"know code" wrote in message
...
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!

Like you say, it isn't available all the time. Also some people have to
study to advance as they are new to the hobby and can't do it all in a day.
Applying for the callsign gives them the opportunity to self learn on the
bands as well as studying for it. I totally agree though that there should
be a time limit on M3 licence holders before they are asked to advance or
leave the hobby as their indifference isn't in Amateur radio's best
interest.

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.

Judging by many peoples comments in the newsgroups and a few Amateurs I have
spoken to face to face many feel the hobby would have all but died compared
to what it used to be if the insistence of Morse was upheld especially to
that degree.

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 Ding on SSB? Can't really see what
excitement there would be trying to DX with 4W of FM!

Yes, it would be DX'ing on 27.555MHz USB and probably more like 15w than 4.
Yes it was illegal but the achievement felt by making that contact when
others didn't think it could be done gave many a great sense of an
achievement rather than something that could be achieved so easily on
Amateur radio. If it is easy what's the point? Also I lived in Wales for a
time and it was not unknown to have contacts throughout Europe on 4w FM
because I managed it a few times myself. That was on UK27/81 legally too.

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 Ding on it if it is only to be used as a local service?

Because some found it was possible to do and was quite interesting. When CB
was first introduced it was thought DX was impossible and many people who
had fought for AM believed FM would only get them "down the road". I used it
for both. Mainly to keep in touch with local friends (These were the days
before cell phones were commonplace) and talking to the locals and other
mobile stations when driving. CB is still un-beatable for that quick 10-13
(Traffic report) on the road ahead. DX was just an un-expected bonus.

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!!

That would be useful information and figures would not and should not make
anyone uncomfortable in divulging. No-one was asking for specifics so for
one I cannot see Brian's reluctance in this matter. He could just say there
are 15 M3 licensed 6 yr old Amateurs. Now that in itself could not possibly
make someone feel uncomfortable. If he was asked to prove it by giving out
their call signs then that's a different story... but no-one is.

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

You seem to miss my point on this subject every time we are in discussion
about it so I will say it again... I hold no ill judgement to anyone who
wishes to use Morse. I have no problem with Morse and I believe it is down
to the individual Amateur and should not forced on them to obtain 'superior'
status. Nor do I think it fair to mock "lazy-assed B's" simply because they
aren't really interested in Morse but are interested in everything else.
Morse isn't the be all and end all of Amateur radio. So there may be more
using it than I think..Compared to the amount of licensed Amateurs though I
bet it's pretty low in comparison. Let's ask Brian again if he can give us
any statistics on this?

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!

Not really, the point was already answered several times so there was no
real need to comment further. Just like now really but I thought I might.
Besides which it's an open forum and disagreements can be aired quite
openly.

Regards,
Graham
--
-.-. -... / .-. .- -.. .. ---

Radio is only a Hobby. Don't let it rule your life...

73/51 - Graham, 26-Golf Charlie-19