[Fists] NCVEC Comment Stats

Fri, 03 Oct 2003 05:49:28 +0000

OM,
  When I received your diatribe this morning, I was tempted to send off a 
reply to you and the list at once, but I held off because I did not see the 
message posted to the group.  As the day went on, I kept checking back and 
still I did not see it come thru to the group.  I then decided that if for 
some reason it did not show up, I was just going to ignore it - as well as 
ignore you - however I see that it did finally make it to the group so I 
just have to respond to it in my own defense.

  At first I was amused by your satirical attempt to justify a complete 
"deregulation" of obtaining a license until I got to the end and read your 
direct insult to myself.  I thought I made it clear from my original posting 
that I commented against, repeat AGAINST, the NCVEC Petition - I thought 
that I made that VERY clear to anyone who could read.  And I did not file a 
two-line "I think this idea sucks" kind of comment, mine ran 4 pages and 
did, IMHO, a pretty fair job of taking apart the NCVEC's major points.  I 
even made a couple of counter-proposals myself.  If you would like to read 
my comments, I filed them on 08/28/03 on RM-10787.  Just do a seach and you 
will find them - BTW I did a search myself for comments filed by you on 
RM-10787 and was unable to find any (searched by last name and by ZIP code), 
you did file comments didn't you?   I would think that since you feel so 
passionately about this topic you would have at least filed comments, 
perhaps you can clear that up for myself and the rest of the group.

   Oh and yes, you are correct I am a 5 wpm "welfare Extra", and so the hell 
what?  I have some information for you that will really ruin your day...  I 
have met the standards set down in CRF 97 to be issued a license grant for 
Amateur Extra by the FCC - in the eyes of the FCC and 99% of the amateur 
community we hold the same class of license, in other words - we are equals! 
  I am so sorry that when I got back into ham radio after a 10 year hiatus, 
there was no more testing for 13wpm or 20wpm anymore.  I know, when I found 
that out I just should have not even bothered and took up stamp collecting 
or something else.  I know I shouldn't have sullied the bands by getting on 
the air with my "welfare Extra" class of license.  I guess I should just 
abandon using CW and go back up to using voice and/or digimoded like the 
rest of us pretenders and leave the CW areas of the bands to you "real 
Extras"!

   BTW, thank you for stating that "Why would anyone in his right mind want 
to be a member of FISTS if they weren't in favor of a CW test?".  I seem to 
have missed the changes in the FISTS mottos and/or membership requirements.  
Last time I checked, the requirements for membership were "There is only one 
requirement  to join FISTS  A love of MORSE and a concern for its 
perpetuation" - so they must have changed it to indicate that you had to be 
a proponent of Element 1 testing.  Did it EVER occur to you that someone MAY 
believe that the end of Element 1 tensting MAY not be such a bad thing?  Oh, 
and FYI, I am for the continued testing of Element 1 and always have been - 
so may I please stay a member of FISTS, even though I am a worthless wefare 
Extra?  I also see, at least in your case, that the "Courtesy at All Times" 
motto has been abandoned as well - or perhaps it was modified to exclude 
dealings with us "welfare Extras".

   In closing, I would like to say to you the following - you sir - and 
others who think like you - are the main reason that CW is slowing becoming 
a dying art.  Your arrogant, condencending and elitist attitude towards 
other hams that did not have to sit for an FCC administered exam and take 
the 20wpm test is doing more to turn ops off CW and kill it than No Code 
International or their ilk could ever hope to accomplish!  You probably 
almost had a stroke the day that the requirement was lowered to 5wpm, well 
it happened so GET OVER IT!  And guess what, in all probability Morse 
testing will end for at least General sometime early next year!  What will 
YOU do then - sell your equipment?   You do so embody the "true amateur 
sprit" by your comments and attitudes - HPM would be so proud of you!  What 
a positive image you project to new hams that somehow feel that they may 
just want to become proficient CW ops.  I sincerly hope that you are in the 
minority, not only of ham radio but of FISTS as well.  Because it would be a 
shame to see such a wonderful organization such as FISTS become hi-jacked by 
a bunch of arrogant, angry ops who are dedicated to the "ethnic cleansing" 
of the bands based on WHEN you received your license.  FISTS is the de facto 
"voice" for CW on the amateur bands, and as such enjoys a certain status.  
Your kind tends to dirty that voice to the point that FISTS will be regarded 
as a "fringe" group by the mainstream amateur community, and as such will 
not be respected or listened to (think K1MAN).  I replied to this not just 
to take you to task for your comments, but to at least go on the record so 
others will see that FISTS is not composed largely of your kind - at least I 
hope so, because if it is, I will definately NOT be renewing my membership 
next year!

73

Dennis - WB0WAO
EN84ij Iosco County, Michigan
K2 #3555

FISTS # 9299
Charter Member - Michigan DX Association
www.qsl.net/wb0wao
:=)

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