[Fists] Re: ARRL, FCC and elimination of CW testing requirements.

[kiyoinc at attglobal.net]

My opinion, it doesn't matter.

I'm working with several folks who have always wanted a ham license but 
had trouble with the code. One's a no-code tech, another is an EMT'er 
who just wants his license. There are others. They'll get on the air and 
maybe a few will try CW.

I've been licensed since 1963 and had a great time as a novice working 
DX on 15 meters and locals on 40.  Maybe others will discover the same 
thrill but if they don't, it's not the job of the FCC, ARRL, or anyone 
but themselves to find their way.

That said, given all the chatter about CW, I've found myself doing the 
following:

For 20 years, I've listened to CW a couple times a month, just to hear 
the code, and maybe keep my speed up.  I like the Spartan Sprint because 
there are lots of little signals to copy.

I haven't operated HF CW for, possibly 25 years.  Last year, I bought a 
Vibroplex Original, the one with the jewel bearings, not the one with 
the gold plate on the base.  I played around with it.  It felt good to use.

Next I opened my old WB4VVF Accukeyer, I had the dits and dahs reversed. 
  That's straighened out so my Brown Bros. BTL now works with my 
Accukeyer and my Signal/One CX7A.

Then I reversed the dit paddle on the BTL.  I had put it on the inside 
of the lever 30 years ago to narrow the spacing.  I've decided that 
wider spacing on the paddles, more like the Vibroplex, is the way to go.

Then, for the first time in 15 years or longer, I tried to send code 
with the Accukeyer and the BTL.  It was pretty bad.

I can copy OK but I can't send.  How weird is that!

I'm having trouble with "A", "W", "P", and "J".  Apparently my thumb 
stays on the dit paddle too long and "A" comes out as "R".  I might have 
some arthritis.

I slowed the keyer to maybe 13 WPM and even at that speed, I can't get 
my thumb off the dit paddle soon enough.

This is wrong.

Bugs are designed so that the clumsy thumb only starts and stops the 
self-completing dits.  The more agile finger carves out the dahs.  That 
makes sense.

With a keyer, the clumsy thumb controls the fast dits while the agile 
finger loafs on the self-completing dahs.

In my case, the fast dits are a real challenge.  I won't give up.  I'll 
keep practicing.

My point is this.  I don't really care what the FCC or the ARRL are 
doing.  I've got a contract job, bills, home repairs, car maintenance, 
weird notices from the IRS, medical issues (to include prostate cancer, 
asthma, and a fractured bone in my spine), a rodent in the basement, and 
now I find out that my thumb isn't releasing the left paddle fast 
enough, even at 13 WPM.

The "ARRL, FCC and elimination of CW testing requirements" isn't on my 
list of top 100 things to worry about.  It might not even make my top 
500 list.

de ah6gi/4 If you're fretting about the ARRL and the FCC, then great; 
you have your life in order.  I sure don't.