[SixClub] comment on the morse testing

[Howard Bingham]

At 07:02 AM 12/21/2006, Gabriel Sierra wrote:
>Hi,
>
>This was coming anyway. The rest of the world did the
>same long ago for the same reasons. CW does  not
>guarantee that you are going to be a good operator,
>yet it has been used for years as a "weeding out"
>tool. Just listen to 20M and 40M. I for one will do
>10M for PSK31 and mostly digital modes, but I am
>learning CW because, as I said before, it could be a
>LIFE SAVING tool. You can do Morse with your PTT if
>you are hurt and unable to speak, or with some simple
>spark methods you can send the word out. Here in PR,
>the VEs and clubs give out Certificates of recognition
>for CW WPM, and this will continue, even if the
>requirement is gone.
>
>The true thing is that there are less HAMs every day
>and we could lose the service to the airwaves moguls
>if we do  not boost our ranks. Of the many Generals
>and Extras I know, only a few actually do CW. Most of
>them learned it just to pass the exam and never used
>it after wards.
>
>Like when somebody passes away, CW will be alive as
>long as we keep it in our memory, so if we promote CW
>learning in the new generation, it will not go away.
>
>When was the last time that a HAM club got in contact
>with a School to hold a CW contest among the students,
>give them 3 months to learn the code and do the
>contest for the whole school to watch and earn
>certificates and prizes? Never around here, but this
>is the kind of activities that spark interest in the
>young!
>
>73
>
>Gabriel, WP3BM
--

Likewise "digital" communications are coming into play big time with 
ICOM marketing "D-Star" digital format in VHF & UHF bands, the focus 
is on major population hubs to get digital repeaters linked nation wide.

Houston, Tx. area should have 4 digital sites operational in 2M & UHF 
bands by early 2007, 1 digital VHF repeater went into operational 
test mode in early November with repeater to mobile distance of just 
under 20 miles an tests, this repeater is linked to other D-Star 
repeaters nation wide, Dallas, Tx. being the first location in Texas.

A presentation about the new technology was given at the Houston Red 
Cross to area ham club officials in October, who knows, maybe it will 
expand to 6M...

Howard Bingham
KE5APJ

--


>--- "Larry ,n6hpx/du1 Philippines"
><n6hpx_du1 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> >       I seriously wished the FCC had left it alone
> > as the Morse is alot of fun and I still believe the
> > new comers could have passed.
>
>Gabriel Sierra
>Moondancer Recording Studios
>moonrec at prtc.net
>http://www.moondancer.freeservers.com
>Listen to Bike Tourist Podcast
>http://www.biketourist.podomatic.com

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