[Fists] History and a Challange!

[David Ring]

Subject changed was: Re: [Fists] QSY'ing away from a calling freq.

Hello Rem,

Historically - but going way back - calling frequencies were a part of
our amateur CW heritage and not so way back (1999) in our CW
professional heritage.

Part of what FISTS is about is preserving our CW heritage.  Back when
amateur radio was new (before 1912) there were calling channels and
working channels.  The wavelength of 600 meters was the primary
calling wavelength.  A secondary calling wavelength was on the "short
wave" frequency of 300 meters.    Due to antenna requirements
commercial stations usually shifted transmissions "up" in wavelength,
while amateurs shifted "down" in wavelength.

All was pretty good - many advanced amateurs were out performing the
commercial stations!  But still inexperienced stations hopefully in
ignorance QRM'd ships and shore stations.

The whole irritation came to a head in April 1912 when a story got out
of hand saying that amateurs were interfering with the rescue
communications of Titanic/MGY.  Unfortunately the rumors were believed
and the USA passed the Radio Act of 1912 which shifted private
stations (amateurs) to frequencies of 200 meters and down.  These
frequencies were though to be useless because it was observed at the
time that the longest ranges were on very long waves, and that 600
meters had a range of about twice that of 300 meters.  As any AM
broadcast DXer knows, the coverage of the stations at the top of the
AM band (in frequency) are shorter range than the lower frequencies.
Every station wishes it was 540 kHz with 50 kW.

For the next five years - a period in which the ARRL was born,
amateurs used 200 meters for calling.  They shifted down to a lower
wave for passing traffic - or as we say having a "QSO".

1917 brought WW1 and silence to amateur radio.

In the early 1920s the development of CW doomed old spark as narrow
band CW was much more efficient.

Amateurs who had a CW transmitter and some cash were able to put on a
AM transmitter on 1500 kHz (200 meters) and higher for a few years,
but that stopped in 1922 when amateur broadcasting was outlawed.

In the 1920s amateurs started working to Europe and around the world
on the "useless" shortwaves.

A special Amateur license existed where the station could work on 450
meters (800 kHz) which was shifted to 1350-1500 kHz in 1924 (we GAINED
150 kc/s for a short while when the ship to shore band was which had
been there was eliminated!)  and then eliminated when the Federal
Radio Commission came to power in 1927.

In 1927 the Federal Radio Commission was started and (if I remember
correctly) most of the amateur frequencies (200 meters and down) were
taken away from the amateurs - but amateurs took the beginning of
their assignment - 160 meters after the expansion of the broadcast
band   In Ireland 160 meters started at 1700 - even as late as 1970.

See http://www.oldradio.com/archives/general/buildbcb.html

So calling frequencies are a part of our past - and the question is
which is fundamental to FISTS is do we preserve our traditions and
heritage?

I may agree that calling frequencies are tedious and take more effort
than just "calling and working" on the same frequency, but they do
offer considerable advantages when used correctly.

It was George Longden G3ZQS who instituted the calling frequency idea.
 I can see his logic.  He was making a club with a hand out to the
beginner, yet one that also held the highest standards for the expert.

Any CB-er can tell you "I can work for miles and miles on Channel 9
(emergency use only) if they'd only let me!"  CBers who operated
Channel 9 like REACT would be very much at home with a calling
frequency - and then shift off frequency.

Is FISTS going to be a beginners only club?  Many who have left FISTS
have done so because of that misunderstanding.

Or is FISTS going to be something special - perhaps even better than
FOC,  A club which the beginner is given a road map to the best and
highest operating skills in the world?

Do we hear the experienced FISTS operators using this system?  Are
they teaching by example?  Is their keying smooth, even well spaced?
Are they teaching excellence to the newcomer, and presenting the very
best to the amateur community?

Is FISTS something that other amateurs see as something to attain, or
is it a "beginners club" only?

I challange those skilled operators out there and those with not as
finely honed skills out there - to TRY monitoring 14,058 kHz daytime
and 7,058.0 nighttime and use the frequency as a calling frequency.  I
invite others to listen to it.

Will the newcomer see the beauty in it, the efficiency in it?

Too many people see huge inefficiency in the CW mode.  It isn't so
because of the operating proceedures part of which is calling
frequencies.

Can we show the newcomer and the amateur community in general the
EXCELLENCE to which FISTS aspires?

I know many of the FISTS longtime operators - both in the USA and in
the UK there are among the FINEST operators in the world.  There are
Royal Navy operators, US Army, Air Force, Navy, Marines, Coast Guard,
the navies and armies of other countries - the cream of the cream is
within FISTS and it is an "everyman's" group.  Everyone can join that
wants to preserve CW.

Do we preserve ALL of it?  Do we let it deteriorate by neglect and
laziness?  Do we admit that the opinion by many of the military and
professional radio operators was right that we were "only amateurs"?
That's a word used in the wrong way:  Amateur means "to love".  When
you love something, you learn ALL about it.

Or do we keep it shiney and working well?  Do we take the mode of CW
to it's maximum potential?

The newcomer will have no other place to learn this.

That is the challange that FISTS members face.  It is the experienced
that will determine the outcome.

Shouldn't we offer them (and us) all of it?  Shouln't we do them
proud?  If we teach them this, if our nations need our skills, we will
have preserved them fully.

What would you give your son or daughter or friend?

73

David Ring, N1EA
=30=



On Mon, Aug 18, 2008 at 3:16 PM, Marin QRP <marinqrp at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I have to believe that when Geo created FISTS and wanted a calling frequency
> that there was much more
> CW activity on the bands back then.
> Until activity increases on the CW bands, how about just having the QSO
> where the station is calling?
>
> 73,
>
> Rem
> K6BBQ