[KYHAM] New NO THEORY License class

[Tyler Allison]

Note: Im a new ham..so I really dont know the history behind the religious
war on CW..I just know it is one. Im not trying to be a jerk in my answers
below, it's just that the reasons I read, in my opinion, have little to do
with the future and more to do with history.

> Since the 1930's there have been hams who never used the cw mode but had
> to pass the test.

True..but why does that have any barring on the future? Is it a mater of
'well I had to do it so you should too'?

> CW transmitters are simple and easy to construct. Operating
> a cw transmitter requires the use of Morse code. It's that simple.

Why does simplicity of construction have any barring on the requirement
for future hams?

> Maybe you
> also don't understand why you had to learn to spell and do simple math in
> grade school either and maybe you never use it since you are able to
> communicate without it.

spelling and math are used every day to get things done. I dont need to CW
to do anything....other than to send CW to someone else.

> It matters not. You still need to learn the basics.

True. 50 years ago CW was a basic because you couldnt get anything done
without it. Now it isnt. If morse code was banned by some ultimate
authority would the use of radios stop? No. the use of CW would stop once
all the CW knowledge was dead. 10 years ago you had to learn assembler to
program a computer. Now you don't. Some hard core assembler programmers
still exist and talk lovingly of the 'old days'.

Learning CW has no baring on my understanding of radio theory, antenna
design, or even how CW works. Should the FCC require a license test
involving hand writing a valid APRS packet before a person is allowed to
use APRS?

> I think Navy personal are still required to swim even though they now have
> boats. The same argument could be made against swimming.

Now that's a stretch :) The Navy is a job not a hobby...and one will kill
you...the other wont.

> What many "hams"
> need to do is knuckle down and learn basic radio communication instead of
> just talking on a walkie-talkie.

Absolutely! I agree. I did something similar to get my Tech license.
However, we seem to disagree on the point that radio communication MUST
include CW training as some kind of 'right of passage'.

> That is no more radio than using a cell
> phone or a CB.

True. But is that limited use of the radio not still considered part of
Amateur Radio?

> Building your own cw transmitter and communicating via
> Morse
> code can provide a huge thrill for the technically minded.

Or in my opinion a waste of my time and effort.

> For those not
> so
> minded, there are other outlets.

Not within Amateur Radio.

>
> So now you have your "reason" to learn code.....So you can USE the
> simplest
> form of radio transmitter known to man,

But I have no interest in using the simplest form of a radio transmitter.

> improve you basic knowledge of
> radio
> theory,

I dont need to know how to speak morse code to know radio theory. That's
like saying I have to be an expert C++ programmer to know how a computer
works.

> be ready to cobble together a station in case of emergency,

why? Maybe I dont want to participate in an emergency...or wont use CW
during said emergency.

> communicate with less bandwidth and use less spectrum than other modes,

okay...maybe this one is true ;)

> communicate through poor band conditions like no other mode

and this one :)

> and just generally be something more than the average........er...ham.

Maybe I dont have time to be anything more than average. Should I be
banned because I dont have the time to dedicate to this hobby?

I dont argue the usefulness of CW or that it has great properties and can
be fun to learn for some folks. I just argue the issue of making it a
requirement to do other things that are totally unrelated.

note: Im actually learning code..it just makes me mad they make it a
requirement. ;) Of course my wife is happy because it will stop any
equipment purchases for several months. ;)

-Tyler