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eHam.net Survey
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Survey Question
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Now that several countries have dropped the morse code as a requirement for a HF licence, are you hearing less CW on the bands these days?
Posted: May 27, 2007
(1937 votes, 89 comments)
by VK5LA
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Survey Results
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Yes - definitely less...
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9% (177)
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It's about the same...
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43% (829)
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No, I'm hearing more
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24% (473)
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Don't work CW...
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24% (458)
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Survey Comments
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ARRL SOLD OUT TO BIG BUSINESS
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YESTERDAY'S NOVICES KNEW MORE THAN TODAY'S NO CODE EXTRA CLASS.
No code and giving exact questions and answers to be asked has done nothing more than made 80 meters extension of the 11 meters. The ARRL sold us out to big business, Yaesu, Kenwood, Icom, for the advertising dollar.
PLEASE DO NOT SUPPORT THE ARRL
Posted by
WA4ZVG
on December 20, 2008
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i use mostly all CW...i have not seen a change. those who operated CW before the elimination didnt automatically stop using it. and there are plenty of new hams coming in who like using it. Sorry, i just dont share the same views of doom and gloom...the new hams coming in are enjoying themselves....until they come to the online forums and see these far more experienced hams lamenting daily. that just brings everyone down.
Ham radio is still fun, complaining is still a bummer.
73...Adam, N7YA
Posted by
N7YA
on September 10, 2007
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>>>ELIMINATING CW TEST WAS A BIG ERROR ON THE PART OF THE ARRL DIGITAL NEWBIE GANG.
TRYING TO JUSTIFY CW AS A DIGITAL MODE IS ANOTHER BIGGER ERROR OF THE ARRL LACKEYS.
Posted by NY7Q<<<
No, it was the best thing. Getting rid of that old and outdated CW test was too long in coming. Had it been dropped 20 years ago, ham radio may have grown as it should. CW can be fun, but it should not be a mode pushed on people. If you want to criticize the ARRL, then criticize then for not pushing to drop the stupid code test 20 years ago and helping save amateur radio.
And stop typing in all CAPS - it shows ignorance, looks like you are yelling, and tells people you don't have the brains to use a keyboard and computer properly.
Posted by
W8JAS
on September 1, 2007
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What difference does it make?
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I don't get this whole "me vs you" debate on CW. If someone upgrades to an Extra and doesn't know CW, it's not like they're going to be bothering anyone who is using code to QSO. They won't even be able to use a big chuck of the bands!
If you like CW, good for you. If you don't, good for you, too! It is not the only thing a ham needs to know, and while it's a good mode, but it's NOT the ONLY mode.
Maybe the FCC should start testing all the older hams on the new technologies. I mean, how in the world can a 50-year-ham possibly get on the radio without knowing the intricacies of ARPS?!?
Posted by
KF6BJO
on July 11, 2007
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CW as Religion
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It's a religion because it performs!
Posted by
WA4DOU
on June 26, 2007
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On CW.
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"In several years all classes of exams will have tough comm engineering and software literacy questions."
That won't happen. The exams will stay about the same. Perhaps the FCC will add some questions on software but I doubt it.
I do expect more people to use CW, sort of like people who ride horses or sail, when motorized transportation is simpler.
That said, I'm looking into QRP CW, perhaps building a Tentec 1340 transceiver.
Posted by
AH6GI
on June 25, 2007
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live & let live...
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I must be simple or something because I don't understand (and never have) why code is a religion. There seem to be lots of people who pray in CW and that's fine. I won't belittle them or try to stop them. I don't think they should have a problem with me if I don't. Hey, that means the bands will be more open for them to work DX. When I read about the guy who got told that "cw is dead" I have to wonder what happened to "listen before you transmit". Not only is that on the tests, but it seems to me that's a common courtesy that we should extend eachother regardless of mode. I admire those who can copy cw, but I'm not up to speed on code, so I'll listen and not interfere. 73 - Bob
Posted by
KD5WPX
on June 22, 2007
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Not a radio operator?
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"You are not a radio operator of the first class order if you cannot send and receive CW."
That's funny! The FCC, in 1960, didn't see fit to require me to know CW (really Morse Code) when they awarded me my First Class Radiotelephone OPERATOR License. Shows ya' how much the FCC knows! Now, if I had wanted a RADIOTELEGRAPH Operator License, that's another story. By the way, how do you send and receive a continuous wave (CW). Wouldn't that just be a "dead carrier"? I thought this was the transmitter output used to send and receive MORSE CODE.
Tom (NOT a radio operator)
Posted by
KB5DPE
on June 18, 2007
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Novices.....
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AG4RQ wrote:
"One had to start as a Novice. A simple theory exam and a 5 wpm code test got you a Novice ticket. The only way to exercise your amateur privileges was to do CW. If you wanted to operate on the radio, you had to use CW. The Novice sub bands were in place for a reason. Novices would make contacts with other Novices and with higher-level licensees that went on the Novice sub bands to help the newbies. In a short time, just by using CW on the air, the newbies would gain speed and without even studying, they would be up to speed for the 13 wpm test. All they had to do was study for the written General exam. Then they would upgrade to the Advanced ticket by preparing for and passing a grueling Advanced exam. One had to be either a General or an Advanced class licensee for two years before being allowed to upgrade to Extra. By the time a ham was ready for the upgrade to Extra, that ham had done enough CW to be up to at least 20 wpm for the Extra exam."
There was no hard and fast requirement that one had to be a novice when starting out
and many didn't. If you could meet the requirements for a general class license, you
could start out that way. In 1976, novice
priveleges were added to the technician license and afterwards the tech license gained popularity as an entry level license
because it gave full VHF priveleges as well
as novice. At one time there was a "time in
grade" requirement for extra class as you
mentioned, but not for the lower classes of
license. After the "time in grade" requirement as dropped, it was possible to go
from no license at all to extra class in one
fell swoop provided you prepared for the tests. Most of the people who did that held
FCC radiotelegraph licenses which gave 20 wpm
code credit although I did know one "codeless" person who accomplished that in late 70's. He spent the better part of a year
preparing for the exam elements, went to the
FCC office in NYC, mission accomplished.
While we can look nostalgically back at
rockbound novices with their 75 watt rigs, over time it proved to less than perfect as
a means of gaining entry to the hobby. Radio
clubs were quite sucessful at churning out
novices with weekend novice classes, but the
attrition rate was appalling. Most of these
novices never made it on the air and their
licenses simply expired. The League tried to
fix this by getting the FCC to add limited
VHF/UHF priveleges to the novice license in
the 80's, but it was unsuccessful because it didn't include the popular 2 metre and 440
bands. Even with the added VHF/UHF priveleges, many felt it was still too restrictive to be an attractive proposition.
The "no-code" of 1991 was in part a
response to this failure. Clubs got busy again and churned out no-coders with weekend
classes and unlike earlier attemps with novices, many of the people did get on the air, mostly on 2 metres. But like the novices
of earlier times, many of these people eventually disappeared as well. So no-code
really wasn't a "fix" either. The "5 WPM"
change in 2000 got a lot of people to upgrade
but didn't seem to do much in terms of attracting new people to the hobby. It may still be too early to see if dropping code
altogether will have any effect, but in an age where so many things compete for our discretionary time and the "wireless" mystique has become largely irrelevant, some
very fundamental rethinking of our hobby is
in order if it is to prosper in the future.
Posted by
K5ET
on June 18, 2007
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CW
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Morse code is simply a different digital code, using pulse width patterns that are audible to the human ear; there is nothing magic about it, and it COULD be plucked out and decoded from a noisy background today by a properly coded IF DSP more reliably than any human being could using their ears, and displayed on an LCD in the same manner that current Icom receivers display RTTY. There is no need to require humans to perform this mechanical task to communicate, just as it is no longer necessary to require them to start their cars with a hand crank. If they WANT to use a hand crank on their cars, or a kick starter to start their motorcycles, that should remain an option for those who enjoy it, but it should be an OPTION, not some kind of fraternity-like hazing requirement to use amateur radio.
The FCC has wisely chosen to replenish the ageing ranks of amateur radio with young people interested in a widening variety of contemporary communications technologies, which will insure the long-term utility and thus survival of the ham band priviledges. We should recognize the value of the new modes of communication technology, and welcome new arrivals, while continuing to admire the motor and mental skills of those whose hobby choice is to encode and decode their own digital signals.
Posted by
K4EDG
on June 16, 2007
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I would agree that it would be nice for all of us to have knowledge of electronics.
I am a retired electronic mechanic that worked for the US Navy as a civilian myself.
However we must take into consideration that there is nothing in the rules that we all live by that says you have to know much at all about it.
I am almost shocked that you don't have to have more of an understanding of at least basic electronics to get a license today.
CW requirements are much the same way. I learned CW as a radio op/instructor in the Army. I rarely use it today but I still like it. It's just like knowing another language to me.
I personally think we would all be better off in this hobby if more knew a little more about basic electronics anyway.
I am not saying you need to be an expert. Learning is part of the fun of ham radio!
Posted by
W7WV
on June 16, 2007
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Judgement day
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I think all ham ops should be judged by ability to copy CW right after ability to put together a simple electronic project such as for example a power supply and trouble shoot it.
Thats real hammin
Posted by
NY7Q
on June 15, 2007
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End of the World
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"When the world is destroyed by nuclear war, CW ops will grab an old S38, a tube, a crystal, some wire, a gerbil in a cage, and communicate. (Starting the whole thing over again.)"
Do you really think the war between the pro-code and no-code factions will escalate into nuclear war? That's a bit extreme, don't you think?
73 from DUALGATEMOSFET
aka
The "Epitaxial" One
Posted by
DUALGATEMOSFET
on June 15, 2007
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End of the World
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When the world is destroyed by nuclear war, CW ops will grab an old S38, a tube, a crystal, some wire, a gerbil in a cage, and communicate. (Starting the whole thing over again.)
They've got to be worth keeping around. (Or maybe not.)
Posted by
K8WV
on June 14, 2007
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Excuse me??
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A radio operator shouldn't be judged by how many modes they know, how big their amplifier is or how much their rig cost them.
A radio operator should be judged by their operating habits and their ability to make other operators feel welcome and comfortable while communicating with them, no matter what mode is used.
All modes have value (well, almost all modes--hello winlink) and would not be in use if not for that value.
CW has value, will get through better than other modes and is the operating mode of choice of a lot of hams. However, it isn't the one and only mode that ham operators should be judged by. Dots and dashes can't convey feeling or attitude--at the least not easily--something necessary to judge a sending operator. This is a fact not often realized by many.
Hams who keep on pushing the feeling that CW is the only thing important in ham radio already show their attitude--and it isn't good. Operators who, on the other hand, acknowledge the value of CW and the value of other modes as well are--in the opinion of most of us--better, more rounded operators. These operators are much closer to be first class operators than those who skew the value of their opinions by pushing the idea "No CW means a second rate amateur operator."
I would hope that there are more operators who advance amateur radio public awareness by acknowledging the value of all modes than there are those who give out a poor picture by showing their irracibility and insistance that there is only one mode--CW--that makes ham radio what it is, and everything else doesn't matter.
Posted by
K1CJS
on June 14, 2007
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CW
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Cw is the job, the rest are just slackers or uninformed :-)
Posted by
EI5FK
on June 14, 2007
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CW is Essential
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You are not a radio operator of the first class order if you cannot send and receive CW.
I don't use CW very much, but I still know it s value.
When all other modes fail. CW will still get through. This is Fact.
Shame on those who killed the CW requirement.
It just shows how lazy people are getting.
What a sad state of affairs. Welcoming the hoards of low-level, poorly educated, millions... sort of reminds me of another issue where the floodgates are being opened to the millions.
De-evolution Bigtime.
Posted by
AL7EP
on June 13, 2007
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CW SHALL RULE AGAIN!!!
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Just wait untill the planet is destroyed by nuclear war! Only CW ops and CBers will survive.
Posted by
ONAIR
on June 13, 2007
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CW on the airwaves
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"This is a hobby, not religion." I was slightly rebuked by my Elmer. I had lost sight of the goal. He helped me with my "binary" (CW) learning. At first, I resisted, then became a member of the hallowed halls. My noviciate had me on CW and RTTY as well as SSB. Then, the US Navy stopped listening on 500 at Shark River NJ. I also used to copy November Mike November. I also noticed that "we" were CW centric. Every comm. even local 2M or 70cm, FM, began with and ended with a Q. We even laughed with each other with "HiHi" instead of just laughing. The goal is to communicate, not to speak Esperanto (for example.) Times they are a changing. CW is fun (usually) and when using this mode, I use a straight key or beautiful paddles. (Thank you WA2QZP - CW afficianado) As a tourist at other shacks of new friends around the country, I saw that they were/are CW users BUT they use keyboard to keyboard at warp speeds. It really sounds somewhat like a telephone modem. (To my harmonics - who barely remember that!) As we approached Y2K, (and the bunker boys with their food and QRP CW rigs) my progeny had/has zero interest in radio let alone CW. (especially as a gate keeper) I was working the World back in the 80s and early 90s, thank you Mr. Sun. As I would try to attract attention to Radio, the mystique of communication, especially with QRN/QRM, evaporated. Gloabl Satellites for distribution of data and video is now so common, no one cares. (Remember the 60s?) Fone comms.attractive? A quick flip of their ubiqitous QRP pocket digital, full duplex radio, Yawn. Then, I skipped showing CW and/or digital mode. A few taps on a wireless keyboard sent text, images and full audio. Nets are formed and disolved at will. So tapping on my straight key is quaint, not enticing. Now, emergency comms. is where we excel. Not because of CW, but possible, but we know how to use multi modes and multi frequency to communicate with someone. No one, save the DOD maybe, does this and does it for free and so well.
That is A future, and CW is still with us, not limiting us. CW mode was meant to serve the Amateur, not the Amateur to serve the CW mode.
My Elmer might say, "It is a hobby..." Marconi wanted to communicate not add spark gap QRM to the EM spectrum.
CW is not going away. It is merely welcoming siblings.
de KB2FBI -.-
PS. QSL 99.44% by snail mail. - My hold out of the past.
Posted by
KB2FBI
on June 12, 2007
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WHATS THE ISSUE?
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CW or NOT? Dead or NOT? But it's just a MODE already! In fact its the original 'digital' mode! And a damn good one at that. EME (Earth/Moon/Earth for the newcomers) was made possible because of the narrow bandwidth and great signal/noise performance of CW transmissions. In other words its fanatastic in weak signal work.. SSB is good but nothing will ever cut through like pulse modulation and thats what CW is! oh yea ..good things take work.. right
--... ...-- KD4Q
Posted by
K4DSB
on June 11, 2007
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Slowly the pendulum will swing
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I am a very much sold on cw as my international comm mode of choice. I have been around long enough to see the pendulum swing back and forth on the cw issue, so here's a prediction. CW's loss as a licensing requirement opens the door for the FCC to introduce more intensive technical questions into the licensing exams. In several years all classes of exams will have tough comm engineering and software literacy questions. Tough enough to be to be found on any EE professional engineering exam. People who pass them will be proud of what they did and be granted incentivized privileges. In the same way that hams of old had to know and understand what was inside their transmitters and receivers (because they knew it was on the exam to say the least and required knowledge as part of their hobby), the future hams will have to be experts in such things as 32 bit IF DSP technologies and circuits, structure of protocols used in all digital modes, IVV of software defined radios...digital voice programming, on and on. So take that ICOM 7800 instruction and operations book off the shelf and start reading, start to know and understand all those schematics, build a solid state IF DSP receiver or two ...you'll need it sooner than you think. So it is written.... Long live the simple days of CW.
Posted by
K4WY
on June 8, 2007
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CW still the most reliable mode
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No matter what one says, cw is still the most reliable mode to copy even if there is alot of noise or even if band conditions are not the best. Maybe the newer hams of today are just getting too lazy to sit down and learn cw.
Posted by
KB3Z
on June 8, 2007
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CW
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When WWll broke out , I was assigned to Wing Intersept center. We operated CW, at 30 words per minute, 8 on nd 8 off. This went on until we got releived. I was assogned back to my Fighter Control center and that's all we did for 24 hrs.
Once I helped a fellow center do repairs by CW and we spent about 2-3 hrs at this, but we enjoyed it. I'm 87 now and my code coping has dropped very, which shows you need to keep up with it. tnx Jim
Posted by
W4UKR
on June 7, 2007
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CW FOREVER!!!!!!!
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"he told cw is dead and there is no more code and to take my key and shove it up my rear end"
If he was calling CQ, he obviously gave his callsign. You should have made note of it and included it here with your story. We need to know who the troublemakers among the codeless wonders are so we can blacklist them. This one is obviously one of the bad apples.
Most no-code hams just didn't want to learn CW but don't care if others want to use it. This dodo is one of the CW haters who wants the mode done away with altogether. Such troublemakers you must give no quarter. Don't let him remain anonymous.
73
UG
Posted by
URBANGORILLA
on June 6, 2007
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CW FOREVER!!!!!!!
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I belive it was ok to drop the code for generals but they should have kept the 20 wpm for extras there is no difference for the extras that passed the 20 wpm in front of the fcc or the ve's now we are considered equal to that i say "BS" i was working a dx station on 160 cw in the cw dx portion of the band and a new no code extra came on freq and starts calling cq on ssb i went on ssb and told him in a nice way i was working a dx station on cw and that this was the cw part of the band he told cw is dead and there is no more code and to take my key and shove it up my rear end so this is the new era welcome no coders 73's and qrq
Posted by
WA2SEI
on June 6, 2007
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problem with posting
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I only clicked preview and post on both of my posts, and I noticed the last one was up there twice, so some of these fellows are not double posting, seems there is a bit of a glitch in the system,
K4FX
Posted by
K4FX
on June 6, 2007
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BS7H
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Good point LW2DX! And it doesn't surprise me one bit to see that CW was the overall mode winner on that expedition, in addition to being easier to copy under weak conditions, it's also easier under pileup conditions as well.
Once more thing that I don't recall seeing posted here is the plain old fact that the entire world does NOT speak English as we would like to think, as a ham who speaks Spanish from 10 years of living in Latin America, many Spanish speaking hams tell me they feel much more comfortable on CW (and I mean hams who speak pretty darn good English IMO) just because of the language barrier.
We might as well face it, whether you love it or hate it, CW is going to be around, especially in DX area just for the language barrier. My advice if you are seriously considering chasing DX is to take time to learn it. I'd be happy to crank down the speed any time!
73
K4FX
Posted by
K4FX
on June 6, 2007
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BS7H
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Good point LW2DX! And it doesn't surprise me one bit to see that CW was the overall mode winner on that expedition, in addition to being easier to copy under weak conditions, it's also easier under pileup conditions as well.
Once more thing that I don't recall seeing posted here is the plain old fact that the entire world does NOT speak English as we would like to think, as a ham who speaks Spanish from 10 years of living in Latin America, many Spanish speaking hams tell me they feel much more comfortable on CW (and I mean hams who speak pretty darn good English IMO) just because of the language barrier.
We might as well face it, whether you love it or hate it, CW is going to be around, especially in DX area just for the language barrier. My advice if you are seriously considering chasing DX is to take time to learn it. I'd be happy to crank down the speed any time!
73
K4FX
Posted by
K4FX
on June 6, 2007
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There will always be CW
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There will always be CW, if you want to seriously chase DX you are gonna see that some countries are a lot easier to find on CW, and if the WPX contest was any indication, it's gonna be a LONG TIME before we all die off, talk about activity. Stacked side by side up the RTTY section of the band.
PSK31 is OK, but it's not the future of amateur radio by any means, I would think it's probably in the minority of modes we currently operate, there is a ton of hams out there who still don't own PC's!!!
A VK told me last year that when they dropped the CW requirements down under there was a noticeable INCREASE in CW operation, seems that when it's not being forced upon people they become interested in it.
I truly believe anyone that wants to learn CW can learn it. When I got my ticket 30 years ago I was terrified of the CW, so much so that threw everything I had at it. And before I took the novice I was copying 15wpm. I soon found myself enjoying CW. After getting my General, I made 3 or 4 SSB QSO's and went right back to the key. And it's remained about 50/50 since then.
My advice to anyone wanting to learn CW is to use a radio not tapes or CD's, I tried LP's back in the "old days" but I could tell in a short time I was only copying from memory, and unless the FCC sent what was on the album, I was in trouble. I dumped the LP's and picked up a Tempo One, strung up a wire and started copying CW off the air, there are still plenty of slower ops on the air. And when exotic places like London and Paris started coming across my paper, it got to be fun!
People acting all upset about the dropping of the CW requirement need to remember that 5wpm is not COPYING CW, that's basic character recognition at best. So we are not really any worse off than we were before.
I think they need to beef up the test, and put more into it about actual day-to-day operating and let's lose some of the "first personals" and "seven thirds" at the door.
73
K4FX
Posted by
K4FX
on June 6, 2007
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Morse Code!
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I am not a CW man but my Dad who was W9LVM as is now a Silentkey was a CW man since 1933! There is nothing wrong with loving and using CW! My Dad was good and had contacts from all over the world. I was never good at it but wish I had been! I think it was dumb dropping the code and dumbing down the written teats!
Posted by
W9LVM
on June 6, 2007
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Morse Code!
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I am not a CW man but my Dad who was W9LVM as is now a Silentkey was a CW man since 1933! There is nothing wrong with loving and using CW! My Dad was good and had contacts from all over the world. I was never good at it but wish I had been! I think it was dumb dropping the code and dumbing down the written teats!
Posted by
W9LVM
on June 6, 2007
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Nothing has changed
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Nothing has changed, those who like it run CW, those who don't, do not.
Nothing has changed in the 32 years I'v been on the air - 'cept now the written test is a joke.
Posted by
WR8Y
on June 4, 2007
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All modes are useful
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"People don't you think its time to join the 21st century??? PSK is the mode to be !!!
It won't until PSK can deliver something that cw can't fulfill.
Posted by WA4DOU on June 3, 2007"
Each and every mode has its advantages and disadvantages. Each and every mode can deliver something that the others cannot. For example, every try to work PSK when the solar flares are causing aurora? PSK can't cut it then. PSK is not the "universal solution" to communications.
Posted by
N8UZE
on June 4, 2007
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People don't you think its time to join the 21st century??? PSK is the mode to be !!!
It won't until PSK can deliver something that cw can't fulfill.
Posted by
WA4DOU
on June 3, 2007
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CW is still the best Communication mode,it gets through when other modes can't.And for those that don't like to hear the Contesters on the weekends,there is such a thing as an off switch,turn it off and do other things,let us Contesters have our fun and quit griping.
Posted by
W8JWA
on June 3, 2007
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CW
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This is a valid question. It's hard to tell, given the band condx are not that hot right now. BUT, during the recent CW contest, I heard no difference to previous contests. Same level of activity.
Posted by
W8KQE
on May 31, 2007
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Amount of CW heard
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It is really a little hard to judge because the bands go up and down from stink-o to REALLY stink-o day by day.
However, I believe there is a little more activity.
Some of the fists are slow and unsure but by gosh, they are having at it and for that I am proud of them.
Posted by
K0CBA
on May 31, 2007
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Good Lord...it's done. Just use what you like, and worry about IMPORTANT things.
Posted by
KB2HSH
on May 31, 2007
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Good Lord...it's done. Just use what you like, and worry about IMPORTANT things.
Posted by
KB2HSH
on May 31, 2007
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Oh Yeah when a contest or a band opening come along There is plenty of cw activity.
I,m using cw more than ever I even see my friend Tom N6AJR out there nocking em dead with cw
Posted by
AD6HF
on May 30, 2007
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let it go
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NO!!!
k5psh
Posted by
K5PSH
on May 30, 2007
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LET IT GO
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People don't you think its time to join the 21st century??? PSK is the mode to be !!!
Posted by
KG5YR
on May 30, 2007
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parochial approach
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Lots of US posters whinging about the FCC, ARRL, Eham... The decision to do away with CW as an exam requirement was taken in many other countries in the world way before the US even thougt about it.... Your local opinion is not going to change anything.
Let us give as many new hams as possible a good example by trying to invite them to the exiting world of CW. Slow down a bit and give them a chance when they try this new mode out in their way!
Posted by
VK2GWK
on May 30, 2007
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Good, bad, and ugly...
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As a Know Code Extra, as opposed to a No Code Extra, I see it both ways.
The Good: Dropping the code requirement did bring a lot of much needed new blood into the higher license classes. I know quite a few new Generals who are among the most knowledgeable hams I know who remained Techs for years simply because they didn't have any desire to learn code. The ability to comprehend dits and dahs is, in my opinion, no real measure of your knowledge of radio. On the other hand, when I finally broke through the mental blocks that were making CW hard for me to grasp, I was exceedingly proud of myself and I feel that if I can manage 5 wpm CW ANYONE can. What's more, my Mom, KI4PXK, upgraded to General about a month before the ruling abolishing the CW testing went into effect. She was one of the last KCG's from the Montgomery, AL area and according to the VEs who graded her test she got 100% perfect copy.
The Bad: Dropping the CW test requirement completely did certainly lower the bar to the HF bands. Allowing folks in who might not have the same love of the hobby, as demonstrated by their willingness to learn CW, that the rest of us do could have a negative effect on the hobby as a whole.
The Ugly: Thinking that someone who didn't have to learn CW is somehow a lesser person or less of a ham, and even more importantly treating them that way, is not the way to encourage new blood into our hobby. Attitudes like those expressed by OldFart kept me away from amateur radio for a long time. It wasn't until I met a group of younger hams who didn't look down on me for my 11 meter background, that I decided to get my ticket. Although losing the wealth of their experience will be a tragedy, I don't know if perhaps the hobby might be better off without those OF's who drive away more prospective hams than they attract.
I guess my point in going into all of that detail is that CW is far from dead. And those of us who actually enjoy it can ensure it's continued survival by being Elmers to those who show and interest and working to cultivate that interest in others. Is that really any different than it was back before the test was dumbed down so that even Extras only needed 5 wpm?
Posted by
K4GDW
on May 29, 2007
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CW and the defunct Element 1 exam
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What good would reinstating the CW requirement do? In its last days, the snail's-pace 5 wpm code requirement was merely a gatekeeper. The requirement's true meaning and function was scrapped a long time ago. The problem has always been trying to fix something that wasn't broken.
The licensing requirements as they were before the No-Code Tech license came in 1991 made a lot of sense. The Novice was the entry level license. There was no other way to become a ham. One had to start as a Novice. A simple theory exam and a 5 wpm code test got you a Novice ticket. The only way to exercise your amateur privileges was to do CW. If you wanted to operate on the radio, you had to use CW. The Novice sub bands were in place for a reason. Novices would make contacts with other Novices and with higher-level licensees that went on the Novice sub bands to help the newbies. In a short time, just by using CW on the air, the newbies would gain speed and without even studying, they would be up to speed for the 13 wpm test. All they had to do was study for the written General exam. Then they would upgrade to the Advanced ticket by preparing for and passing a grueling Advanced exam. One had to be either a General or an Advanced class licensee for two years before being allowed to upgrade to Extra. By the time a ham was ready for the upgrade to Extra, that ham had done enough CW to be up to at least 20 wpm for the Extra exam.
One look at how the licensing requirements have changed between 1991 and 2007 will reveal the gradual steps that the FCC took to move amateur radio away from a telegraphy-oriented radio service. In reality, the only barrier to that goal was removed by WRC in 2003. With the license structure and requirements completely redone, it is much more difficult for new hams to acquire and hone CW skills. We no longer have the Novice sub bands. Those wanting to learn and hone CW skills are thrown into the main band among high-speed ops and are expected to "sink or swim."
If you look even further back than 1991, you will see the progression form a technically-oriented radio service to a service oriented for those who are less technically inclined and those with no technical skills or knowledge at all. Amateur radio has evolved into a radio service for appliance operators who merely want to communicate. It should be renamed the Communicator Radio Service, where one license fits all - the Communicator License. Being that very few want to learn anything about radio and electronics, and all they want to do is talk, a "Communicator License" is all that is really needed anymore. The once great Amateur Radio Service has become nothing more than than a glorified multiband Citizens Band Service.
What is done is done. It is wishful thinking and a waste of time to think that the FCC will reinstate the code requirement. It will never happen. Amateur radio has been on the slippery slope sliding downhill for a long time and it will only continue to get worse. It is a small part of a national problem. Society is being conditioned not to compete and not to strive to be better. Society is being taught that accomplishments don't mean anything. The only thing that is important is to feel good about oneself. It's the old "A for effort" syndrome renamed.
Do you notice how much specialization there is in today's society. People are no longer being taught to be able to do a lot of things. People are being taught to do only their own special niche. Creativity and ingenuity are out the window. It's like being required to tighten one bolt on each thingamajig as it goes by on the assembly line. In the military, one radioman can no longer set up, repair and operate a radio in the field anymore. It takes a task force just to set up and operate a radio. One man can no longer do another's job. If something fails, don't bother repairing it. Replace it. Everything is plug and play. Everything is modular. Everything is disposable. And, unfortunately, in todays society, people are disposable. I don't want to start talking about the workforce and employability. That's a whole different thread that belongs on a non-ham related site. All I'm going to say on that subject is that employees and jobs are disposable and there is no loyalty between employer and employee anymore. Our society has become a me-first society where "me", "myself" and "I" are the only three that count.
Getting back to ham radio again, it was the testing requirements that provided hams with a common bond and a spirit of fraternity. It was the code tests (notice I said "tests", not "test") and the grueling written exams with no multiple choice questions and no published question pools taken down at the FCC field office in front of an impartial and intimidating FCC examiner who could care less if you passed or failed that gave hams a common bond and a spirit of fraternity. You went to an official and intimidating Government office for the exam. today, you test in a local non-governmental setting in front of your peers (hams) who want you to pass. The tests are multiple choice and you have all the questions and answers ahead of time. There is no longer a code test. Even at the snail's pace of 5 wpm, the code test was the only test that you had to do any real work to pass. Now that's gone. It is now easier to walk in for a test session and walk out an Extra than it was to become a Novice years ago.
W5TD stated:
"Remember, according to the ARRL, CQ, and the FCC, there were going to be all of these extremely technically proficient persons becoming hams once the CW requirement was dropped."
These were lies to get rid of the code test. If anything, it will have the reverse effect. The easier they make it to get a ham license, the less technically-minded individuals we will see entering amateur radio. You can now use an Extra class ticket for toilet paper.
What's done is done. Yes, we all have to live with it. It doesn't mean we all have to like it and keep quiet about our opinions and feelings. Why should we keep quiet? So those who didn't have to work to pass the code test can feel good about themselves? Last time I checked, the United States was still a free country. I believe it still is. Therefore, I will continue to keep exercising my freedom of speech. If my freedom of speech bruises some egos, take it up with the US Government. 'Tain't my fault.
As NI0C mentioned, it is too early to be asking this question (the poll). The passing of 5 years should reveal how the removal of code testing has been affecting CW usage on the bands. In 5 years, many new hams will have entered amateur radio and gained HF privileges without passing a code test and many old timers will have gone SK. We will be able to get a clearer picture by then.
Posted by
AG4RQ
on May 29, 2007
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Reconsideration possible
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"Regardless of ANYONES opinion, the FCC is NOT going to reverse its decision concerning CW!"
How do you know that? Maybe 200,000 petitions urging the reinstatement of the CW requirement would get some action. Maybe the next bunch of FCC commissioners will know their butt from a hole in the ground. Maybe some large campaign contributions from the PRO-CW crowd will urge a reconsideration.
When dealing with the government, it usually won't make sense, and it isn't eternal, unless it is a government program.
73s John W5TD
Posted by
W5TD
on May 29, 2007
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Activity
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Hearing less activity on my favorite ragchew band, 40 CW. Average age on 40 CW is still the same as when I was 13 instead of 58, around 65 to 70. CW ops and hams in general to me were always older.
Posted by
K3MD
on May 29, 2007
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Being reasonable.
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Truce, Oldfart? Or will you just continue?
Posted by
K1CJS
on May 29, 2007
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Now, now--there will ALWAYS be disagrements. As I see it, if the discussion is kept to a DISCUSSION and not to pitching barbs as some have done, why should the discussion stop?
Some feel a disservice was done to the ham community, some feel that the feds have made a good choice, but as it has been said in effect, What is done is done.
Morse certainly does have some good points and uses, it is still a 'universal' language, and it will continue to be used and appreciated whether any individual ham uses it or not.
Posted by
K1CJS
on May 29, 2007
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Who Cares?
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Regardless of ANYONES opinion, the FCC is NOT going to reverse its decision concerning CW!
The Pro's and Con's of CW have their merit, whether you learn/use it or not!
Just because it's not required to obtain a license is now irrelevant! Get over it! I, personally, believe it was a mistake, but my voice on the matter was ignored, just like everyone else's!
Now, since we (Hams) were dealt a bunch of lemons, MAKE LEMONADE and MOVE ON!
Like the guy said, "INVENT"!!! THAT'S what made Amateur Radio the fantastic hobby that it is today! Build a better mouse trap!
Come up with a VHF or UHF antenna that has the gain of a 5/8-wave, but the radiation angle of a 1/4-wave! I believe that's already been done with the Niljon antenna, but you get my drift!
Stop whining and complaining about it and INVENT something NEW!!! Or improve on something OLD!!!
KC7CJO
Posted by
KC7CJO
on May 29, 2007
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Premature poll
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I think it is too soon to be asking this question. Perhaps five years from now we will have a better idea of the impact of the elimination of code testing.
Posted by
NI0C
on May 29, 2007
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So where is the intelligence?
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What I haven't heard in a great increase in the technical discussions during QSOs on either CW or SSB. Remember, according to the ARRL, CQ, and the FCC, there were going to be all of these extremely technically proficient persons becoming hams once the CW requirement was dropped.
If you can't trust QST, CQ, and the Government, then who can you trust?
73s John W5TD
Posted by
W5TD
on May 28, 2007
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Children, Children, Children
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Again this has been a long standing issue, more of a p------ contest.
To the die hard CW Operator, no one says you have to give up operating CW, just you don't have to show how proficient you are in receiving text in CW.
To the new "No Code" Generals and Extras, you don't have to know CW but may want to learn if you want to expand your operating, there's a lot of CW spectrum to play with.
To the Old timers, I do not have any less respect for you or the way you got into ham radio. It took a lot of work and knowledge to accomplish what we have today.
To the guys who want to beat a dead issue, the debate is over. When the Government declared CW testing gone, it's gone. Let it go and focus your time and energy in a more productive way. Design a new rig, or accessory, or mode of operation.
Back in the 1900's to 1980's Ham Radio Operators were the Inventors of technology. We need that back again, INVENTION not arguements.
And for those who offend, grow up and be a real person, or stay as you are, less of a person than others think you may be.
Posted by
NA1Q
on May 28, 2007
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War?? No, just your sniping.
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Steve,
It seems you either 1) Can't comprehend the written word, or 2) See what you want to see posted on this board.
In my original post I said morse was alive and well and will continue to be. I also said the only thing disposed of is the antiquated testing requirement. I did not address my post to you or anyone else. You addressed me in your reply, so you began this one on one, not me.
Nobody "won" and nobody "lost", and ham radio didn't do either, it's still there just like it has always been. Conditions on HF aren't any worse than they were six months ago--if anything, they've improved with more users on the bands and as some said, more CW. And FYI, I am still just a tech class licensee with no desire to upgrade, or to go on HF. So please take your frustration and your "justification" attitude and bury them somewhere, neither one should be shown here.
When and if I upgrade, I'll earn my privileges the way everyone else does at that time--even if the morse test is brought back.
Finally, change your attitude and maybe you'll get 73 from me, but this time I'll pass--after seeing the remarks you made in your posts to me and to others who welcome the removal of the code test requirement.
Posted by
K1CJS
on May 27, 2007
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The war!
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Hey Chris, take it easy OM. Why don't you give it a rest. We don't want to hear anymore of your trying to justify why you still think you deserve HF privileges without earning them.
Like all you NCT,NCG, and <sigh> NCE keep saying. The war is over and you (NCI) won and the rest lost. Well, I'm here to tell you that ham radio lost.
You don't want to hear this but YOU brought it up and I am only responding to you. If YOU don't want to hear (read) from me anymore then don't respond to me. If you want to hear from me then please do respond to me.
73, Steve
Posted by
OLDFART13
on May 27, 2007
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It will never stop.
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Oldfart, I see you're still at it. Both the FCC and E-ham made a mistake, the FCC in actually allowing you a callsign--if they did, and E-ham for allowing you access to post on this site.
Why don't YOU stop trolling, or just go away. Better yet, go back to your 'junk' equipment and leave us alone.
Posted by
K1CJS
on May 27, 2007
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To each his own.
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The poll is NOT asinine. It is some of the people on this forum who are. It's a valid question with some valid answers...and a lot of asinine nonsense from the peanut gallery.
Posted by
OLDFART13
on May 27, 2007
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Still...!
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I say again this a asinine poll. Why bother with this subject at all? If you like CW use it if you do not then don't plain and simple! But why keep this constant stream of nonsense going?
Those of us that enjoy CW will continue on those that do not like CW do your thing who care's it makes no difference to us! STOP the nonsense.
de KW1R
Posted by
KW1R
on May 27, 2007
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Less CW? Far from Dead!
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i am running into more people on the air that are working cw than ever before.
Cw is a piece of living history that i plan to continue.
Posted by
N5IVZ
on May 27, 2007
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It's too early to notice any difference on the bands. The damage from the massive mistake of the FFC won't be felt until us OFs start to die of and any real operating skills die off with it. 11 Meters used to be a great band too, but the FCC's decision ruined that. Us OFs know that too.
It is what it is and we have to live with their bad decision. It's a done deal so just live with it.
Posted by
OLDFART13
on May 27, 2007
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cw
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Have used cw for 40 years and planning on 40, this time with a 1kw amp...lookout fellers...WA4WYF..
Posted by
WA4WYF
on May 27, 2007
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Changes...
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I have slightly changed the wording to more reflect how people are responding to the answers...
This now gives 3 distinct choices...
Remember, it's just a survey!
It is NOT life or death!
Cheers and Happy Happy Joy Joy
VK5LA
Posted by
VK5LA
on May 27, 2007
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"ELIMINATING CW TEST WAS A BIG ERROR ON THE PART OF THE ARRL DIGITAL NEWBIE GANG."
That would be a valid point if the ARRL actually dropped the requirement, but last time I checked, they were not a rule-making entity.
Posted by
KX8N
on May 26, 2007
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You kidding me?!
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The second and third choices need to be combined into one called "CW usage is on the increase!"
Currently, fully 71 % of respondents feel that way!
72.
Bill, N4QA
Posted by
N4QA
on May 26, 2007
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Leave?
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then leave
It's a valid question. If you don't like it then just go away. Don't post your comment 5 times LID.
Posted by OLDFART13 on May 26, 2007
OLDFART 13 thanks for your input your comments are much appreciated from this LID....Just one thing why don't you give me a kiss where the sun doesn't shine! Get a life and us a valid call sign!
de KW1R dit-dit
Posted by
KW1R
on May 26, 2007
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then leave
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It's a valid question. If you don't like it then just go away. Don't post your comment 5 times LID.
Posted by
OLDFART13
on May 26, 2007
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K1CJS, we know morse code as a mode has not been eliminated. What do you think we are? MR? Why do you keep bring up the obvious and trolling? Don't go away mad...just go away.
Posted by
OLDFART13
on May 25, 2007
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"Real hams do CW."
True that; double true!
Posted by
OLDFART13
on May 25, 2007
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No, still lots of CW, it's about the same.
Posted by
OLDFART13
on May 25, 2007
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cw: alive and well...
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Even as crummy as condx have been, I still find plenty of people interested in having a chat on CW. Changes happen in life, like it or not. Maybe if we let newer ops see how much fun we are having on CW, they might wonder why we enjoy it so much. To fracture the language, I got nothin' bad to say about anybody! Hope to hear you on the air!
Posted by
N5XM
on May 25, 2007
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"digital" wall switch
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Should have been "...four of them..." Like me, my keyboard is getting old. And, like me, it doens't always work as it should.
Tom
Posted by
KB5DPE
on May 25, 2007
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"digital" wall switch
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"Really? Then my analog wall switch is digital."
YES, it is, and four of the could define any decimal number between 0 and 15, etc. Unless you have a dimmer, it is NOT analog!
Posted by
KB5DPE
on May 25, 2007
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At it again?
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Bill, you just can't resist using your 'real hams' line, can you. Well, here's a change for you--real hams COMMUNICATE, and not just by CW. There!
Posted by
K1CJS
on May 25, 2007
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No Change Observed
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I enjoy listening on the bands while working on projects. I have not noticed any change in the patterns of QSOs on the bands.
Posted by
AI2IA
on May 24, 2007
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CW is growing
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It seems to me that when some folks try
to squash it cw just grows more. Real
hams do CW!
Posted by
WS4Y
on May 24, 2007
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--
CW is a digital mode regardles if you like it or not. ON or OFF..... 1 or 0. Sounds digital to me. And this from guy who is still working on it and will get it soon.
Posted by N2WEC on May 23, 2007
--
Really? Then my analog wall switch is digital.
Posted by
N4CQR
on May 24, 2007
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Digital...yes. Fun, well it's getting there!!!
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CW is a digital mode regardles if you like it or not. ON or OFF..... 1 or 0. Sounds digital to me. And this from guy who is still working on it and will get it soon.
Posted by
N2WEC
on May 23, 2007
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NO DIFF
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I agree with Steve, WB2WIK/6, totally!
Semper Fi,
Tommy - K6YE
DX IS
Posted by
K6YE
on May 23, 2007
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No difference
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Two of the choices above, "It's about the same" and "No, there's still lots..." are really the same answer.
But I agree with either one of them. I don't notice any difference in CW activity, at all.
WB2WIK/6
Posted by
WB2WIK
on May 23, 2007
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Dropping Code Requiremenet
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What I have noticed is the drop off in VHF activity since the no code techs have migrated to the HF bands.
Posted by
K1AF
on May 23, 2007
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Just listen to a CW Contest !
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I hear zillions of cow bells tinkling away in the CW end during Contests.
On many days CW DX is often the ONLY DX around :)
KH6/G3SEA
Posted by
G3SEA
on May 23, 2007
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CW 4 EVER
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I think CW activity has increased. Now that Techs have CW privileges on HF, we're hearing quite a few that knew the code but never got around to taking the General test. And, there are many Techs learning the code, too.
This sometimes leads to high comedy on the air. I heard one newbie send: "QRL QRL QRL QRL QRL QRL QRL QRL QRL QRL QRL QRL QRL QRL QRL QRL QRL QRL QRL QRL QRL KB5XXX ". A few days later, I heard the same guy "CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ CQ KB5XXX". Obviously, he had been Elmered in between times. This was all at about 3 WPM, too. Bless him for trying!
I have not heard any Techs trying to use computers to do CW yet. I think that's a mistake. I wish all new ops had the chance to work a non-voice mode on HF for a while before getting the SSB priveleges. I'm afraid what's going to happen now is that most people will bypass the Tech class and go straight to General by taking both tests at the same time, then get on SSB. In a few months, they will find HF SSB as frustrating as VHF, and they'll drop out without ever having tried the digital modes or CW.
Posted by
K0RGR
on May 23, 2007
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eham
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I see eham is at it again with these threads. We all fuss about the trolls and posters that don't post their calls. Eham is the biggest troll of them all. Here's another one that will certainly turn into another code/nocode spew fest.....this time i'm not taking the bait.
have a great weekend.....
John WR8D
Posted by
WR8D
on May 23, 2007
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Alive and kicking
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At Dayton you couldn't get near the Begali table. There was so much interest in CW that at this point in time CW will keep on tickin. The cw portion of the bands seem to be just as active. The introduction of the no key license has also brought new blood into the hobby and that is a good thing. Rick, K2RB
Posted by
K2RB
on May 23, 2007
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CW Still Kicking !!
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Cw is still kicking ,i hear nmore cw on the air since i become general oparator lic.i never got around cw yet will soon before vac.i'm glad i took mine before they drop the code way beforedec i think.i gotmine as of aug 5 2006 when i pass the code but fail the general thuo.keep CW ALIVE !!!!!!
73
Jackie
KG4ORX
Posted by
N4MJG
on May 23, 2007
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cw still active
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I have noticed much more new call letters and the cw is active even with poor band conditions. Plenty of cw stations looking for contacts even without dx on the bands.
Posted by
W6TH
on May 22, 2007
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It won't die
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Both morse code and also, unfortunately, this silly belief that morse code has been eliminated.
Once and for all, Morse code hasn't been thrown out. The only thing gotten rid of in the US and some other countries is an antiquated testing requirement. Morse code is alive and well, and will continue to be.
Just like some say that ham radio is dying, so is it with morse. No matter what may be said, morse code useage will continue to be one of the many modes hams will use for years to come.
Posted by
K1CJS
on May 22, 2007
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BIGGEST MISTAKE
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ELIMINATING CW TEST WAS A BIG ERROR ON THE PART OF THE ARRL DIGITAL NEWBIE GANG.
TRYING TO JUSTIFY CW AS A DIGITAL MODE IS ANOTHER BIGGER ERROR OF THE ARRL LACKEYS.
Posted by
NY7Q
on May 22, 2007
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more cw, sure...!!!
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just take a look to bs7h final numbers...
Posted by
LW2DX
on May 22, 2007
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