On 11/03/06 at 22:43:36 Jim somehow managed to type:
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Fact. snip


Here's another fact for you. In days gone by the older, in terms of
time spent in the hobby, amateurs would help those who were new to the
hobby. They'd help with operating procedures as well as the more
technical aspects of the hobby. Today the older amateurs are MUCH more
likely to provide NO help whatsoever.

I well remember when I made my first CQ call on HF as a Z call. Did I
get any meaningful response ? Not bloody likely. All I got was "why
don't you just **** off back to CB where you belong" followed by a
lengthy and foul tirade against limited licence holders being given HF
privileges. Was it a new operator. Nope. It was a long time full call
and one who up until then I'd considered a knowledgeable gentlemen.

My view is that quite a few people who've been in the hobby for a long
while resent newcomers and will do anything to get rid of 'em because
they didn't have to do a written exam or a CW exam. Those people would
do well to remember that they did exactly what todays newcomers do.
They studied for, and passed, the required exams.

This almost constant badmouthing of foundation licencees WITHOUT trying
to educate them is idiotic and demonstrates the true character of the
people doing the badmouthing. Perhaps if these same people were to put
the same amount of effort into helping educate the newcomers we'd all
be a lot better off.


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--
Humbug aka VK3ZMF
BE A LOOF! (There has been a recent population explosion of lerts.)