Mike Coslo wrote:
an old friend wrote:
Mike Coslo wrote:

an old friend wrote:

wrote:


Mike Coslo wrote:



I'm firmly convinced that many of the people that think of Element 1 as
the "great barrier" will be dismayed when they find out that there are
other barriers to Amateur radio.

"I tried but I'm just not able to learn the code." I heard it in the
1950's and I still hear it today. The global-standard copout which
probably goes back to 1912.


ah yes accusing everyone that disagrees of laziness we have been
hearing that a long time too

In 1912 there were reason you needed to be able to USE morse code,
today there is no NEED to USE it at all and yte we test for for it
awhile longer

I can't find any real reason why there is any need for testing for
anything in Amateur radio any more.



then propose that to the FCC

Why do you and Bill keep saying that? I have made it clear on many
occasions that I don't support such a thing.

then why bring it up

unless Len is right and you are just whining about it

That doesn't mean that I don't support testing. It means that Hams and
our regulatory bodies have to get together and form a consensus on just
what we *want* Amateur radio to be. Do we want it to be a body of people


one the basic you basic premise is in error

The rules MUST reflect what is in the interest of the PUBLIC, these are
a subset of the PUBLIC airwaves

Public regulation must reflect public interests

Heheh There is another argument in favor of no testing. If the public
interest is having barriers removed, then there should be no testing in
order to allow more people to become hams. Thanks for the point!

Indeed If it serves the public interest to end testing we should do
that, But then the question is, does it serve the public interest to
end testing?

I don't think so clearly neither does Bill

the arguement the less testing= more hams does indeed work to a point,
but you have taken it to the absurd

clearly the public interest is in having the ARS work fairly well and
be as large as pratcical. It is also in the public interest of the US
that we obey the ITU treaty (as amended over the years) which requires
some testing.

The currect tech pool (the only pool I am famier with personaly being a
tech seem OK I would shift some stuff off and more of some other stuff
on, but the result would be roughly as hard, so I am basicaly satified
that thing are OK on that score



with some form of technical knowledge? So be it. We can do that But we
can indeed turn the Amateur bands into something else indeed. We can
channelize them, we can eliminate experimentation, we can reduce maximum
power levels, and we can ensure that only type accepted equipment is
used. At that point, we can eliminate testing altogether.




Putting together a station is probably
harder for most people than learning Morse code. Putting together a
*good* station is definitely so.

Agreed. The upcoming wave of nocode Extras and Generals will have to
face and resolve the same age-old problems us 20wpm OFs have faced for
decades when it comes to put up or shut up time as it relates to
actually operating in the HF bands. Like being able to spend the money
it takes to acquire decent HF equipment, having the ingenuity and


already got a decent rig, and one since it has VHF and UHF abilities I
have been the air for years with

Think about other people.


Every Tech I know with all mode abilities all have at least ONE rig
also able to do HF

And none that I know do.

how many tech you know with all mode rigs?

I suppose there may be afew with multimode rigs and no HF but their are
only rig comercail rig that way today The ICOM 910H ( i have one of
those) ten tect used to have one

I'll agree that going from FM only would be a jolt

but YMMV


look at what is on the market


knowledge needed to home-brew decent antennas for constricted spaces


I don't need to to worry about constricted spaces I at least own 58
acress I don't think that even 160m will be a problem

Does everyone? Think big-picture. Our own personal circumstances are
not everyones.


you presented as a absolute need an ability that doesn't aply to some
of us.

Of course it doesn't apply to some people. It sounds like your idea of
testing is to have a separate test for every facet of Ham radio.

and that isa good or bad thing in your view

BTW I do not suggest that having taken the say the QRP test that you
can only run QRP etc


In other words you are making stuff up that ain't always so


your rant was flawed, I punched a hole in it


Okay, that is what you consider punching a hole in my argument??

you calim all these hams need and don't have the rig many do all need
to HOME brew an antenna you went on and on about the barriars. In the
younger population base they buy SUVs costing as much 60+ K and buy
them every few years a few grand is not much for something that will
last quite awhile, takes a bit of nerve to take the step but it is
hardly a Barriar equal to Morse Code


So be it.....

- Mike KB3EIA -