[Fists] Sloppy Sending

[YoDoc@aol.com]

In a message dated 09/01/2003 3:58:45 AM Eastern Daylight Time, 
fists-request@mailman.qth.net writes:

<< Hi Bruce,

 > First of all no one is "belittling the attempts of beginners"!
 
 Well, perhaps it wasn't aimed directly at beginners but there was a flurry
 of posts a couple of weeks ago concerning code quality that certainly put me
 off plugging in the key.

Paul:

Are you saying that one cannot make constructive criticisms of the kind
of CW sending one hears on the air, without it offending the touchy little
sensibilities of the "newcomers?"  
 
 > Having said all this, I might ask, and please don't take this the wrong
 way,
 > why are UK hams are entering into this debate?  The UK has dropped the
 code
 > requirement, haven't they?  At this point it seems to be a US debate.
 
 I received my Foundation ticket in February this year. There was (and still
 is) the requirement for a Morse 'assessment'. Little more than a
 demonstration and nobody fails it. I enjoyed it and am slowly attempting to
 impove my skills.
 
 What's bugging me is that recent posts on fists (and I'm probably repeating
 myself) would seem to indicate that unless you're Morse proficient then
 you're not worthy and that irritates me (regardless of legislation).

I've read all those posts, Paul -- and based on what I've heard on the air,
and on the FISTS calling frequencies in particular over the years, they were
not only justified, but understated.  There IS a lot of crappy sending out
there, and it's not just coming from newcomers.  Quite the opposite, it seems
to be coming mainly from Old Timers who seem to have forgotten everything
they ever knew about proper element, character, and word spacing.  When
all the "dits" and "dahs" are run together into an indecipherable hodge-podge
of meaningless beeping, that is not good CW -- and this is a constant and
growing problem on all the HF CW bands.

 > Please, do not leave the group.  You may not agree with what is being
 said,
 > but you have to agree that I have a right to say it, just as you do.  We
 can
 > agree to disagree!
 
 Yes, you're right and I shall hang around awhile but it might be good if
 people thought a little bit about those who are new and nervous before
 banging off a post.

In my experience, the "new and nervous" operators are the ones who are
the easiest to work.  The "old and sloppy" are the ones we're mainly
concerned with when we express our dismay at the sloppy sending heard
on the air.  So please stop whining when you haven't been hurt.  

73 de Larry, K3LT
FISTS 2008, CC 0703