[Hallicrafters] CW and the ruin of amateur radio

[Bill]

The lowering of standards for the ham radio ranks and all other
organizations, was lowered simply for political correctness.
Nothing more, nothing less and like everything else, it ruined
the service which was true amateur radio.

ELMERS & CODE & MEDICAL EXCUSES:

There are lots of Elmers out there, but the no code techs don't want
to bother to find them or ask the proper questions.  I got my license
35 years ago and did it all myself with no help at all.  And as for
a medical reason for not being able to learn the code, that is not the ham
fraternities problem.  Yes, I agree, that if I had to learn the code so
should the new guys.  Sorry, that is not a discriminatory sentence, it is
just plain fact.  I have never looked down on lower classes of amateurs,
we are all amateurs, everyone of us.

TWO METERS & CONCLUSION:

Two meters is not another CB band.  I don't know where you got that idea but
perpetuating it is part of the problem.  The 11 meter band was created
because
of the need or desire for the average citizen to be able to communicate
without
the bother of testing.  Look what happened.  Now there are all sorts of
advocates
for dropping the code and lowering the admission standards on HF simply for
monetary
reasons.  This will not return amateur radio to greatness, it will (like all
other organizations that lowered standards), make it much worse.  You think
2 meters sounds like CB, just give it time and watch HF.  By the way, I have
not
used CW for 35 years.  I only used it to pass the test.  Yes it was only 5
wpm but
I took the test thereby showing a resolve and a commitment to get my
license.  I
knew it was the entrance requirement and I took it.

K2WH

-----Original Message-----
From: hallicrafters-admin at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:hallicrafters-admin at mailman.qth.net]On Behalf Of Greg Schindler
Sent: Sunday, August 24, 2003 16:37 PM
To: hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Hallicrafters] CW and the ruin of amateur radio


I believe that the old timers are correct in the statement that ham
radio was ruined when the FCC lowered the requirements.  It was then
that many of these same potential mentors put the "if I had to learn it
so should you" attitude to good use.  They abandoned the new No-Code
Techs and left them on there own to try to become decent radio
operators.  But with no active mentors who would actually associate with
the lower class "No-Codes" they had no chance.

I am an electronics engineer nearing retirement age and I have been on
the periphery of amateur radio since I was 11 years old.  I still have
my SX-146 that my Dad bought me.  Back then we had no idea that there
was a medical reason why I couldn't learn the code but it was enough
that it would keep me out of the hobby until the No-Code class opened
up.

I feel that I could have had a little to offer but I found what everyone
else found....two meters had turned into another Citizens Band so I
pretty much walked away.  I have been on the air maybe 10 times in the
last ten years.

It was a great hobby. It just lost it's way.  When we can get past the
"Paid my dues" attitudes it may find it's way back to greatness.

Greg Schindler
KD6HGF
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