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Author Topic: "Real Extra mentality" not cool.  (Read 14072 times)

WILLY

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"Real Extra mentality" not cool.
« Reply #30 on: February 09, 2005, 10:16:27 AM »

 by K7VO on January 28, 2005


A couple small corrections:


"...
They will have decided their is some advantage to CW or some enjoyment to be derived from it. It won't be rammed down their throats. They didn't have to learn it. "

You seem to want to imply that the learning of CW was once "rammed down their throats".    If so, this is untrue.   No more than the 5 wpm requirement of today is forced upon anyone.   The whole hobby is optional - no one is forced to join it - people come to it because they choose to do so.


"If we drive away newcomers the hobby will die off, period. "

True.



"
Each and every one of us is born with different skills and abilities. "

None of us is born with skills.  :)  Skills are learned.
Regarding CW - that is the point, it takes a bit of determination, devotion, and time to learn.   It is not something that is just handed to some.  ALL must work at it a bit.


73
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K0VJ

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"Real Extra mentality" not cool.
« Reply #31 on: February 19, 2005, 11:58:13 AM »

I agree with Scott, NJ0E. Among the many reasons I like CW is that I have never encountered a rude exchange while pounding brass. Even the pileups are more civil.

I sat for my Tech and General exams in front of the infamous steely-eyed FCC examiners, and upgraded to Advanced and Extra with VECs. Having gone through both systems I prefer the VEC route. There are a heck of a lot more opportunities to take the exams now than when I was first licensed back in 1983, and potential hams not living in major metropolitan areas don't have to drive several hundred miles to take advantage of them.

As an "old rules" Extra, I say welcome to the hobby. I'm glad to have you aboard. Look for me around the QRP CW frequencies and we'll chew the rag.

73 de Rick KØVJ
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KQ6Q

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"Real Extra mentality" not cool.
« Reply #32 on: February 26, 2005, 08:30:05 PM »

If the license says, Extra, you're an Extra. Testing procedures changed over the years. For my General exam, I had to draw schematics and copy random code at the FCC office. For Advanced, I don't remember drawing schematics. For Extra, no schematics, but the code had was easier - still 20 WPM, but a sample QSO, with 10 questions, and credit for 1 minute solid copy. I got both. Tried for the ARRL over the air code proficiency certificate, the highest I got was 15 WPM. I always work CW SS, note that most of the calls in the log are extra class calls. Regardless of when you passed the test, if you're in the CW SS, that's as 'Extra' as it gets! You're also really cool if you teach classes, Elmer new hams, serve as a club officer (though there are a lot of Tech licensees doing fantastic jobs for local clubs, including repeater maintenance, who just don't 'do' code yet. Give the hobby your best, whatever your license class!
My progression - Novice, Tech in !957, General 1958, Advanced 1969, Extra 1980. You can do it in one session now, have been for a good while. When I was living in Tucson in the 1970's, we had an Extra class show up on the repeater, new call sign - everyone asked him what his previous callsign was - totally floored us that he HAD no previous callsign. More power to him - we were glad to have a newcomer with smarts!(If he's reading this, I was W7HSS back then, and it was the K7CC repeater, 34/94)
73 to all, and see you on the air!
Fred Wagner, KQ6Q
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AD7EW

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"Real Extra mentality" not cool.
« Reply #33 on: March 10, 2005, 06:56:03 AM »

Thanks for sticking up for us 'cracker jack box' extras, KQ6Q.

I recently became licensed and was able to reach Extra rather quickly.  AC7DX would have us believe that my license came from General Mills, but I like to think that 30 years of high technology experience and degrees in electrical engineering helped.

I think AC7DX is missing the boat here.  If 'real extras' are measured exclusively by their skill at sending/receiving using Marconi-era technology and withstanding the rigor of a cranky FCC examiner, the hobby will die, just like the manual typewriter and steam engine.  Don't get me wrong, I strongly admire and applaud those that are able to communicate quickly via CW, and encourage them to continue. I also believe that every Extra should be able to send/receive CW.  I just believe there are more important skills than 20wpm CW capability for an Extra to possess.

To explain further, one of the shocking things I found in studying for my ticket was how far 'behind the times' much of the Amateur radio material was.  

There was no discussion in preparation for the tests on any modulation technology newer than 60 years old (Spread Spectrum, the 'newest' technology discussed, was invented in WWII)  Even ATV uses 60+ year old modulation, where broadcasters in the U.S. began their switch 7 years ago to 8VSB and full digital.  No discussions on DVB, QAM, CDMA, TDMA, UWB, or any of the technolgies used commercially but apparently too futuristic for Hams.   Computer technology was discussed, but nowhere was I expected to understand VoIP, the TCP/IP protocol, or any more intricate details of computer interface.  There was only one question on DSPs; and nowhere was I expected to actually know how to program or design in a DSP into a circuit.  And software defined Radio?  never discussed.  To find that state of the art is a serial/parallel port interface and a sound card is vitually obsolete technology in the PC world.

And data communication?  9600 - 56K baud was 'good' according to my study guides.  After working in the digital TV world 5 years ago and utilizing the allocation of 19.1 MEGA baud/per channel (or 50 MEGA baud per satellite transponder) I really had a hard time keeping a straight face with my new 9600 baud capability.

And in my converstations with several 'real extras', I was surprised how many were completely ignorant on may of the topics above, which really do represent the state of the art in radio technology. None had programmed a DSP.  Too bad, there's a lot to be garnered that can really help the hobby.

So, to AC7DX and the other 'real extras', I applaud you for preserving Samual Morse's Legacy, but at the same time you should be asking how you can help advance the hobby to keep it proliferating.  You shouldn't be criticizing those of us who didn't pass last century's FCC standards, but rather asking what we bring in and what you might possibly learn from us.

73 Tony 'cracker jack' AD7EW
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KQ6Q

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"Real Extra mentality" not cool.
« Reply #34 on: March 10, 2005, 08:49:24 AM »

Good points by AD7EW - time for those who have the experience and expertise in the new technologies to explain them to the rest of us apprentices (amateur SSB was brand new when I was a Novice!), write some articles for QST on how to use the new stuff (there have been some projects that included PIC programming, some on surface mount) - how to get involved without owning an engineering lab, get some momentum rolling through local clubs (that's how PSK31 got rolling - I did a live demo for two clubs with WA6NIA - two rigs, two laptops, two projectors, everybody could see and hear what was happening).
Perhaps through these forums, perhaps write an Op-Ed piece for QST, get the conversation going, help write QST articles, new material for the Extra question pool,  
and the appropriate study manual and Handbook material to match it.

Good points, new technologies to be learned and applied - don't complain about the problem, be part of the solution. The new material will help draw in the younger tech-inclined crowd, which is where the future is -  those of us first licensed 40-50 years were intrigued by the technology then, some have kept up more than others, depending on where our careers have led us.  Lead on!
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