW QSOs. I believe that would be a pretty good
start towards better usage of our bands!

But, I take some exception to your statement that, "nobody is using" the
bands. I think that is more perception than reality. Did you notice how the
bands filled with CW signals last night from 0200 to 0400? That was the
result of the monthly Spartan Sprints.

I was making contacts between 7040 and 7065 last night (16 to be exact) and
there were LOTS of stations there and up on 20 meters as well. I don't know
about 80m because I didn't get down there but there was LOTS of CW activity
on the bands last night.

The "message" that nobody is using the CW bands is repeated often, usually
with the lament that Ops are spending more time on the Internet than on the
air. It's those same statements that get back to people who can affect and
change amateur radio policy and it is generally not accurate IMHO.

I don't think it's healthy to put our heads in the sand and ignore the fact
that the bands aren't being used as much as they could, however, lets not
perpetuate the myth that CW is dying for non-use because it is not.

Vy 73 de Jeff, N9AVG
FISTS #6641


----- Original Message -----
From: "Daniel Metzger" <dmetzger@monroe.lib.mi.us>
To: <fists@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2002 7:45 AM
Subject: [Fists] CW Down the Tubes?


> Letter-writing to ARRL is fine, and I've done mine.  But ultimately CW
> bands are going to be phased out because nobody is using them, not
> because we don't write enough letters.  Take a listen around 3550 - 3700
> tonight.  How many stations do you count?
>
> Check 7050 - 7100.  Or try calling CQ from 14,070 - 14,150.
>
> How much time did you spend on the internet last week?  How much time
> did you spend on the air?
>
> Use it or lose it, guys.