[Hallicrafters] CW and the ruin of amateur radio

[Duane Fischer, W8DBF]

Hello Greg, 	
	
While what you say is certainly true to an extent, it is by far the minority of
operators who behave in this fashion. Your own willingness to see the negative
side so easily also denotes only a lukewarm interest to begin with. Motivation,
true motivation, is not easily detoured by another persons attitude, society or
whatever the obstacle life puts there may be. If you want it badly enough, you
will get there to some extent if you press on and keep pressing on. Pointing to
others as the source of your loss of interest is simply an excuse for a lack of
self-motivation. 	
	
All of us get out of life exactly what we put into it. Sometimes victory comes
easily and other times it is ever elusive. It is still a wonderful hobby with a
brotherhood/sisterhood that is one of the closest and strongest of about any
group one can find in existence.	
	
There are special Morse Code exemptions offered to those with learning
disabilities and other difficulties. If you had asked a VEC in your area, you
would have learned of these. Perhaps your code difficulty is not a learning
disability, based on what information you provided it is unclear as to the
cause. But help was, and is, available. But you have to ask Greg. 	
	
Life seems to have natural pockets of egotistical snobbery built into it and it
is found in every walk or avenue of life, not just Amateur Radio, of course.
People get categorized and tagged with titles;stud, jock, dude, punk or
whatever. Just because somebody decided to put a dunce hat on your head does not
mean you have to wear it! Take it off and pitch it. Go for what you want. There
is still much greatness in Amateur Radio Greg, and it is easily found if one
looks. So get with the program and do it! You have let the joy elude you for too
long now, waste no more time and join with us.	
	
Best wishes,	
	
Duane W8DBF 

----------
From: Greg Schindler <gschndlr at dgweb.com>
To: hallicrafters at mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Hallicrafters] CW and the ruin of amateur radio
Date: Sunday, August 24, 2003 6:36 AM

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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