Final Score: Anti-Coders 1, CW Fans 0
from
The ARRL Letter / ARRL
on
September 9, 2000
Website:
http://www.arrl.org
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IARU REGION III CONFERENCE CALLS FOR MORSE EXAM PHASEOUT
The 11th International Amateur Radio Union Region III Conference ended
September 1 by resolving to seek the ultimate removal of Morse code proficiency
as an International Telecommunication Union licensing requirement for HF
operation. As "an interim measure," the conference agreed to support
the reduction of all Morse code testing speeds to 5 WPM.
"IARU Region III strongly supports Morse code as an effective and
efficient mode of communication," the resolution said in its preamble.
"However, it believes that the position of Morse as a qualifying criterion
for an HF amateur license is not relevant to the healthy future of amateur
radio."
The resolution urged IARU Region III member societies to seek an interim 5
WPM Morse code testing requirement while looking toward eventually eliminating
the Morse requirement altogether. "We recommend that, setting aside any
previous relevant decisions of earlier Conferences, a policy of the removal of
Morse code testing as an ITU requirement for an amateur license to operate on
frequencies below 30 MHz be adopted by IARU Region 3," the Conference
resolution declared.
Voting in accordance with ARRL Board policy, International Affairs Vice
President Rod Stafford, W6ROD, cast the lone dissenting vote on the League’s
behalf, although he voted in favor of an earlier motion to support 5 WPM as the
top code speed for testing. The Hong Kong Amateur Radio Transmitting Society
abstained. The Asian and Pacific region’s other member societies favored the
resolution.
The Region III Conference, meeting in Darwin, Australia, recommended that the
IARU Administrative council adopt its position as IARU policy. Meeting September
3-4 in Darwin, the Administrative Council declined to act on the policy
recommendation, however, until after the Region II conference next October in
Guatemala.
Conference delegates addressed another concern related to ITU Radio
Regulation S25, which requires that applicants demonstrate Morse proficiency to
operate below 30 MHz. Some delegates worried over wording in a preliminary draft
recommendation that includes reference to "radio telegraphy" among
amateur license operating skills. Delegates were told that the ITU defines
"radio telegraphy" to mean all digital modes, not just Morse. In a
motion proposed by the Radio Society of Great Britain and seconded by the ARRL,
the conference requested that the IARU Region III representatives to the IARU
Administrative Council propose replacing the term "operating skills"
with "methods of communication."
The conference also reaffirmed the IARU’s determination to obtain an
exclusive worldwide allocation of no less than 300 kHz in the vicinity of 7 MHz.
Region III IARU directors were instructed to "treat achievement of this
objective as a matter of the highest priority." The conference also
supported seeking an Amateur Radio HF allocation in the vicinity of 5 MHz and a
low-frequency allocation in the vicinity of 136 kHz or 160 to 190 kHz.
In addition to Stafford, those attending the conference from the US included
IARU President Larry Price, W4RA; ARRL Executive Vice President and IARU
Secretary David Sumner, K1ZZ; and ARRL Technical Relations Manager Paul Rinaldo,
W4RI.
The next IARU Region III Conference will be held in Taipei, Taiwan, in
September 2003.--IARU; WIA
This article has expired. No more comments may be added.
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RE: cw
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by KG4IBX on September 9, 2000
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It is important to note that this resolution is not to ban CW. It is to ban the requirement to know CW in order to do HF. As a new HAM, I have ABSOLUTELY no desire to know, learn, or use CW in any way, shape, or form. It is simply one of the many modes that we can use. Why we have to be forced to know and be proficient at one particular mode (CW) in order to do another mode (HF) is beyond me. I know that this is a very controversial subject. I have the utmost respect for amateur operators who love CW and are very proficient at it. I hope that CW continues to be used and prosper. However, don't make other amateur operators who don't want to do CW learn it so they can do a mode that doesn't even require knowledge of CW. Even if I did learn CW at 5 words per minute at that slow rate, it would be of little use to me when I try to communicate to others. Also without continued practice, I would eventually lose my 5 word proficiency. This would be the case because I would learn CW just well enough to pass the test and then basically forget about it because I have no practical need for it. Please let us new HAMs enjoy HF without this artificial barrier. We are not anti-CW. We are just anti-barrier.
Brian
Please visit http://www.nocode.org for more information.
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CW
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by K1VV on September 9, 2000
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Brian ... you are just going to LOVE working phone on the
HF bands when CW is no longer a requirement ... if you think the phone bands are crowded now ....and you think that the pileups on the rare DX are bad now ........
As they say .. " You ain't seen nuttin' yet".
Every change comes with a price ...
and with this change ....it WILL be paid...
Whitey K1VV
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cw
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by K4RLC on September 9, 2000
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I think this is a great mistake. As my friend is fond of saying "CW is the heart and soul of ham radio." Doing away with any CW requirements will fundamentally change the nature of ham radio. Just listen to the 2 meter repeaters, which sound more and more like CB (instead of CW) each day. I only hope that the CW portions of the bands will not be allocated away, and that a cadre of CW afficionados will continue banging away forever.
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RE: cw
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by KB9PNZ on September 9, 2000
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As was mentioned before, the resolution was NOT anti-CW. It is NOT a victory for anti-coders - just the people who oppose the CW testing REQUIREMENTS. The title of the article is a misnomer.
CW has merits, but they don't address why passing a CW test should be REQUIRED. If ham radio needs a CW test, we could just as easily argue for a swimming test (in case you have to rescue someone from the water), a weightlifting test (brute strength comes in handy in many situations), a calculus test (we want smart hams), a writing test (to ensure articulate hams), and a running test.
Many of the arguments for CW tests don't hold water. If CW testing is a filter, then why did I keep hearing about profanity and racial slurs on 80m, even BEFORE the recent restructuring?
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RE: cw
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by K0RS on September 9, 2000
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" If CW testing is a filter, then why did I keep hearing about profanity and racial slurs on 80m, even BEFORE the recent restructuring?"
Because CW isn't a filter for highly motivated rednecks. Nobody ever said CW was a filter for all possible problem operators. The REAL question is "Was an imperfect filter better than no filter at all?"
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RE: cw
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Anonymous post on September 9, 2000
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Drip... Drip... Drip... FRS and CB... here we come... Drip... Drip... Drip...
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CW
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by W5EI on September 10, 2000
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Although CW is by far my favorite mode, I'm pleased to see the IARU moving to get proficiency in Morse eventually dropped as a requirement for operating on HF. Most of the codeless Techs I have come into contact with are very dedicated to public service operating. They are the backbone of the Skywarn group in my area. There is no compelling reason to keep these hams off the HF bands. They will be very helpful there in handling emergency traffic. If the written exams for the General and Extra Class licenses are rigorous enough, the troublemakers who seek to use ham radio as a playground for CB type antics can be made to look elsewhere. The advancement of the radio art is not the exclusive province of hams who know Morse Code. Let's keep the CW subbands intact for those of us who like and use CW, and then move on.
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RE: CW
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by N1XS on September 10, 2000
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Well, ham radio is a hobby requiring licensure by the FCC. CW is a sub-band of this licensing process, and therefor some testing requirement must be maintained. I would hope and pray that the CW sub bands never be infringed on and so the reguirement would not be eliminated. Are there problems with SSB operations. Yep. Does CW fix'em? Probably not. Probably wont prevent them either. Hell listen carefully, it can be just as unruly in a CW pileup as a SSB Pile up. IS the answer, in the best interest of this hobby to remove the CW requirements...NO. Will it gain more operators? Yeah probably, but Whitey K1VV makes a point that is true. Is it the lower licensing requirements? In part. Is it that maybe...just maybe...without an experienced Elmer to teach good operating skills (not just memorizing the answers to a question pool) that the new folks are not learning what our hobby is really about and learning good pratices? Maybe that is where the problem really is. Maybe we need to learn how to foster our new operators and help mould them into the operators that perhaps we all wish we could be. Guys like Whitey(K1VV) and many others who I have come to know do this in many ways, maybe we all need to learn to help people. I have often heard a certain ARRL STM often ask folks to stay after a traffice net, or to swing back to a repeater after a CW net and spend as much time as took to teach and explain the finer points. Maybe we could take a page out of several Elmers books and instead of screaming "UP YOU LID" in the next pile up (an no not everyone does that either...) Say "N1XS meet me at 21425" and maybe try to explain things. Especially if it is obviously a new Ham. There are going to be new ops, the trend is there, they may not have the experienced Elmer, or the same requirement you had to pass. But maybe you can help them raise the bar for themselves. It can hurt. It may help. Take the time to help our hobby and ourselves. And for God's sake KEEP CW.
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CW
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by KF6TIW on September 10, 2000
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Morse code will always be a good mode for radio. Morse code is a very good skill to learn and it is fun to use over the air. One thing I learned about Morse code is that it is not limited to radio. It can be used in many other ways (i.e. light, honking the car horn, tapping one's fingers on another person to communicate while talking is impossible.)
When I first entered the Amateur Radio hobby I wasn't even thinking about learning Morse code. I learned it because I had to in order to earn my HF privilages. Now that I know Morse code I use it 99 % of the time on HF. I'm not opposed to voice it's just easier for me to communicate with my fingers than with my voice. This is because I've been communicating with my fingers (typing, writing, etc) for over 30 years! Growing up I wasn't used to using the telephone because it is EXPENSIVE so I learned to be content with using non-voice communications (MAIL). When e-mail came about I jumped on that wagon and rode it around the world and when I got into ham radio I was forced to learn Morse code -- I'm glad now that I know it.
International communications on HAM radio means learning code -- so I did.
Yes, there will be a day when code TESTING will become history. That does NOT mean and end to Morse code.
I will continue to use CW on HF and will promote its use. I will NOT force anyone to learn it! Some people do NOT want to learn it -- my father is one of those people -- that's fine! Some folks just do not want to use the CW mode -- fine -- I don't use certain modes on radio either, why should I expect everyone to use CW? I do NOT use PACKET and I rarely use SSB. My version of "PACKET" is the Internet and my server (AOL). I see no reason to go packet when I can turn on my computer & modem and get on the Internet and send e-mail as I please.
Morse code (CW) will always be a wonderful mode for radio as I come to learn and enjoy. For those of you who do not ever wish to learn or use CW on radio -- that's fine. We all use the modes we like which makes for a diverse hobby. Many hobbies rolled into one (many modes of Amateur Radio).
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cw
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by W5UX on September 10, 2000
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I notice that the emergency hurricane new is on 20 meter ssb. In an emergency situation like this, ssb is VERY inferior to cw. When the signal gets so bad on ssb that it cannot be copied, cw will get through. Gosh fellers even rtty gets through better than ssb.
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CW
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by W8VOM on September 10, 2000
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K1VV said it well,there is always a price to pay!
Only time will tell if it was worth it,I am not bitter at all but rather amused. I am glad I started at a time when there was little competition or congestion,it was great!
Now it is time to move on into the future but the past was truly great.I am thankful for hour long conversations with the South Pole,not that easy to do today.We were the only 2 stations on the entire band.
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RE: cw
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by N5NJ on September 10, 2000
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I wrote the title of this article. It is accurate despite some claims otherwise.
"As was mentioned before, the resolution was NOT anti-CW. It is NOT a victory for anti-coders - just the people who oppose the CW testing REQUIREMENTS. The title of the article is a misnomer."
Wrong. It is a victory for no-coders. You don't oppose testing requirements, you oppose having to learn Morse Code in order to get access to HF. Any attempt to twist this into something benign is pure 'spin-doctoring'.
"CW has merits, but they don't address why passing a CW test should be REQUIRED. If ham radio needs a CW test, we could just as easily argue for a swimming test (in case you have to rescue someone from the water), a weightlifting test (brute strength comes in handy in many situations), a calculus test (we want smart hams), a writing test (to ensure articulate hams), and a running test. "
This is an absurd attempt at further 'spin-doctoring' by deflecting the focus on the issue at hand.
"Many of the arguments for CW tests don't hold water. If CW testing is a filter, then why did I keep hearing about profanity and racial slurs on 80m, even BEFORE the recent restructuring? "
Few people see CW requirements as a 'filter'. This whole notion is another attempt at twisting the truth and hiding it with this specious argument that the real pro-CW group never espouses. Jerks come in both code and no-code versions. Anyone who thinks otherwiseis sadly mistaken.
Funny, the people saying this are most often anti-code people saying that the pro-coders use this argument. Odd isn't it, that the pro-coders rarely, if ever talk about this opinion except to say that they don't hold it. It's a bogus argument along with many of the claims of the anti-code group. Sadly, many naive new-comers don't see this and jump on the bandwagon since it sounds like something that should be opposed.
No code amateurs are good people. No one in the pro-code camp says they're not. The problem is that the anti-code movement is seeking to eliminate what the pro-code group wants. First, the testing requirements, then ultimately, the CW sub-bands.
If there was some way to guarantee that the CW sub-bands would never, ever be taken away, the pro-code group would probably back off and stop opposing the relaxation of the CW requirements. Without requirements, why have sub-bands allocated to them ? This latest step by the IARU confirms this objective.
Perhaps in the next few years when it becomes obvious that all digital modes are vastly superior to voice communication, the voice sub-bands will be eliminated in place of all digital modes. Imagine that ? Absurd isn't it ? But, to the pro-code gang, this is exactly what is happening to CW.
The shame of all of this is that there are influences at work here that have commercial gain in mind that for some reason, the FCC seemed very willing to listen to. Even the ARRL's (who represent the majority of U.S. hams) proposal was not accepted for the new licensing structure. Massive growth to amateur radio by reducing licensing requirements benefits no one but those with commercial interests.
This should be obvious to anyone who sits back and observes what's going on. The recent announcement by Alpha that they're shutting down operations is one example of the failing amateur radio economy. If sales were booming, this would not happen. I am not saying that Alpha is one of the commercial interests I refer to above.
I am saying that this is typical of amateur radio in that it's just not a robust market. This fact has led some groups to promote this nonsense about code being unnecessary, superfluous, etc. in the hope that they can sell stuff to the expected influx of people who don't need to learn morse code.
It's a shame.
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CW
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Anonymous post on September 10, 2000
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A previous poster to this "thread" states "Please let us new HAMs enjoy HF without this artificial barrier. We are not anti-CW. We are just anti-barrier". Perhaps then, we should eliminate theory testing as well; that's a barrier too ! Why bother to learn all that cr*p about propagation, half-wave discombobulators and all that math. After all, all we want to do is talk to someone far away, not design radios fergoodnesssakes !
You may have seen the recent article in the ARRL Newsletter "FCC Rejects Request to Permit CB DXing" so where do you think they're all going to go... FRS ?
The CW test may seem "irrelevent" to some people but it does show a strong degree of commitment to the hobby. People hold in high esteem, things they have worked hard to get (the converse is also true).
Enjoy CW while you can folks because the next target *is* the CW sub-bands; no doubt whatsoever.
For those reading this article who *do* want to achieve something, try Dr. Jerry Wheeler's "Code Quick" (http://www.cq2k.com)- ANYONE can learn CW using this method, ANYONE. BTW I have no financial interest whatsoever; it's just a fantastic method.
See Also: http://www.qsl.net/kh2d/nossb.html
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CW
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Anonymous post on September 10, 2000
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I'd like to give a big welcome to the next class of CB'ers and appliance operators!
Geesh, people, have you ever heard the old axiom "to get something out of your hobby, you must put something in"? How about showing a little commitment, shut up with the whining, and just learn the 5 wpm code? It's not really that tough if you have any commitment to Amateur Radio at all. CW is not my favorite, but I learned it anyway.
A 13 wpm Advanced class...and proud of it.
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RE: cw
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by N4KZ on September 10, 2000
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The statement below (contained in one of the many posts) is ridiculous:
Massive growth to amateur radio by reducing licensing requirements
benefits no one but those with commercial interests.
Massive growth to amateur radio will help ensure the survival of amateur radio. And to think otherwise
ignores the fact that without growth and additional licensees to use our frequencies, we are subject to the
continued loss of amateur radio spectrum. And without radio spectrum, we can just move our beloved
hobby to the Internet. Geez, folks, don't you have any idea of how the political process works? It's
all a numbers game -- period. Many hams = frequency preservation. Fewer hams = loss of spectrum.
The politicians who make these decisions in our country and elsewhere can and do look at numbers
and there is strength in numbers. To carry forth with the endless CW debate is to ignore the real
issue at hand -- more amateur users of amateur radio spectrum makes for a stronger hobby because
the politicians do see and understand numbers. It's really that simple. And that's why the above
statement about who benefits from amateur radio growth is just dumb.
73, N4KZ
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RE: CW
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by KB9PNZ on September 10, 2000
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<<For those reading this article who *do* want to achieve something, try Dr. Jerry Wheeler's "Code Quick" (http://www.cq2k.com)- ANYONE can learn CW using this method, ANYONE. BTW I have no financial interest whatsoever; it's just a fantastic method.>>
I second the recommendation. Code Quick teaches you the RHYTHM of Morse Code through sound-alikes. Some of the examples are:
I - bit it!
V - Vee vee vee VAAAHHH!
B - BAND rat-it-tat!
K - KAN-ga-roo
The Code Quick system is cutesy and silly, and that is precisely why it works and why it will stick in your mind. And it is MUCH more fun! You can bypass the drudgery of memorizing sequences of dits and dahs you won't be able to retain anyway.
I should let you know that the Code Quick system is weak on numbers, punctuation marks, and prosigns. However, you'll know what to do when you get there. (I had to create my own substitute sound-alikes for several of the numbers.)
In addition, I recommend buying a cheap flute from the $1 store so you can practice SENDING code without embarassing yourself on the air. Also, download the freeware program Morse Code Academy and take the practice CW exams. After you are finished with Code Quick, start taking practice exams at 3 wpm. When you pass the practice test at a given speed, practice at a higher speed.
In my opinion, one thing to avoid is trying to improve your code speed by trying to copy random groups of characters. Many of the techniques of the 20+ wpm crowd (copying whole words instead of characters, copying in one's head instead of on paper, etc.) do NOT work. Don't make things unnecessarily hard on yourself.
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CW
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by NY7Q on September 10, 2000
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I SAID IT BEFORE, AND I'LL SAY IT AGAIN...I TAUGHT CW IN THE NAVY FOR MANY MANY YEARS, AND NEVER HAD A STUDENT GET UP OUT OF THE CLASS CHAIR AND QUIT OR WHINE ABOUT LEARNING
CW. IT WAS A PRIDE AND ACCOMPLISHMENT THING WITH US, AND ALSO SURVIVAL OF YOUR JOB IN THE NAVY, BUT, WITH HAM RADIO, WE HAVE SO MANY WHINERS, QUITTERS, PEOPLE WHO WANT SOMETHING FOR NOTHING, WANTING IN HAM RADIO. WHAT'S WITH A LITTLE WORK TOWARD A GOAL?? DO WE ALL HAVE TO BEND TO THIS SORT OF RIFF-RAFF?? WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THE ELITE, THE ATTAINERS, THE LEARNERS, THE EXCELL KINDA PEOPLE...SO WHY?
I PERSONALLY THINK PSK-31, RTTY, PHONE, ETC., ALL ALL GOOD MODES, BUT CW IS THE PART THAT MAKES YOU A RADIOMAN, PUTS PRIDE IN YOUR CHEST,...I COULD GO ON AND ON, BUT WITH THE FCC PROMOTING THE SELLING OF BANDS, IT COULD BE POSSIBLE THAT ALL THIS RIFF=RAFF IS PARTNERED WITH THE FCC TO SINK HAM RADIO DOWN THE TUBES.....73 OM CUL DE NY7Q SK
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CW
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by NJ6D on September 10, 2000
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For what it's worth....
My long held position on CW is that even if it does not represent a state-of-the-art means of communication
it does represent a dedication to the hobby of ham radio. This, beyond any other argument, proves the worth
of CW. There are many parallels one can draw upon that exemplify this statement. Throughout my educaion
I have had o sit through courses which on the surface appeared not to be relevant to day-to-day life.
However, since moving on from an educational life to a professional one, these courses have either directly
or indirectly proven worthy of my time invested. I am constantly applying things I've learned in courses that had
nothing to do with the problem at hand, but yet there was some intangable connection between the course
work I took and the new experiences that each day brings.
So it is with CW. The dedication one must (or now once had to) exhibit to master The Code, be it 5 wpm or
20+ wpm, spills over to ALL other aspects of ham radio. I will leave by drawing an analogy: If as with the
invention of the calculator it is no longer necessary for our childeren to learn basic math skills, then as with
the invention of cell phone it is no longer necessary for the radio ham to know the most basic mode of radio
communication - CW. CW is an invaluable tool for teaching the fundementals of amateur radio.
Remember, ham radio is a privilege not a right. We must earn our privileges.
C. F. Claver, PhD.
de NJ6D
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CW AS A COMMITMENT
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by K1RV on September 10, 2000
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I ,too, will echo K1VV's comments about "having a price to pay" ! My feeling is that we are really dealing with a much larger issue than just "having to learn CW". Many people today suffer from a basic problem within our society that fails to encourage people to MAKE A COMMITMENT TO ANYTHING !!
How many people are unwilling to commit to getting married? How many really make the effort to make that work? Too many people EXPECT that society OWES things to them without any work being done.
Do any of you remember the great little booklet that the ARRL sent to each of us when we passed our Novice exams many years ago? It was called "Your Novice Accent"and proved invaluable to those of us who were wet behind the ears.I took great pride in trying to make sure that I learned everything I could about proper operating habits so that I could demonstrate PRIDE in my hobby.
The novice license was like serving an apprenticship in a Union. You tried your best to learn all that would be expected of you and our job now should be to try to continue instilling that PRIDE upon others.
Recently I spent many hours along with several other local Hams working to run a 5 WPM Morse Code training sessions on our local repeater.We ran sessions three nights a week for 8 weeks and offerred free training software(Morse Academy)to everyone.Guess what ? When we had a VE session as a followup to the classes;NOBODY showed up to take a 5 wpm CW exam.Why was this? Were we lousy teachers?I don't really think that was the case.The feeling that I got was that it would have involved too much work and COMMITMENT on their part !
To sum up my thoughts I guess I would say that :
PRIDE = COMMITMENT ; COMMITMENT = PRIDE
Nothing is for free !
73 , Pi K1RV
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RE: cw
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by N5NJ on September 11, 2000
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Re: N4KZ's comments
My statement included "by reducing licensing requirements".
You ignored that important phrase in your rebuttal. I would welcome more hams under the previous licensing requirements with the no-code license as it was and CW testing as it was.
I believe that there may be a small increase in the numbers of hams due to the lessening of the CW requirements but it will be insignificant.
The largest change by the restructuring that took place in April will be in upgrades. Existing amateurs will upgrade in great numbers to higher class licenses. This has been happening since April 15.
Again, net gain to amateur radio perhaps just slightly greater than zero if at all.
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RE: CW AS A COMMITMENT
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by KB9PNZ on September 11, 2000
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<When we had a VE session as a followup to the classes;NOBODY showed up to take a 5 wpm CW exam.Why was this? Were we lousy teachers?I don't really think that was the case.The feeling that I got was that it would have involved too much work and COMMITMENT on their part !>
Next time, try using Code Quick in addition to Morse Code Academy. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I am a big fan of the Code Quick system.
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CW
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by K1RC on September 11, 2000
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CW is like anything else.... How do you know you wont like it if you dont try it?? I don't mean sitting down for about 45 millisec and listening to a tape or swishing across the low end of a band on the way to the phone section. For the ones who really tried but couldn't get the hang of it, my compliments for your effort. For the ones who just whine about it -- If you put in as much effort on learning CW as whining about it, you'd probably be on HF by now...
Its a SKILL like any other, try learning a new skill once in a while...
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morse code testing
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by W3WA on September 11, 2000
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The ongoing debate between those who are in favor of eliminating the morse code test and those who predict doom for the hobby remind me of the story of the two poor Russian Farmers. One farmer owned a horse and the other did not. One day an angel comes down from Heaven and tells the farmer that does not own a horse that he may have one wish. The farmer wishes that the horse should die. This story illustrates how some hams feel about other hams.
Ham radio is a hobby and those who participate in it should be judged as individuals and not in some kind of "caste system" based on knowing or not knowing morse code. We need to welcome and support all operators with out without morse code.
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RE: CW AS A COMMITMENT
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by KC7QN on September 11, 2000
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I joined Amateur Radio in 1962 and have been active every since. I am an Extra class licence holder and have been for some years now.
All that means nothing however if the no code train is leaving the station and the cw subband allocation with it. If you feel so strongly that the cw sub band allocations should remain, then we need to fight for them because as the cw users disappear so will the sub band allocations.
We need new hams in amateur radio, and those who indicated that "if we don't use it we will most definitely get it sold out from under us" hit the nail on the head. We need to encourage more people onto the bands and I have seen more activity on 2/440 from new hams.
I say again however that if we don't want to lose the allocation to cw, we are required to defend it.
Thanks
73
CW Will Survive!
KC7QN
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RE: cw
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by KL9A on September 12, 2000
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When I was going to get my license I didn't want anything to do with CW. It was evil, way too hard, and a waste of time. I was THE anti-CW advocate. Then I said to myself,"Hey, you want to get on the HF bands, learn CW and forget about it." So I started studying, I got the tapes, etc. Then I kind of got into it. "Hey, this is cool" etc etc. I caught on really fast, and just took off. Without going into too much detail, I LOVE CW!!! It's the best mode. I am probably 95% CW, and only SSB in contests or working DX. Maybe the occassional pileup (from AK) :) The moral is, even though you may think you don't like something, TRY IT. If you try it then don't like it, ok, fine. But don't bad mouth it if you don't even have the guts to TRY it. I'm sad to see this about the Region 3 decision. LONG LIVE CW!
-Chris KL9A/W7
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RE: cw
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Anonymous post on September 12, 2000
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Just a quick thought on a possible solution to this mess:
Perhaps a 5-wpm CW test can be offered to those interested in using the current General class CW subbands, and those wanting the General class voice mode priviledges can take the current General written exam to get them.
Then make 5-wpm proficiency mandatory to get the Extra ticket (along with the current Extra written test).
This way, people can get on to HF without taking the code test, but one MUST pass the CW test to use the CW subbands; and CW remains an integral part of the hobby.
Just my 2 pennies worth.
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Long over due
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by DG5MGQ on September 12, 2000
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I feel that this long over due.
It strikes me as crazy that an experimental world wide
radio service should require knowledge of an "ancient"
and for the most part now unused form of communication.
Exams requiring more knowledge of DSP, satellites, digital
modes, comunication theory etc. seem much more sensible to
me.
I am learning code currently. I would continue to learn
code if the requirement was dropped tomorrow. CW is
supposed to be fun, and I like fun.
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cw
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Anonymous post on September 12, 2000
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Most of the pro cw arguments boil down to keeping the barbarian masses at the gates. Some questions:
Are the hordes really piled up on the walls of the cw fortress waiting to get in?
If people wanting to drive a car were required to show proficiency and knowledge of the internal cumbustion engine and the physics of moments as well as play La Cucaracha on their horn, how many interstate highways would have been built?
Would not more people interested in amateur radio stem the tide of loss of spectrum and here's a novel thought: maybe even expand spectrum due to popular demand?
The argument for cw may come from grumpy old men driving at 40mph on the freeway, complaining about the volume of traffic. Everyone ahead is of them is crazy and everyone behind is an idiot.
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Ditty-Boppin'
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by AC5UP on September 12, 2000
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-.-. --.- -.-. --.-
Finally, near the bottom of a string of messages about the value of CW as a mode, I'm the only one here to actually USE any in a message. (and I can guarantee you I'm the worst CW op in the bunch!)
Which makes a point.
Using plain text (or phone on the air) to promote CW tells the real story. You wanted to get your opinion out to the largest possible audience, and chose the "mode" most likely to achieve that goal. Plain text. Not CW.
If the message we want to get out is that Ham Radio is one very fine hobby, what's the best way to do it?
Not by throwing CW at newbies as their first obstacle to getting on the air. Been there, done that, and watched the hobby decline for three decades as a result. That's why we have the No-Code Tech license and why nearly half the amateur population are 'no-coders'. The average Ham just wants to chew rags or work a little DX when the bands are open because, to them, -> IT'S A HOBBY <- .
Not a job. Not a career. Not a test of their manhood.
And, some of us choose to put our 'Pride Of Achievement' into other pursuits, like, maybe, the job that pays the bills? (Heretic!)
For the high-speed CW aficianados ready to 'cut me a new one' for posting this, here's another point to consider:
You're a better Ham than I am. (yes, you are)
Because you work more CW than I do. (yes, you do)
Did that make you feel better? Did it put any extra money in your wallet? Put an extra loaf of bread in your cupboard? Make you better looking, smell better, or help your car start easier on cold mornings?
Well? Did it?
The first license (and upgrades) are starting points for greater privileges - NOT - an ending point. Those who enjoy CW, will. Those who don't might pass one or more of the CW tests and go no further with it. It's been like that for decades. All the 13 and 20 WPM tests did was to deny some of the ditty-dot challenged a few HF band segments.
And maybe that was the whole point of the ARRL persuading the FCC to restructure by moving the CW requirement for full privileges from 10 wpm to 13 wpm in the 30's and up to 20 wpm in the early 50's. Maybe you've forgotten (or didn't know) that, but it was easier to pass the 'Class A' CW test in 1938 than the Extra in 1998. For the same privilege class.
Civilization as we know it is not going to end because 5 wpm is becoming the world standard for HF privileges. It didn't in the past, it won't in the future.
What will become increasingly difficult to justify is ONE mode that's legal in any band segment for the benefit of 15% (or less?) of the Ham population while the other 85% (plus?) can pack themselves into the upper HALF of a band to keep the lower half wide open for background noise.
Anyone care to explain the logic in that?
Or honest enough to admit that's the real issue?
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RE: CW
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by WA6IBU on September 12, 2000
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I would have to agree that Ham Radio is a priviledge that should be earned. Although I'm a 30+ wpm CW ham and proud of it, I do not think it is a necessary requirement to be earned. However, I think the requirement was there in the past to provide a barrier to entry so that only the most committed could obtain a license and it was those types of people that formed the ranks of ham radio. That is a good thing. However in removing or lowering the CW requirement, the written tests should be increased in difficulty and include more questions on operating practices. Unfortunately the tests are just plain too easy, all the way to the Extra Class. I had thought that with the lowering of the CW speed requirements, the written tests would be made more difficult, but apparently this is not the case. Any lowering of the CW standards should be replaced with a higher barrier in the written tests to reflect the dedication required.
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RE: Ditty-Boppin'
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Anonymous post on September 12, 2000
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"Did it put more money in your pocket ?" says one contributor (above).
Is that the sole motivation for wanting to excell these days ? I think you've just justified the arguments regarding commitment to the hobby noted above.
And don't whine about the anonymous post as we've all heard it before.
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RE: cw
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by N5KM on September 13, 2000
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> If people wanting to drive a car were required to show
> proficiency and knowledge of the internal cumbustion
> engine and the physics of moments as well as play La
> Cucaracha on their horn, how many interstate highways
> would have been built?
Actually, I believe commercial airline pilots should be
able to go to the DMV to get their pilot's license. That
would insure there are plenty of pilots for all those jets.
And I'm positive they would be committed to air travel.
I wouldn't worry about that.
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RE: cw
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by IT9WPO on September 13, 2000
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Well I don't believe there is any barbarian mass waiting armed behind the CW wall, but, regardless the outsanding importance of CW in our bands, I am concerned that a filter is more than necessary.
OK IARU and many national amateur league don't want CW in the exams any more (only because te reduction of new members), but a filter is needed.
What about a 6 months SWL period? You show the examiner 100 qsl from the 5 continents, he askes you about rules, electronics, antenna design and you get the first limited licence, for the full privileges you have to wait one year
(and show proof of activity in 10 meters and VHF).
OR what about a period of attending an Elmer QTH (an Extra class or equivalent at least 5 years experienced ham) you go weekly for 4/6 months at his house, you operate under his supervision, then he gives you a certificate that you are ready to SOLO fly.
Marco IT9WPO
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RE: cw
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by KE4SHC on September 13, 2000
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Well personally I see both sides of the story here.
1. Keeping CW will at least make sure anyone with HF privileges can at least receive (and send too but mostly tested to receive it) at 5wpm.
2. Eliminating it may seem like going towards the 11 meter, FRS, GMRS, etc. bands of the spectrum.
Now there's a few reasonable solutions to this and such. First I'd like to point out you can tune in just about any night at least on 3898 and a few more frequencies I'm sure around and find the CBish part of the hobby and yes on 2 meters sometimes as well but the problem on 2 is more so that the ones there as well on hf that lean towards that side of their actions more than likely either started out on CB before they got their license and/or are emergency service workers (with regard to occasionally hearing 10 signals on the ham bands). Now is there a way to truthfully clean this up no. Did this start after April 15, 2000? No. While it may have started after 1987 or 1991 I doubt that as well. If the FCC took care of the present offenders would it happen again? Yes maybe not by the same people but it would. Do all "offenders" need to have the FCC even warn them of their actions? No. Most usually after a few times on the air the use of 10 codes on the amateur band by someone goes away, there will be slip ups but no one's perfect either. Alright on to the suggestions. .....
1. Keep the Requirement at 5 and /maybe/ add the code test for every upgrade not just one time so to get the full tech Privs, you'd have to pass it, to get general privs, element 3 and pass element 1 AGAIN especially if the CSCE for it is over a year old. Same for extra as for General. Though keeping it the way it is now would be enough the 2 added times would prove you could still pass it.
.....OR......
2. have Phone only privileges and for RTTY SSTV Packet, etc BUT not for the Primarily Code only portions of the bands. that means to get to phone only Extra Class you'd take an element 2, 3 and 4 test all 3, but no Element 1 test at all. Also if this was done and you're VE certified by whoever you could only have anything to do with the written tests.
... OR ....
3. Eliminate the code completely, but make the tests harder and longer, say 50, 50, 100 or 100 questions on each. Also with the 100 on each set up and even the 50 instead of having 20 from one group 3 from another group etc. there would be equal amounts of questions say 5 from each or 10 from each and the 10:1 ratio minimum would still be in effect.
.... OR ....
4. Basically the same as #3 but just keep the tests the same level of difficulty as now.
Now on the subject of reviving the hobby as a whole again I think if the FCC and everyone else would let people do more things over the internet you'd get people interested more. I know people probably set up skeds by email already but for instance if the ability to confirm a dx contact on the internet within a few hours or days and such would be more efficient. Also I think alot of the barriers for prospective hams that never become hams is the prices involved in setting up a station. Sure you can go get a HT for $200 or even some 2 meter mobiles, but to do any good get prepared to spend at least $300-$400 and usually $500 and while the economy is good most people aren't willing to put that much into a hobby all at once. I think that's the primary reason people who come from CB to ham eventually got into CB to begin with because for that $500 dollars you could have a tower, antenna, and a base radio and maybe a few more things that aren't illegal. So see if Ham radio equipment got down to the same range as CB prices more people would get into the hobby. Also I think that alot of people get the various books to study and when they see the electrical part of it they give up on it. Sure there needs to be that included but even the most detailed books we have available in the hobby don't explain them as well as some like. Then there's the Youth problem and the gender split. Yes there are plenty of YLs and XYLs in the hobby but we need to find a way to make it more attractive to Females and no I don't mean in the stereotypical ways, but ways that they can find to utilize to their benefit and such. The youth problem comes in mostly when you go to even a hamfest or just a bunch of hams getting together and you're anywhere from 5-30 in age and all the hams there ore most all are 40+ in age. That shows on the outside it's mostly for adult males that are either about to retire in a few years or already retired or such. We need more ways to attract the youth and yes in reference to some ham's ages 30 is youth. Another problem is the fleamarket/tailgate sections at hamfests and used equipment in general. Now if you know ALL the previous owners and how they treated it then you can truly decide whether or not to buy it from that person, but if you don't who knows what might happen when you turn it on. Should used equipment be sold still Yes, Should there be regulations on conditions and such about it Yes.
So how to revive the hobby? come up with more alternative ways to study say maybe having online license classes taught through one of the bigger known places that have online instruction like the zdnet sponsored one. Lower prices for new equipment and even some new equipment that's been out a while like the IC-781 which still lists around $8000 but can be bought around $5k-$7k and been out at least 5 years if not more. More activites designed for Youth, Females, and such. Field Day, SETs, Dayton, etc. are all great but there's not much for some groups to be interested in those events. The SAREX stuff does help the youth factor some as does the including of the study if ham radio in technology classes, and things like boy scouts etc. What we have is good but it can be improved and should be alot. We need to come to some new alternatives to revive the hobby from the hit it took to the internet and such other things. I think another area of concern is the various awards too. for instance if there was an award for working 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, 75, etc countries and not just for 100 and such and do the counties the same way, IOTA the same way etc. because when people hear of the total Countries, counties, IOTA (if there is a good total), etc. they start daydreaming of reaching the total and then when they realize in a month after being able to contact one of the places in either list and getting their QSL cards exchanged etc. and that's the only one they get that month then most give up hope of reaching the total ever. I think that and the fact that for the most part we don't let people in our community know we are hams and then when someone says to them "You should become one too." and they probably have at least 1 within 5 miles of them and didn't know it then if/when they ever find out they may get more interested or may not depending on the relationship they have with that person. Basically we need to be more like our Aviation cohorts other than the style of testing etc. and become more obvious to the public and publicize more. I don't mean anything similar to a political campaign but if it needs it we should do it. as Martin Luther King Jr. Said "I have a dream..." except in this case my dream is that one day at least 10 percent of the world holds a ham callsign. Especially 10 percent of the USA as well. Sure I'd like to see all 3-4 billion or so that are able to read and write as of this moment in the world be holding a valid Ham callsign, but 10 percent is a decent goal we should reach for. I guess that's enough for now and hope I've made my points clear while more off the subject of CW than most posts probably it still in essence is on the subject
73s
Marty Montgomery, KE4SHC, No-code Tech, licensed October 25, 1994.
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RE: cw
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Anonymous post on September 13, 2000
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OK, here is another of my pet peeves, a carryover from CB...
"73s" means "best wisheses"..."73" is correct.
If you are going to use it, get it right!
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RE: cw
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by AB6MB on September 13, 2000
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I see it coming now. First CW is a barrier to my getting on HF bands as I will never use it. Next theory will be a barrier as I will never use it. Then it's too many questions as why do we need all those questions when I just want to talk on the air! Remember you get what you work for.
So we are slowly working our way to this in ham radio;
Radio lisense test
Wat is ur name?
If u don't know write X
U r now a ham
If this is too hard there is always CB. No CW, no "hard" tests filled with useless theory that people will never use and not to many questions. Perfect for those who just want to talk on the air.
CW is not a panacea but as we dumb down Amateur Radio will slowly but surely slide down to the level of CB.
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RE: cw
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Anonymous post on September 13, 2000
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Ok, why don't we do this... Since everyone thinks that new hams are stupid because they don't know code above 5 WPM, let's increase the written elements, to say, 150 questions EACH. While we're at it, we can take away the simple priviledge of renewing your license, and require that you be retested every 10 years instead. Then we can see how many extras from the 60's and 70's are still around. Just because you learned code 30 or 40 years ago doesn't mean you are a good operator TODAY!
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Harder is not badder, easier is worser
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by K4OJ on September 13, 2000
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IT IS A SHAME.
There is nothing but joy to me when I hear good CW sent...a joy that is born of satisfaction in knowing something the average man does not. The wonderul rhythm like jazz-the perosnality of the sender in his selection of what abbreviatiobns he uses...
Of course being of ham lineage I perhaps am more interested in radio as an operator versus today's communicators seeking to turn on a box and have clear solid copy...just like on their cell phones?
A long haul QSO on a nearly non-existant propagation path at an odd time of day...made possible by what?
CW, that's what.
I routinely make contacts with Japanese amateurs on the 160 meter band, which for the newcomers is very VERY close in frequency to the AM broadcast band...this is a very low frequency. Do you ever have difficulty copying signals on AM on your car radio...signals from stations in the same or next county? Imagine a signal from the exact other side of the globe coming to a ham in Florida from a fellow ham a Japan.
This is not so tough....ON CW!
This is the type of thrill that is lacking to many hams and it is a shame. Most hams nowadays see amateur radio as communicators, they carry another miniature electronic marvel in their pocket...which one is this...oh yeah the ham radio...is it even a "rig" anymore?
What a shame...most of those who see no reason to maintain CW are the same ones who do not experience the special joys of a long haul marginal signal QSO which tests the operators at either end...note these are OPERATORS, not merely communicators giving up because it isn't clear channel telephone quality copy. They have not lived the thrill of radio...and if you haven't lived it you cannot sell it!
New hams - don't be so quick to jump on the repeater bandwagon...there is intrigue still in the HF bands...rare DX - hams in parts of the world may not have the internet routinely at their fingertips...they may not even have television but they have a comradery with other hams operating the hf specttrum, where CW is king of the long haul QSO.
Until you have felt the low grade paper of a QSL card from the third world and realized how important that QSL is to that ham you have not realized how you and someone from an entirely different way of life are more the same than you are different.
Amateur radio exists as a service because it fosters international goodwill, I offer up my goodwill on CW...and love it.
Do you like music? You probably will like CW too if you hang in there and master it...because it is hard at first some are quick to dismiss it especially in times where there are multiple technological substitues for it...but you do not see a ham tuning in a digital signal on an HF band the way you see an operator pulling a cw signal out of a pileup - probably tilting his head jsut slightly (no it doesn't help) as he tweaks the receiver almost imperceptably...this is a skill. It is easier just to write it off as olde time low tech - but those who know the thrill have a real hard time when they are told the fun part is not necessary any more, it is now obsolete.
Again we as a society take the easy road and make it easier for everybody to "gain" by eliminating a hard part of something...like our schools here in the states today that no longer want to embarass a child by giving them a poor grade and hurting their self esteem...big mistake.
It is time again for the olympics, watch and rejoice in your fellow men and women achieving things THEY WORKED HARD TO ATTAIN...you might even be inspired to finally stop whining about CW and make it your second language.
CW isn't easy BUT IT ISN"T IMPOSSIBLE OR EVEN ALL THAT DAMN HARD. Instead of working to encourage its elimination master it and rejoice in your knowledge.
I am passionate about my ham radio, I would argue that many of the non code element is not and should they fail would leave the hobby for another without a second thought...it is just another hobby to tire of and move on.
The lure of radio, of DX, of communication by OPERATORS is way stronger than whatever your local shack on a belt take my study course guy can ever muster.
There is a kinship amongst hams which has faded in recent years, I think a lot of it has to do with the missing bond of something as simple as our knowing CW abbreviations.
73 es CUL
Jim, K4OJ
Tampa, FL
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RE: Harder is not badder, easier is worser
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by KC8NWX on September 14, 2000
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We would be a whole lot better off if the older generation of hams would stop acting like new hams are automatically bad hams because of current license requirements. Operators who are just now becoming licensed are walking into this hobby, art, science, whatever, being treated inferior before they can even get the hang of it. Those going around spouting about "CB Generals", or "Extra Lites", or whatever, need to sit back and realize just what they are doing to ham radio. Why would you ever want to learn CW if the people you will talk to on the air are putting you down now for not knowing it yet? I promise you, if you don't want any new hams, amateur radio WILL be dead eventually, because current licensees won't be around forever. The riff caused by the whole CW debate seems to have accomplished one thing, and that is to turn away new hams, and even lose old ones for that matter. Why would someone want to become a ham after reading the arguments on here and in the newsgroups between the two sides?
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RE: Harder is not badder, easier is worser DEUX
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by K4OJ on September 15, 2000
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...I like the idea of it being harder to become a ham - not easier...if it is hard to become a ham then we will have fewer guys who come and go based on their Mastercard balances, and mebbe those who do join us REALLY WANT TO BE HAMS and not candidates for FRS/CB...who can easily get a ham ticket without much effort so they do. I used to be a salesman - you know what the worst cutomer is - the easy sell...if he takes no work from you then he won't demand it from the next guy through the door, either! You can be bumped in the wink of an eye! Just because something is hard doesn't mean it isn't fair - opening ceremonies for the olympics are tomorrow - think it was easy for any of them?
If a discourse which gives a guy second thoughts about becoming a ham has scared him away is he really worth having amongst us in the first place just to drop off the ranks when he does not renew his license?
If you do not think CW is a filter, and you do actually know CW, you give me one instance of a time when the CW bands are NOT as full of the rude crude and vulgar behaviour that drove many a ham away from SSB!
This old geezer routinely invites other NEW hams over to his house to operate CW in radio contests...no they are not hot shot aces but usually the opposite...over the years I have seen guys afraid to touch the paddle that first weekend evolve into operators. They wanted it, they went the mile. We run multi-operator where a new guy can sit down next to a seasoned operator and learn what it is really about. It truly is more than turning on and off the switch...trouble is most new guys do not have a view of anything other than FM and repeaters and lack exposure to the true meat of radio, long haul communications.
To marvel at radio and feel the excitement of a DX station responding to your CQ...to pick out the bits and pieces of his callsign and then to realise he is where... Indonesia...wow...
...where Uzbekistan...wow
...that is what sets a life long hook and seperates communicators from operators.
My original post has been seen by one as negative and I am afraid he just don't get it yet. Apparently he too has not been given a taste of true radio yet, I hope he gets some exposure to it and will then understand why so many old guys - I am 45 - are so anxious not to scare away potential hams but eager to encourage them and have no interest in license holders whose current fancy is a quick and easy license. (I cannot believe I am one of those old timers - wasn't it just yesterday that I got my real General license...almost 30 years ago?)
I welcome new operators into the fold, you see with them I help ensure this hobby will be around to give me pleasure when I retire and then I can make up for all those lost hours of operating my job kept me from enjoying!
Easy licensing = zero net gain to the hobby...only the electronic manufacturers gain - this is my opinion of course but I suspect I am far from alone.
Jim, K4OJ
Tampa, FL
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SSB
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by W5UX on September 15, 2000
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SSB is the most popular mode on the HF bands but ranks number 4 in its ability to get through. CW is second in popularity on HF.
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RE: Harder is not badder, easier is worser DEUX
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by N5NJ on September 15, 2000
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Remarkably, 'Old Timer' K4OJ and I agree on this issue. I being a youngster, just turning 42, licensed for 27 years and still marvel at the things Jim so well describes as being 'real ham radio'.
Why is it so difficult to understand that the people who oppose the lessening of the requirements do so because it lessens the value of something that they cherish and value so highly?
I want to know that when I meet a new ham, I know he's somewhere on the same path that I went on in getting up to Extra class. It's not that the so-called 'extra-lites' are bad people, it's just that they haven't 'been there and done that' as I have.
I think this common bond of putting in the effort is fundamental to the underlying comraderie of ham radio. I also believe that having an appreciation of the heritage of CW and it's significance to not only radio, but to society at large is very important.
If you don't understand this, you should read a book that is reviewed in the October 2000 issue of QST called 'The Victorian Internet'.
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Morse Code
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by KC5TLP on September 15, 2000
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It is about time everyone realized Morse code is gone.
I think it is great for those who want to use it, but a silly requirement for someone to know Morse code before he can communicate on HF phone frequencies.
Ham radio will surely die if this requirement is not done away with at the earliest possible time.
I also believe that spouting callsigns every few minutes is also rediculous. There are too many ways to communicate without having to prove you are authorized, I sometimes think Hams have nothing to do but check on everyone else, instead of just having a good time visiting on the airwaves.
Having just returned from a 4 month trip on the road, I can assure you the radio waves are silent everywhere I went. It sure ain't like it used to be.
Thanks, Jim Bauer
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RE: CW AS A COMMITMENT
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by N7RIB on September 15, 2000
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The posting by K1RV and those of many others in the group wishing not to reduce the CW requirements for HF licensing unfortunately contain a serious logical flaw. Generalization (a person's overall ability to commit and succeed in life) based on a single premise (having the desire and willpower to learn CW shows commitment) is unfortunately common. Racists, fascists and others have traded on it for centuries to rouse the rabble!
I have been a ham for over 20 years in the UK and now in the USA. My first licence was a UK G6 (no-code) ticket, my second was the above call as a no-code tech. Since the CW requirements have been reduced, it has progressively been upgraded to the current level (Amateur Extra). I have always taken pride in the licence at every level. Unlike many of those who denigrate those without code qualifications, I have been building and designing my own equipment throughout this period, not just buying another black box with a commercially-made key to plug into it. I have built equipment for, and operated on, most of the other digital modes including packet, RTTY and now PSK31. I have built both tube and solid-state transceivers and transverters, power amplifiers, computer interfaces and more antennas than I can remember (I also use a black box from Icom - I'm not against bought equipment, just wish it wasn't the only thing in the shack). I am not a professional - just a real radio AMATEUR (the word derives from the Latin verb amo - I love).
My commitment to the rest of my life is what kept me OFF the HF bands until the CW requirement was reduced. I have two college degrees (first class) in non-radio sciences, a PhD in physiology and an MD degree. I am a surgeon in rural practice with one partner - and so on call every second night, often working all night. In spite of this, I have a good marriage and three great children, the youngest of whom is less than a year old. The eldest are already learning amateur radio with me. If it's a choice between learning CW at 13/20 WPM or my real commitments, guess which win.
Lowering the requirement to 5 WPM made it possible to pass the hurdle to the HF bands without sacrificing the other parts to life. While it is an amazing hobby, you have to remember that, at the end of the day that is exactly what it is - A HOBBY - and should not be regarded as the sole defining feature in your life (unless it is, of course). Lowering the code requirement while keeping an adequate theory examination may actually encourage more people like me in, not just those everyone seems to fear.
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RE: CW AS A COMMITMENT
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Anonymous post on September 16, 2000
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What Nonsense !
So now we're all akin to Racists and Fascists as well as being Old Farts (I'm in my thirties and have been licensed for 3 years (now Extra Class)). Give me a break !!!
Many of us have family and professional commitments and yet we passed the 20 wpm CW test. It doesn't need to take *any* dedicated time to raise ones speed to 20 wpm. All it takes is use of the mode; your speed cannot fail to go up simply by using CW in your QSOs (or don't you have time for QSOs either ?).
The bottom line is that until April 15th 2000, to be an Extra Class Ham, one had to pass a 20 wpm CW Test. Those who did were Amateur Extra Class Hams and those who didn't make the grade, weren't !
End of Story !
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RE: Morse Code
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by NY7Q on September 16, 2000
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you obviously dont listen, or even partake the joys of the CW areas of the bands. there are probably MORE cw ops than ssb continuously 24 hours a day...Come on up to 14.014 and lets talk..I monitor 24 hours a day. I sleep also...73 NY7Q
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RE: cw
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by KQ6Q on September 17, 2000
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The CW requirement is analogous to the requirement to know and be able to use hand signals for right turn, left turn, and stop for the motor vehicle operator's license. While you won't see them often, if someone is driving with inoperative signal lights, you NEED to know what their arm is doing out the driver's window; if your signal lights are out, you want to be able to show the other drivers your intentions. Since HF propagation crosses international boundaries, and thus language boundaries, basic knowledge of CW is a health and safety requirement, since you need to be able to understand a distress call, to render aid or coordinate a call to others for aid.
A similar requirement exists in the international flying regulations - all air traffic radio communication is conducted in English, regardless of the local language. Think how upset some aspiring pilot in a non-English speaking country might be about having to learn English to fly a plane! Also, pilots have to learn Morse code, because Navaids give their ID's in morse, and you have to be able to identify the navaid you are tuned to, and the morse in the background does not interfere with cockpit communication or air-air or -air-ground communications on voice.
One side effect of the new reduced code requirements - the other day I was listening on 20CW in the extra sub-band, and heard a very distinct novice-grade fist, working Aruba or someplace similar, with the familiar ..."NAME IS JOHN JOHN JOHN" at 5 wpm
Band conditions were super clear - no need to send a name 3 times at 5wpm (and not farnsworth 5wpm either!)
There were some merits to the stepped CW speed requirements and sub-bands. I just hope we all survive! personally, I'm still using manly CW on HF, and will try out PSK31 shortly.
Fred Wagner
KQ6Q
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RE: cw
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Anonymous post on September 17, 2000
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In a parallel universe somewhere......a newsflash
Amateur horse riding enthusiasts are furious at the Department of Transport for the proposed changes. These would now allow amateur car owners to drive on public roads as well as in their own backyards, without first demonstrating proficiency in horse riding. They have lobbied their regulatory group, the AHHL (Amateur Horse Hackers Association) to oppose such a retrograde step.
Their arguments, which on the surface seem to have merit, include:
1. Horse-riding was the original mode of transport over long distances and needs to be maintained as such.
2. Horse-riding is a mode for "real men (persons)" which demands commitment and training that is an essential part of learning to drive, whereas any idiot with a Visa card can buy a car and operate it.
3. You can ride a horse in places where there are no roads and a car cannot go
4. Horses are more available in developing countries where the technology of cars may not exist or where it may be too expensive.
5. Horses are low-bandwidth modes (both literally and in terms of their impact on roads).
6. Horse-riders pollute the bandwidth less (unless you remember the manure and the methane's effect on the ozone layer).
7. Horse transport skills must be preserved for all users in case of a catastrophic electromagnetic pulse that disables all other modes of transport.
8. Horse-riding is an integral part of the history of amateur transport and needs to be carefully preserved, even if doing so limits the overall pool of available drivers for emergencies.
What seems to have been forgotten is that no-one is preventing the avid horse-rider from achieving olympian equestrian skills, and using them as they wish. There are even private sub-zones of the roads closed to other modes of transport, which should and hopefully will be maintained for them.
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RE: cw
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by W5UX on September 17, 2000
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anti-coders 1, cw fans 0
We were defeated for sure but cw itself was not.
CW will get through when all other modes fail. It also helps when a heavy regional accent is involved. it is also cheaper. However I don't think that it was very nice for that feller to refer to the restructuring as WELFARE RADIO.
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RE: anticoders 1, cw 0
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by K5OO on September 17, 2000
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Most people who will not take a little time to learn ONLY 5 WPM will not take time to learn anything else. If it's worth having, it's worth earning. I let cw keep me out for 10 years then I decided I would HAVE to do it and studied for 2 weeks and went and just passed the test. That's certainly not asking too much.....by the way, I did make it up to 20 WPM after a couple of years. The new requirements have never been easier.....and people still think it's too much to HAVE to do? What is an amateur license coming to... buy a radio, connect an antenna, push a button, talk. Does that sound familiar.....hey I USED to be one of those not I'm an Amateur Extra and I wouldn't trade it for an easier way any day. I have done something in my life that I feel good about and it's been worth the work and wait. 73 all
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cw
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Anonymous post on September 18, 2000
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For over 25 years I have been listening to the crying
and moaning and the crying and the wringing of hands.
Well, you criers and moaners finally got someone to
listen to your crying and moaning. Look at your self
in the mirror and ask your self "am I the best I can be?"
I think you'll agree, your not the best you could be!!!!
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Oh No....Not Again...
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Anonymous post on September 18, 2000
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Things were obviously getting too slow on eHam. So, Lets bring up the code debate again... zzzzzz....
What is done is done, and is done for good reason.
The real issue with CW is this: Some people pick it up extremely quickly... others have real difficulty.
Even in the military in the "old" days the screening of new recruits would pick out those with a natural propensity
for CW. Those people became radiomen, the others didn't.
So there are alot of "natural-propensity CW" guys that had to do very little to master 20 WPM CW.
And because THEY didn't have to do much, they naturally think the others are very lazy as it wasn't much
of a barrier for them. And it is understandable why they think others are lazy.
And there are a lot of people that struggled way too much for the honor of being CW proficient. Many didn't make it. And then again, its understandable why they felt CW to be an artificial barrier.
Since April 15th, the bands really don't seem that much different. Except maybe for the story of the one 5 WPM guy in the "extra" class band. Instead of complaining.. work him, and help him get more proficient. But I have yet seen the "fire, brimstone & pestulence" again. But there wasn't any "FB&P" after the no-code tech, and no "FB&P" after Novice Enhancement either; no suprizes there.
Not wanting to be flamed AGAIN, signed anonymous.
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IMHO
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by KC0EXP on September 18, 2000
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I see both sides actually. I'm a general class operator, and have been a ham about 2 years now. I upgraded to general in March (yep, before the new regs) just to say I did. I decided to take the 20wpm test. I passed. I got my general. I rarely use CW, however I like it on occasion, as it takes less power and I live in a restricted neighborhood. Whether or not CW testing is at 1 wpm or 100 wpm isn't the issue. We live in the age of the internet, and it's darn hard to convince a guy that is 16 that HAM radio is cool. So we say, "but you can use your computer for HAM radio." To me, that defeats the purpose. I like HAM radio because it's antiquated. That's why I do it. I'm an IT guy by trade, and could network Tokyo to San Francisco if I wanted to, but that's not really the point. The point is enjoyment, and I hate to see arguments about a hobby. CW testing won't kill the hobby, as I have seen HAMs on 10m that could make a sailor blush, and they have probably been licensed since they were 8. Education is the key to prolonging this hobby, protecting our bandwidth, and making it attractive to newcomers. I've tried to get tons of my IT friends involved, and they just don't see the point when they can do everything over the internet. It's nostalgic, and it's worth saving, I just hate to see all of us that are fighting for a common cause argue amongst ourselves.
73,
de KC0EXP
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RE: cw
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by K4OJ on September 21, 2000
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N4KZ says it is all about politics, this is precisely the point of my numerous postings.
My postings are about operating, the thrills and joys of weak signal long haul QSOs...
Not about communicators who use ham radio as if it was just another one of those wonderful electronic toys like their satellite TV or cell phone or....
IF THERE IS AN UNVEILING OF THE JOYS OF OPERATING (not NOT Not nOT COMMUNICATING!!!!!) - THEN and only then is there a reaosn to understand WHY so many feel angered at the lack of importnace CW now ranks...
Enjoy the thrill of radio, it is not done on your HT!
Jim, K4OJ
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Final Score: Anti-Coders 1, CW Fans 0
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by KF4DEW on April 5, 2002
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Code is ok for people that like it. But the thing about morse code is it's just a hobby that all. If this is all we have to depend on in the year 2002 we have not come as far as i thought. The code is for people with the big head saying look at me, these people can't get there head in the door for slapping them selfs on the back, be careful not to choke your self. It's not how many dit-and dah you know that make you a good ham. It's just in ham radio they only want a certain # of people on HF. A close group. I know, we had to do it so do you. That a bunch of Bull.If the older ham could have had and easier way they would have taken it in a new york minute.It's the person the makes a good ham, not how dit-dah you know. Go to 75/80 and listen to all the good hams that sound like CB's.If you like code that good but don't tell me that by knowing code that makes you a good ham. Any body can put and antenna up and talk on the radio, but to some if you don't know code you or not a ham. Some of the old timers i think have OD on some of there medices. It might be time for them to get of the radio. That's my 2 cents worth. All e-mail is welcome. ssapachee@webtv.net
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RE: Final Score: Anti-Coders 1, CW Fans 0
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by KC2JCA on June 28, 2002
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The reason for the code requirement is really very simple. It is a measure of one's desire to learn as well as to set, and achieve, a goal. Any crybaby can say, "But I don't wanna! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
CW is the yardstick by which one can say, "I did it!" and receive recognition for a job well done in the way of higher operating privledges. CW is not a punishment, it's a means to a reward.
You don't like having to work for something?
Too bad.
Welcome to life, people.
73, Jim - kc2jca
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RE: Final Score: Anti-Coders 1, CW Fans 0
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by QWERTY on July 10, 2002
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Just an outsiders thought:
I became interested in ham from my father around age 12. I was going to meet people all around the world and get a great job as an electronics technician. I almost memorized the 1974 ARRL handbook (it was 1981, but the price fell right into my budget.)
Well, one thing stood in my way, much to my father's horror: I could not learn that bleepedy bleep bleepin morse code! I spent hours, dad an I built trainers from radioshack. Never could crack that bleepin code.
Went on to other things gradieated from an electronics tech school in avionics/marine electronics in 1991 only to see raytheon's demise but eventually found out IT pays better.
As far as the ARRL's plan to create a reserve of qualified electronics technicians(as stated in the '74 handbook:) be careful what you wish for, you might just get it.
Anyhow, I admire those of you who achived a passing score on your code.
-Mark
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Final Score: Anti-Coders 1, CW Fans 0
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by EXWN1MUT on December 20, 2002
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Well, here I go.
I've been out of ham radio for 25 years, and about to get back into it (to enjoy a relaxed evening working CW oddly enough!). I hated to read about the IARU trashing CW testing.
May I leave you all with a few observations about human behavior ?
1: Panels, by reasons of organizational behavior, do not always attract the best people, un-biased, experienced and clear thinkers living in the real world. Its often a game of self-promotion and defensive posturing of "pet ideas" that generates horribly skewed group-decisions. They're often compensating for something lacking elsewhere in life. Ever read the cartoon "Dilbert" ?
2: Saying that IARU's proposal to halt CW testing is "not a pre-cursor to CW frequency confiscation", is asking us to ignore human nature (and history).
3: I know human nature, it ain't pretty.
4: I know history, it ain't pretty either.
5: Inner city school kids were found to care less about themselves when their schools were run down. Broken windows and dirty hallways fosters a 'who cares?" attitude that repeatedly comes out in counseling. Isn't that CB ?
6: A tight ship transmits ideas of self-worth. A little 5 wpm code is just what changes a persons perceptions about himself and his environment. Ok, so if CW isn't used in certain vhf/uhf bands, why not remove the CW reqirement by band or sub-band, but retain CW tesing for obtaining privileges for the international-HF bands ?
7: With the big increase in interest in vintage radio (Collins, Hallicrafters, etc) there is a pent up demand to get back to basics. CW is one of those basics.
8: Lots of ex-hams in the board-room dream of trading in the brief-case for vintage radio, and getting back to basics. With all that purchasing power, we'd love to buy some new CW gear too!
Ok, now for your tomatoes !
-Rob
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Final Score: Anti-Coders 1, CW Fans 0
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by JIMBO3 on April 17, 2003
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Similar to another responder to this article, I too am looking forward to getting back into the hobby after more than 25 years absence. When I first started "observing" the hobby once again, using this web site as one of the tools, I was very disappointed how the hobby had changed. My main observation was the rudeness and lack of respect for fellow hams. Some may say this is simply a reflection of today's society. To that I say, "hogwash" (and I'm being really polite, here). This hobby carries with it the responsibilty to behave professionally and courteously at all times. It is healthy that this hobby is rooted firmly in the past, with a tradition of Morse Code as one of its fundamental requirements. Amateurs should be proud to have taken the time to learn a skill that sets them apart from others. Even if you never use CW (and I can't imagine anyone not using it, if they take the time to learn it) you will have the confidence that you have this ability to communicate in the most efficient form, if you ever need to. It is a PRIVILEGE, not a RIGHT to have an amateur radio ticket. I'm sorry folks, but if you don't want to make the effort to learn the code, then I insist you stay off the HF bands and leave these precious resources available for those who are willing to pay the price with their own sweat and efforts. Too many great things are avialable today to people who simply have the money to buy them. Money is not enough, ladies and gentlemen. How many BMW, Corvette, etc. owners have you seen abusing their driving privleges and insulting the heritige of their automobiles with their poor driving skills and bad attitudes? I think good driving and good ham radio operating have a lot in common. Both require modern and ancient skills that must be learned and respect to fellow road knights that must be rendered in order to survive. Just because you have the bucks to buy the best wheels or radio gear, doesn't mean you've earned the right to use them.
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Final Score: Anti-Coders 1, CW Fans 0
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by KB7VIQ on May 7, 2003
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I would love to have access to HF but I am a slow learner. I have tried foe years to learn morse code at 5wpm. for the last 5 months I have been INTENSLY studying with little success. I have passed the General exam 4 months ago but that is useless to me since I am unable to get morse code to stick. I would love get rid of my 5 wpm nemises.
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