[Fists] Let's Walk The Walk!

[Stanley]

I promised myself that I would stay out of this thread on "Loss or Gain" 
of the CW Bands. It seems to me that all we do is talk the talk,
not walk the walk. Most of us hang out around the "Magic" .058 
frequencies and don't venture outside those sacred limits. How about
just calling CQ down around .030 or maybe .045? It's amazing that you 
might just find a good CW contact there. The fellow
you work probably doesn't have any of those "Magic" numbers, but, so 
what? If we are, indeed, a Morse Preservatiion Society,
who cares about numbers? Awards are fine, but after all, what is our 
purpose, collecting numbers? It is PRESERVING and PROMOTING
the use of Morse Code!
I, myself, have decided to return to the Basics of back when I started. 
I sold my paddle, and am using my trusty old  Vibroplex
Blue Racer from 1955. I feel like a real CW ham again. It was difficult, 
at first, but now, it feels like a part of me. CW is more
fun and I am running into more and more Hams who are using thrir bugs. 
That separates the men from the boys. True CW,
in my opinion.
IT is so easy to get a license now that it has no meaning and does not 
create the feeling of achievement. When I became a ham in 1946
I had to go to the FCC and take a test infront of the FCC Examiner. I 
had to pass a code test of 13 WPM, and then take a theory
exam where I remember, I had to draw a circuit of a Colpitts Oscillator, 
a one tube regenerative receiver, and then design a Dipole
andtenna from a frequency the exam called for. That was really 
challenging and I admit, I failed it the first time, and took it again in
30 days and passed it. When that ticket came in the mail, my parents 
took me out to lunch to celebrate because that was a real
achievement. Not anymore!!! All you need now, is your checkbook or 
credit card and a note from your mother. There is the
difference between then and now. It is no longer an achievement where 
one who wants to become a ham has to have the bruning
desire to climb any mountain to get there. It is too easy and that is 
exemplified by everything we do now with being politically
correct. The world is getting dumber instead of smarter, in my opinion.
When I used to hire engineers at my last place of employment, I had many 
apply that couldn't spell. That's our modern
society.
I guess I've been on the soapbox long enough. In conclusion, anybody 
want to have another CW Bug Sprint like the one I ran
two years ago???? I am about ready myself and my Blue Racer is all 
warmed up. This time I will have a better first prize
than a coffee mug.
Best of 73's to all and let's just keep operating and not just collect 
numbers on .058.
161 de Stan W5ZF No. 6183