"Brian Bailey" wrote in message
...

"Helmut" wrote in message
...
.....
what are you guys going to do, if you hear a station from lets say VK,
GB,
DL, HB9, and many others, among them rare DX countries? First thing to
ask
wether or not they did pass the CW Test? and then not continuing the
QSO??
Would this be polite? hamlike? How would your reaction be if some DX ham
offends you like that?


The point is not that wanting qualified operators to have CW or any other
radio-related skill is done for any reason of elitism, it is that it USED
to take much effort to EARN a license. Now you can get the answers to
memorize for a few (far too few) questions and "earn" a license with only
a
few days of "study". Those of us who took the exams at the FCC offices
without any chance of helpful hints, winks or nudges by those giving the
exam do not like seeing all our efforts wasted. I had a lot of trouble
and
spent many, many hours studying to pass the 20 WPM test. I don't even
like
CW operation very much. But I was glad I spent the time because it really
meant something to pass the tests. Now, I realize that it will have been
a
WASTED EFFORT if this new plan goes through since I would have had extra
privileges anyway.

10-4 good buddy, I guess I might as well sell my linears at the nearest
truck stop.
---- Brian




No Brian it is not a wasted effort on your part. You did it the right way.
You didn't whine and bitch and moan until the testing was dumbed down to the
lowest denominator.

Unfortunatly this country is showing the rest of the world how NOT to do
things. If this sort of attitude persists we will cease to be a power on
this planet. And I don't mean military power.

I too had considered tossing it all away. But I won't. I am too dedicated
to the service to do that.

I will 'attempt' to show and if needed, to correct those that want to drag
the service downward to the level of CB.

I think this may actually help us CW types out. I expect a lot of folks
will be dragging out the keys to re-enter what they know was ham radio.

Dan/W4NTI