[NLRS] Morse on The Move out...? Looks like it now...

[Phil Lefever]

At 14:27 07/02/2003 -0500, you wrote:
>I wouldn't say that.  Ham Radio is alive and well, and will get even better
>once there is more interest in getting new people into the hobby.  Of=
 course
>you will always have the gloom and doom types that say it will turn into=
 CB,
>funny, cause everybody said that would happen when they made the no-code
>license, never did happen.

[rant mode]

I also disagree that we are headed in a good direction........

The tests are getting easier and easier and the ARRL is "dumbing
down" all its publications. In the past even a reasonably technical
person had to better themselves to get a ticket, now they are all
but giving them away. I find it very interesting to compare current
ARRL handbooks to those of the RSGB. In G land they aren't afraid
to show the math, here I think they are afraid to publish a book
that is over peoples heads. I collect old ARRL handbooks and I
have seen the steady decline of technical information starting in
the late 80's.

I am trying not to be "gloom and doom" but is getting larger numbers
of less educated operators a good thing? Maybe we need to do this
with drivers on public streets ;) (opps wait we already have!). To
me amateur radio is best defined as "advancing the radio art and
building a pool of skilled operators and electronically skilled
people". The other day I heard two LICENSED (yes I checked) people
on a repeater trying to figure out what voltage their automobile
electrical system was, neither knew!! I wonder if either could read
a Smith chart?? Appliance operator heaven. Back in the heydays of
NASA and the space program how many of the engineers got their
kick start as being hams? In the 60's it was semi cool to be a
techy today it is well out of fashion.

While I don't want to say that keeping the code requirement is
the way to fix things it did at least make a person better
themselves and expend some effort. I would have a lot less trouble
with removal of the Morse requirements if they considered making
the written tests a challenge again. Unless the licenses is
earned through a little work they tend to get less respect.

Maybe I am just an old fuddy dutty that can't deal with current
trends. At 39 and being a licensed ham for only 9 years I don't
feel I am old enough for that yet but maybe I am. I wonder if
my parents felt the same way as the technology changed post WWII.
It just seems like as a people the trend today is to not apply
ourselves. Pity....

[/rant mode]

73 all!

Phil



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Phil Lefever	KB=D8NES				Twin Cities Repeater Club
kb0nes@tcrc.org					Burnsville,MN