The Magnum wrote:

How are beginners expected to "put themselves out? when the only way to
"hammery" is through the M3 direction?

They can take the tests as that is the route they have to take. But
they certainly don't have to lower themselves to actually applying for
an M3 callsign! Maybe they could take one of the TWO all day sessions
that Brian mentioned and go straight to a Full licence. It's just a
shame this facility isn't offered ALL the time. Brian still hasn't
given a good answer as to why that facility isn't available ALL the time!

To be proud of yes but jealously guarded? How are you going to guard it...
by demanding Morse be set at 20-30 WPM in_all_classes of "Hammery"

That would be a good start. At least we'd get rid of a lot of the chaff
that has no intention of progressing up the so-called progressive
licensing scheme (a.k.a. an M3 licensee of more than one year). If
there had been a 20-30wpm Morse test when they got their M3 farce
licence, then they would never have bothered and Amateur Radio would
have been a better place as a result.

Just like CB, I remember the fox-hunts we had in the late 70's - early 80's
and what fun they were too. I remember also the joys of DX on 11 metres,
especially the competitions and the sense of achievement in contacting those
far away stations. Seems the two hobbies are similar after all... (How dare
I make that comparison eh...)

Just curious.... was that 11M DXing on SSB? Can't really see what
excitement there would be trying to DX with 4W of FM!

No disagreement there... CB radio was devised originally as a "service" for
the community to keep in local touch with each other.

So, why were you DXing on it if it is only to be used as a local service?

Please state how many 6 yr olds hold an
M3 or any other radio licence.

We have been asking Brian and the RSGB to release these non-personal
stats for ages but for some reason they always avoid the question.
Brian says he would be uncomfortable doing so himself, so why doesn't he
with his Board position of "Amateur Radio Development" within RSGB Ltd
get them published in RadCom. There really is no good reason why these
stats cannot be published unless they are trying to hide something.
Another interesting stat would be the percentage of M3s that have
progressed any further!!

All because they weren't interested in Morse code, that antiquated
communication method pre-dating last century and rarely used now apart from
by a few 'die hard' Amateurs.

You obviously don't listen to the HF bands much then! Morse code is
alive and well and is being used by a LOT of people. Take just about
any recent DXpedition in the past few years and look at the breakdown of
the QSOs regarding CW v SSB. Usually the CW totals are far ahead of the
SSB totals. "Rarely used".... you have no idea what you are talking
about! Or maybe you just hear all those funny noises at the low ends of
the bands and as you don't understand Morse code you are prejudiced
against it. Just a wild guess

Remember - A sure sign of a CB Radio hobbyist is if he holds,
or has ever held, a licence issued under the gangrenous
degeneration that is the M3/CB Fools' Licence scheme!

No need to comment further here...

Why? Do you agree? You've commented on everything else you disagreed with!