Joe Guthart wrote
I am glad the FCC finally took charge of the situation and decided to drop the code requirements. Here's why ...


"I like Amateur Radio and want it to be a life-long hobby for me ...
however, I just plainly can't take time to effectively study the code
at this point in my life . . . I got my Technician license about two
and a half years ago . . because it was a neat little challenge for me
to combine radio communications with some of the newer digital modes .
.. . Basically, it was fun, not really technical challenging, but a nice
way to relax. I do enjoy making contacts on 6 meters. I would play
around with some different radio, antenna, and computer configurations
and started to develop a relationship with some fellow ham buddies."

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If you had the time to do all that you had the time to learn 5wpm.

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"Fellow hams need to sit back and take an objective look at this hobby
because it is dying a rapid death!"

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The hobby will have to "die" by about 80% before the number of hams
becomes the same as it was when I first got on the bands.
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"Take a look at the declining number of amateur radio manufacturers and
radios. How could any business justify spending a lot on research and
development in a market that is collapsing?"

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Within the past 2-3 years the ham equipment manufacturers have
introduced or are about to introduce at least new top-of-the-line HF
xcvrs, the least expensive $3,500, the most expensive, the Icom 7800
costs around $10.5k. Icom didn't thnk they'd sell more than 200 of them
in this country. They sold the whole batch in six weeks. This is a
"collapse"?! You've been listening to the wrong talking heads and
you're simply parroting them and/or rationales are where you find 'em
eh? .

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"This will not kill our hobby, but will inject more life into it."

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For maybe two years. Then what?

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73's to All,

Joe / KG4YJS

w3rv