What It's Going to take...

No, I didn't miss the point. Again: Who cares? I repeat: If they pass the license test required then they are hams.

I've given the reasons to look up a call. There are no others.

And I didn't miss the subect, which is healing the rift. Dwelling on when anybody got a license serves no useful purpose. By the way, you can't look up when I got my license - it's not online.

 

I read this. If I felt this way, I'd just stick my head in a gas oven and get it over with. If he really feels this way, he needs to sell his gear.

 

Nah, I disagree completely, of course.

 

Hey,--I used a computer to receive cw, and believe me
there is no way it can "decode" as good as a trained
operator by ear.--the computer wants to see "perfect"
cw with "perfect spacing, and no qrm(interference for
those who don`t know".

I tried computer detected cw, and while it was "novel"
I went back to the "old fashion" manual method, as
it was a lot more reliable in the "real world" of HF
QRM, QRN, QSB,--there was no comparison.

Seems like  many nocoders don`t get it,-- a
trained "ear" for cw IS the most reliable AND fun
method for cw.
I quit computer cw after a couple of months, and was NEVER sorry I did.

By the way,--most good cw ops can tell computer
generated cw real fast,--as a good cw operator has
a rhyhm that computer generated cw does not.
Its also easy to mess up someone using a computer,
by sending erratic cw, if one would want to.

Man,--why would anyone want to depend on a computer
without knowing cw to go into the cw bands,--Just more
proof of "laziness" IMO.'
Sort of like not knowing how to do basic math manually
and depending totally on a calculator,--if I lose my
calculator,--I`m "out of luck".

If this is the "new way" of thinking,-- let the "box"
do the work,--ham radio IS in deep trouble.IMO

                              73, K1MVP

P.S, 80, 40, 20 and 15 meters is a lot different than
     6 meters as far as qrm, qrn, and qsb.

 

Dear kd5psh: You seem to be angry, very angry. The FCC commissiners may not or may have communications experience but i'll bet you a dime they all have a College diploma with atleast 4 years of studies. Yes, they have a good job, that's what you get when you obtain a college diploma.

Further sir, I am not too thrilled that you are calling me (a beginner) ignorrant and dumb. Just to tell you a little about me, For the last 10 years I have owned a restaurant and stay tied up almost all day, I just don't have the time to learn code, I have tried and just can't get it; plain and simple. But during the last field day I got to operate HF and did a great job and made good contacts, as I was told from the extra class operators at our field day site. NO CW WAS NEEDED!!!

CW was a great thing in the past as people lived simpler lives and had extra time to spend on learning new things. We are now in the year 2005. Wake up sir, you just can't go around calling people names!!! From what I have read about CW the FCC may not require it, but you and who ever you choose to talk to or (dit dah dash) with can use it any time you like on the frequincies allocated for it. They are not taking it away form you.

As for surrendering the frequincies, sir they have strong laws protecting them and a great group of people at the ARRL watching over it.

Oh and by the way, get a cell phone that has a built in camera, you'll love it.

In closing sir, I think you should reconcider your comments obout beginners and the FCC people, try and be open minded, life is too short to angy. Just a sugestion sir. Have a good day 73's

KI4CZR
GEORGE

 

Dear kd5psh: You seem to be angry, very angry. The FCC commissiners may not or may have communications experience but i'll bet you a dime they all have a College diploma with atleast 4 years of studies. Yes, they have a good job, that's what you get when you obtain a college diploma.

Further sir, I am not too thrilled that you are calling me (a beginner) ignorrant and dumb. Just to tell you a little about me, For the last 10 years I have owned a restaurant and stay tied up almost all day, I just don't have the time to learn code, I have tried and just can't get it; plain and simple. But during the last field day I got to operate HF and did a great job and made good contacts, as I was told from the extra class operators at our field day site. NO CW WAS NEEDED!!!

CW was a great thing in the past as people lived simpler lives and had extra time to spend on learning new things. We are now in the year 2005. Wake up sir, you just can't go around calling people names!!! From what I have read about CW the FCC may not require it, but you and who ever you choose to talk to or (dit dah dash) with can use it any time you like on the frequincies allocated for it. They are not taking it away form you.

As for surrendering the frequincies, sir they have strong laws protecting them and a great group of people at the ARRL watching over it.

Oh and by the way, get a cell phone that has a built in camera, you'll love it.

In closing sir, I think you should reconcider your comments obout beginners and the FCC people, try and be open minded, life is too short to angy. Just a sugestion sir. Have a good day 73's

KI4CZR

 

ok, I have seen in the August 2005 CQ magazine some of the ads very carefully. The (Manufacturers-spelling?) are leaning on the 10 to 20 meter bands. That covers two of the most popular hams, Tech plus and General. The logging software is set up to work 20 meters on download. One of the large antenna companies is designing 3 and 6 element Yagis for 10m to 20m to fit in smaller areas. Amateur radio service is being marketed to the 21st century. BTW a new company is following the old footprints of Heathkit and designing HF kits to build with your shop on line PC. Those of us who built our own PC will have a better chance of understanding the redesigning of our CPU cases. BTW some of these kits will have 12vdc options to run on a UPC. Read the article.
I have been spending more time on this QRZ forum, when I could be studying my General Class exam and listening to my code cds.
I care very much about this hobby and I want to see it grow, I do not make allot of money to spend $1500.00 on a new rig and anothe $1000.00 for a Yagi and Tower and Rotar assembly. I am going to put up my free 2 meter vertical on my free 10 foot mast and use free coax offered by one of my Elmers. I am than going to plug in my 2
meter HT and have fun!
When I get done with school this semester I am hoping to get enough blood money together to buy a good used HF rig from one of my Elmers for a fair used market price. I will probably put up a Dipole on my 2 meter mast and have fun. Have a great day

 

Long live CW!! Just not as a requirement!

 

sir you have a good post , stand up for your Right to just like they do ,73 Bill

 

sir you have a good post here 73 Bill

 

Just kind of wondering though... if you had time to study and take the tech test, then what's the problem with cw? People back in the so called "simpler times" back then are no different back  than now days.They had obligations like family and work that took the bulk of their time.They made no excuses. Have a good day.73 w9grn  

 

"Outstanding post, Gene."

 

This thread should have been titled:
"Another opportunity for the old timers to bash the new guys."
The bottom line is, to paraphrase an article in the current QST: The FCC has made up their collective mind. They expressed their opinion in 1999 and in the latest announcement. They don't think Code is necessary as a test of a person's competence.
They only ask for comments as a courtesy. In other words, they're humoring you, letting you think you're part of the process. The process, at least in this case, is already over. So think what you want, say what you want, get over it or not, but this is a done deal.

 

There were always divisions. The creation of the no code Technician license only widened them.

I was reading this forum yesterday and came across a post concerning a newer ham trying to make a CW contact with a K9 station who had called CQ. This ham answered the CQ and was subsequently told that he was a LID by the K9 and now fears trying it again. These are the kind of things that should not happen but, unfortunately, do.

Back in 1951 the FCC did what what was considered to be a very good thing for the growth of Amateur Radio. They created the Novice Class license with its slow 5WPM code test and very basic theory test. Did the FCC allow Novices to mainstream with the general status quo on the air? No they did not.

The FCC back then had the wisdom to understand that this would result in a sink or swim situation for the Novices and that it would be counter productive. At that time, there was not universal acceptance of the the Novice license class. After all, anyone who wanted to be a ham had to take a 13WPM code test as well as a pretty stiff theory test and many thought that the FCC had just "dumbed down the process". Back then the code and theory test proved that you could take on a difficult task and complete it and if you were able to pass the test you were generally welcomed into the amateur community by those who were already there. If you lacked operating skills you would either be helped along by the others or practice them yourself before you went on the air.

Regarding the Novice:

The FCC had the wisdom to segregate this class into areas of its own where they could practice and gain expertise. There were more than enough experienced ops who hung out in the Novice bands to help them along. The FCC knew that if the Novice had the run of the bands, it would have been a bad situation for them. As such they were in some kind of primary school that called for a graduation process in order to do more. It worked out beautifully.

Now we come to the NCT:

This class of license (or something resembling it) had been talked about since at least 1948 and the idea really started to take off in the 60s and 70s. In the 80s it got to the serious discussion stage and I would imagine those who were there and interested at the time remember all of the hoopla and controversey that erupted back then. Hams without code? No way!

When the NCT became a reality in 1991 there was no protected area for them to hone their skills. By and large there was 2 meter FM, mostly repeater based. There was no way to begin to assimulate with the community on HF. As the ARRL found in 1997, it was a rather difficult situation and although they tried, the ARRL could not completely address the issue.

So here we are today:

We are on the verge of merging two different cultures via legislative fiat. In a way this could be described as something like a revelutionary Coup complete with guerrilla warfare over the past 14 years. The government has now given up and all of the freedom fighters are now welcome at the table.

As Charlie points out, it is up to both sides to manage this transition. There probably will still be skirmishes and some will no doubt have their feeling hurt along the way, but guess what? We are now all in the boat together and somehow need to make it work and work well.

73
George
K3UD

 

Yes it’s a vanity call and with that out of the way I’ve been a ham now about 5 years.
I think my station has been run in a way that I don’t have anything to be ashamed of but at
Times I do get in some heated QSO on subjects I feel strong about and the code is one of them. Personal I feel it should have been left in the test but only if the person wants to use it.
If you just stay on phone fine if you wont to use CW then you have to test for it. But I didn’t get any calls from the FCC for my opinion.
 I really get sick of all this needless p???ing and moaning  name calling and the little remarks made on the air at times. So I think I have come up with the perfect plan, we’ve been beating this horse for a long time now and it’s dead and has been dead for a long time. I think at times it gets toss on some of these sites just to generate hits. Just my opinion I also
Think it’s tossed in on some QSO just to stir things up, and it helps some of the QSO I copy at times. Hihihihi but back to the plan, a good way to keep something that’s a given privilege is to use it. If you’re a big fan of CW just use it get off the phone band beating your gums about how ham radio is going to the devil and do something to keep the privilege you worked so hard to get. And for the new people coming in and I do hope to see a lot of upgrades myself, just let the FCC do there job and take care of the ones that get out of hand. It’s not up to us to deal out the punishment for a bad operator. We can report it and the rest is up to the FCC. And from what I read they do deal with them in time. So it’s simple just go on enjoying what you like about the hobby and stop all this Chicken Little thing because the ski isn’t falling. Really people with all the things going on in the world were lucky to still have this hobby the way we do today.  Just a simple mans view sorry about the spelling I don’t do a lot of typing. WD4HEK