[HCRA] FW: Know Code

[n1kxr at comcast.net]

Greetings, 
The below text message is being forwarded by; 
Richard H. Wheeler - N1KXR 
http://www.qrz.com/callsign/n1kxr 
http://www.geocities.com/n1kxr 

>From the March 31, 2009 ARRL Club Newsletter 
Norm Fusaro, W3IZ, is the editor. 

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Know Code 

This cute play on words is used by many Morse aficionados who want to 
world to think that in order to be a "real ham" one must be 
proficient at telegraphy. Nothing could be further from the truth. 
In the early part of the twentieth century many ships at sea used 
Morse code to communicate and knowledge of the code was required so 
as to not cause interference to seafaring communications. 

In the USA and many other countries Morse proficiency is no longer a 
requirement for any Amateur Radio license but it is still a favorite 
operating mode for many however if we are to be effective 
communicators in the twenty-first century then we will need to know a 
lot more than Morse code. Basic computer skills such as saving and 
sending files, configuring software programs and interfacing 
transceivers with computers have become characteristic with Amateur 
Radio today. A working knowledge of wireless networking and digital 
communication can prove to be invaluable during an emergency. 

With so many facets no single activity can define Amateur Radio. Ham 
radio has always been a journey of discovery and a quest to learn and 
experience new things. From spark to vacuum tube to solid state to 
digital, ham radio has always been on the move. It takes a lot more 
than Morse code to be an effective radio amateur. 

+++++ 

Material from The ARRL CLUB NEWS may be republished or reproduced in 
whole or in part in any form without additional permission. Credit must 
be given to The ARRL CLUB NEWS and The American Radio Relay League. 

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