"KØHB" wrote in message
ink.net...

"an old friend" wrote


You're not even eligible for QCAO membership! BSEG

which ever gruop they are



OK, this is an interesting thread and this is a good post to join in on.


The QCAO (Quarter Century Appliance Operators) was founded
in the early 1950's by a small group of Amateur Radio operators
from the Pacific Northwest. They had been active in their hobby
for over 25 years, yet still lacked the basic knowledge of radio
electronics and had no idea of how their equipment worked.


You speak for their mission, but is that what members of this organization
would say of themselves? And did they even know that when they turned the
radio on it was electrical energy that was helping it work--or did they even
lack that knowledge of how their equipment worked? How deep was their
ignorance and, at what point would one say they were "worthy" of being
called an amateur radio operator (even though it seems that merely to be
licensed by the FCC deems one as an amateur radio operator).


They banded together to try and protect each others honor
and pride.


What honor and pride? Are you saying they "bought into" that whole concept,
or did they actually exclude themselves as honorable amateur radio operators
simply because of what others may have thought of them?


At radio gatherings and club meetings in the 1950s
one was considered unworthy of the name Ham Radio Operator if
he or she couldn't not only name components, but know how to
solder them together and make a radio work, or fix a broken set!


Ah. It seems you've answered some of the first questions I had. However,
why are you limiting this sentiment to the 1950s? This sentiment exists
today in amateur radio.


When faced with insults and dreision, those few hardy
pioneers banded together and formed the First Chapter and
National Organization of the QCAO. This was known as the "Cold
Solder" Chapter. They even coined the now-famous club byword
"e pluribus ignoramae" which is Latin for "We don't have to know
how to solder, we just wanna talk on our radios."


Good for them. It sounds like a great opportunity to respectfully dig back
at any attempts from others to say one is disqualified even if they have met
the requirements of the licensing system.


No veterans of that first chapter are known to be active on
the air today. In the late 1950s and early '60s, with the
worldwide interest in science and space and technology, the QCAO
membership went underground.


One of my points exactly. If someone really is such an awful amateur radio
operator, they'll disappear from the airwaves soon enough (well, myself
excluded ).


It is with great pride and dignity that today in the 21st Century
the revived QCAO stands ready to rise from the ashes, and become
the standard of mediocrity it once proudly was. In honor of
those first pioneering members, QCAO hereby invites all eligible
applicants to step forward and join!


Are you a member of this newly grouped organization?


The benefits of QCAO include not only the pride of
membership. Think of the warm glow you will feel at club
meetings and gatherings showing off your new all-plastic
imprinted QCAO pocket protector! And that's not all! For your
minimal membership fee, you will also receive a handsome,
suitable-for-framing, certificate of honor, with hand-lettered
name and Charter Membership Number. Other QCAO memorabilia
will soon be available for members, including T-shirts, caps,
pins, etc. At this date charter membership numbers are still
available. Membership requires a 25 years (more or less)
interest in Amateur Radio, coupled with a basic ignorance of how
radios work and how to repair them.


Sounds like most of the amateur radio club organizations I've been witness
to over the years. A few who know "a lot" about radios (if even they are so
expert at it that they find it too far beneath them to join in the community
of amateur radio and do some public service, etc.); with the rest of the
membership being those who may not know all that much about radio but of
whom many are quite willing to learn from the best, and of whom many become
the support structure for the local amateur radio community and emergency
services.


Think of meeting other QCAO members on the air! No more
embarrassing pauses when someone in the QSO mentions an RF choke
or a parasitic bleeder...Be able to exchange meaningful sharing,
talk about real things, yes, even swap QCAO numbers with each
other! And soon perhaps . . . a worldwide QCAO contest!


Wow, ya mean no more pauses as others try to figure out the relevance of why
someone just butted into the QSO with that kind of chatter? Cool.


You no longer have to shrink to the back of the room at post-
meeting sessions of your radio club. Just display your QCAO
protector and others will be able to identify you immediately.
Who knows? Perhaps one of the originals from that old QCAO
Chapter is just waiting for you to find him. Join now! Remember
"We don't have to know how to solder, we just wanna talk on our
radios"! Don't let technoids embarrass you and kick jargon in
your face. Stand up for what's right! Join QCAO!

"e pluribus ignoramae"



I've found that most of those who are labeled "appliance operators" at club
gatherings already know each other real well because they are the most
involved in the amateur community. And, while the solderers have been busy
yakking and impressing each other with all that stuff (truly important for
the heritage, yes, but not necessary knowledge in today's world), those
"appliance operators" have researched the internet for the best of the best,
have saved their money up and equipped themselves for most emergency
situations and are ready for public service with the touch of a few buttons
and the attachment of a few connections. YMMV.

Kim W5TIT



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