Len Over 21 wrote:

There's no reasoning with emotional belief systems...such as the
PCTA's insistence that all who come after must jump through the
same hoops they had to when younger.

You have a point. There is no reasoning with emotional belief systems.
Take a guy who believes that those tested in amateur radio are "jumping
through hoops" or that the testing elements given today are the same as
those in years past. How would you deal with such a guy?


Let me know when there's a federal requirement to run for some
political office in order to talk about political affairs, OK?

You can talk about politics but that doesn't make you a politician.

You can talk about amateur radio but that doesn't make you a radio
amateur.

You can talk about running for office but there are requirements to be
met before you appear on the ballot. In the end, there is no guarantee
that anyone will vote for you. You could be laughed at and heckled.

You can talk about becoming a radio amateur but there are requirements
to be met before you'll receive a license. You can talk about changing
the requirements for becoming a radio amateur. In the end, there is no
guarantee that anyone will support your ideas. You could be laughed at
and heckled.

Since when did the First Amendment get altered? Every one who
is a USA citizen has the Right to communicate with their
government...about any existing laws and potential, pending laws.

You've done that. This newsgroup is not government and you are offered
no protection from being laughed at or heckled. Pontificate at your own
risk. Insult others at your own risk.

Tsk. I might, at some future date, get an amateur radio license.

Hoooooooooooo! That's a GOOD one, Leonard.

Or maybe not. [one can't get too specific in this bunch of anal-
retentive prissy literalists, they think everything one says is some
kind of Religious Vow taken before God!]

Around here, a man is generally taken at his word...until he shows that
his word means little.

Why should I take the trouble to relearn morse code just for a
chance to get a low-cost federal merit badge?

Why? Because it is the price of admission to HF amateur radio
operation.

I don't need to
prove myself in anything to anyone on any endeavor.

So you won't be getting the amateur radio license?


Tsk. I was into HF radio communications without ANY sort of
license requirement from 1953 to 1956.

Fine and dandy. The circumstances are different and it is nearly fifty
years later.

Certainly not having any
sort of requirement to learn or use morse code. Not once did
that come up for the next half century of radio transmitting.

I follow you, Len. Now, back to amateur radio. For an HF license,
there is a 5 wpm simple morse test.


You have to realize that those older than you have ALREADY met
up with the braggarts and the insolents in life as well as having
gained an enormous amount of experience. They will KNOW when
you don't know something but are trying to pass yourself off as
something you are not. You get eaten alive in trying that.

You know, it's funny that you mentioned that. That's just like it is in
amateur radio, Len. Those of us who have been in the game for a long
time have already run into fellows who blow smoke and "know all about
it".
We know when someone is trying to pass himself off as something he
isn't.
Why, a guy like that could get stewed in his own juices. I know of a
couple of fellows like that.


Those who do the name-calling don't get absolution from their sins
therefore they usually continue. They think they can "get away"
with anything they do.

You hit it right on the head, Len. Do you know any fellows like that?

The KKK is a good example of one group that not only liked to call
others whatever they wanted but also killed those that objected
to their actions too strongly.

No need to go that far, Leonard. Just climb up on your personal cross
and tell the boys how you like to have the nails placed. I have a
feeling that the shebang is going to look like a piranha nailed to a
couple of boards.

Dave K8MN