ARRL Proposes New Entry Level License Class w/ HF

Ok, maybe 1 more post......in my opinion some no coders (like myself) initially went to no code to see if amateur radio was worth getting into.  I liked it and had the desire to upgrade..I tried many many times to learn CW and just couldn't..mental block? maybe.  I think some people who are posting on this topic are pretty harsh and treat no coders like $#%@...times change and so does technology....maybe there should be a single license class with endorsements(and tests) for each mode you wish to operate....what does HF phone have to do with CW anyway?...73's...                                                          .. .----.  ..-- .-. -

 

I was in kinda of a bad mood that day. Sorry if I sounded harsh.

I studied code off and on for years before I got it. And I may not have been studing all that hard though. Im one of those that believe keeping the code is a gate keeper.

But when I really got serious about code, I had 5wpm down in 2 weeks. I studied before the 5wpm came out, and was looking for a testing session to take the 13wpm a month and a half later.

Anyway, the fcc is going to do what they are going to do. And I guess code is on the way out anyway. Several years back, Amature Radio was pert-ner nothing but code. And the few that could build their own am transmitters to use voice,,that was it. And they were out of the norm then.

So CW was always a big part of Ham Radio, and (was?) ham radio. I guess some of us are going to hate to see it go..Like no more of mom's home made bread when you move away.

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (amnman @ Feb. 26 2004,07:48)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">K3DAV,

First, this has nothing to do about winning or losing, has more to do with NOT changing something that works. (commenting on your previous post)[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
First you have to have something that works before you don't change it.  And as it has been proven, the CW requirement does not work, or serve any necessary purpose.</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">After that previous comment, I can see your not going to listen to reason. That's fine with me.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>  You are the one arguing against proven facts. Not me.</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">You and your friends (IE no-code) are a minority, end of story.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'> WOW!! Man are you getting your information from the wrong places.

Besides, I was talking to Chris (KE6IRP), and not you.  Must be a guilty conscience, or paranoia.

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (K3DAV @ Feb. 25 2004,23:53)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Real hams help, not hinder.  You are hindering, and your "Gatekeeper" has been sleeping on the job.  It doesn't work.  The guys on 40 and 75 meters must have jumped over the gate when the gatekeeper was sleeping.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
you think 40 and 80 is bad now? hahahaha---stand by

have a nice day Dave---best---Chris

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (kc7nys @ Feb. 26 2004,20:04)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Ok, maybe 1 more post......in my opinion some no coders (like myself) initially went to no code to see if amateur radio was worth getting into.  I liked it and had the desire to upgrade..I tried many many times to learn CW and just couldn't..mental block?                                  .. .----.  ..-- .-. -[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Ok----I hear ya---What if we gave you guys who can't learn the code---say 10 and 15 meters? I'd go for that...Would that be enough or do you think most of the no code crew would just demand it all as many are now? My guess is that they would not be satisfied till they get it all---which leads most of us against the arrl thing to just assume the worst about the motives of the opposition. Are we wrong? Would the no code crew be satisfied with a few hf bands or do they think their incredible efforts thus far entitle them to deserve all of hf?---curious

 

ke6irp

instead of 10 or 15 M how about a couple of designated freqs on all bands?....I'd be just as happy if the proposal went by way of the horse drawn carriage....if I was to get all phone privs, I'd have to get rid of the wife (and the dog) to buy all the HF gear...I may even get more for the dog lol 73
KC7NYS

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (ke6irp @ Feb. 27 2004,18:18)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Ok----I hear ya---What if we gave you guys who can't learn the code---say 10 and 15 meters? I'd go for that...Would that be enough or do you think most of the no code crew would just demand it all as many are now? My guess is that they would not be satisfied till they get it all---which leads most of us against the arrl thing to just assume the worst about the motives of the opposition. Are we wrong? Would the no code crew be satisfied with a few hf bands or do they think their incredible efforts thus far entitle them to deserve all of hf?---curious[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
To be honest Chris, I would have been happy with 12 and 10 meters.

But to follow your lead, I think most no-coders would have been happy with general privileges on 10, 12, 17, 15, and maybe 20 meters. (The 24 hour DX band). You can keep 40 and below. They are the embarrassment bands of ham radio. They are known as the CB/Ham bands. Don't get me wrong. I'm not calling everyone on those bands bad op's. It just seems to be the bands that they wind up on.

Most no-coders were not asking for the whole ball park, just a portion of it to experience some real DX. Before the ARRL's proposal, most of us (Tech's) thought the FCC would just drop the code requirement and give the Tech's the same little part of 10 meters that the Tech Plus class had, or maybe all of 10 meters, and we thought that was cool.

We are not the lazy greedy bad guys you make us out to look like.

Take care Chris.

 

Obviously Dave you haven't listen on 40m.

I live on 40m. I'm up and down there every day, all day, and twice on Sundays. And I sure as h, wouldn't be there if it sounded anything like CB!!

I started on 20m, and I quit that band because it sounded like CB. And I moved on 40m, and been there ever since.

I don't know what's it's like in the extra part of the band, because I don't listen there. But from what I did listen to there, it didn't sound any different the rest of the band.

And I guess I'll always be the kind of person that will say,,,If I can learn the code, and the test and pass it, anyone can!! Because I'm not as smart as a LOT of the other people on the bands. Or I don't have as good of a memory, anyway.

How BAD do you want it? Enough to climb the highest mountain? Swim the deepest ocean? To where you can't eat? Or sleep? Or concentrate on anything else until you get that stuff learned and passed?

It took me years to get the code learned. And I would have said that I couldn't tell the difference between a dot and a dash either. But I WANTED it bad enough to where I learned the difference between the dot and dash.

AAAhh, you guys don't want it bad enough!

 

Maybe I'll eventually be able to send/rec 5wpm..10 years with a ticket and still can't get it...oh well... I drive a semi..I earned that license and the four wheelers treat the 'professional' drivers akin to how the Tech+'s on up treat the no-coders....I just can't get away from this stuff ARRRGH!!! 73 guys!

 

KB0UZR

OK Steve, I can respect your view. But I don't think it's a matter of how smart you are. There are very stupid people that can do long division in their sleep, and collage graduates that need a calculator, (Like me). I have worked as a broadcast engineer for many years. I was smart enough to learn the in's and out's of broadcast electronic's. I've helped design and build radio and TV stations. But I can't tell the difference between a dash and a dot. Which I have also tried for many years. The frustration was no longer worth it. I love radio, and will never give it up as my favorite hobby. But getting headaches trying to learn a mode of transmission just to get on HF, is unnecessary aggravation for me and many others. I have respect for anyone who can learn and use it. It IS a skill. I wish I could too. Everyone makes it sound like fun. But that's the way it goes.

I look at it this way Steve. If the code requirement is dropped, I will enjoy HF. If it is NOT dropped, I will continue to enjoy my friends, and those few open SSB DX windows on 6 meters and up. I will be dissappointed, but I won't let it worry me. Life will go on.

Take care Steve

 

You mean if I were there, and I said daaaa, and di, you wouldn't be able to tell me there is a difference? That's PRETTY hard to swallow.

Anyway we beat the h out of this enough....Anybody read any good posts lately?

 

Well, guys, I'm ready to throw in the white flag.  My husband is a general license class (13 wpm code requirement--nothing gimme there).  

While discussing Ecomm (Emergency Communications) this evening, the subject of HF came up.  I now understand that Technician Class Licensees would be useless in our area of the world.

The more I read here and the more I hear about being a Technician, I wonder why I became licensed in the first place.  I know the answer to that, but I'm questioning my wisdom in becoming involved in this hobby.

Everywhere I turn, somebody is blasting somebody else because they don't like their license class or because they don't want them to be grandfathered to General.  I won't be one of those--I'm far to proud to be handed a license without earning it first.  I will pass the 5 WPM Morse Code Exam.

W0DSF
Deb

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">I'm far to proud to be handed a license without earning it first. I will pass the 5 WPM Morse Code Exam.

W0DSF[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>Now,,there's a real ham folks.. And Deb, The bashing pretty much just goes on here. On the air it's a lot nicer as long as you stay above 75 meters. Ever been in a total Italian community? Compared to that, this is nothing.

 

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (w0dsf @ Mar. 01 2004,01:02)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">While discussing Ecomm (Emergency Communications) this evening, the subject of HF came up.  I now understand that Technician Class Licensees would be useless in our area of the world.

W0DSF
Deb[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Hey Deb. Many of the Generals and Extras wouldn't be of much use to you either. So many of them haven't used CW since the day they upgraded, and have forgotten it anyway. That's not a dig or an opinion. I hear it from their own mouths on the air admitting it all the time.</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote </td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">The more I read here and the more I hear about being a Technician, I wonder why I became licensed in the first place.[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>You did it because you love and respect radio hobby, just like the rest of us did. Is there a better reason?

It's ironic how I can make a post in a thread that has nothing to do with CW, (Questions about equipment, how to do something), and amateurs of all classes join together in the friendly discussion to help each other out. Now THAT"S what ham radio is all about. THAT is ham radio at it's best. Not this senseless bickering over a mode of transmission, or what class is better than the other. That's just plain stupidity.

I've said it so many times. Hams help, not hinder. Helping is a solution. Hindering is the problem.

Take care Deb.

 

Yah, Deb,, Don't judge the entire ham community on a few of us that for some reason has to sit here and bash each other. That doesn't mean that we are bad guys. And I don't think that we mean anything by it. Just a few of us giving each other hell for something to do.