On Fri, 30 Jan 2004 10:20:59 +0000, Walt Davidson
wrote:

On 30 Jan 2004 10:00:02 GMT, (Radionews) wrote:

This is a program designed to take newly licensed radio amateurs and place them
one-on-one with veteran hams so that they may learn the traditions and
operating skills that no classroom or home-study environment can teach.

What a joke. In the UK, at least, newly licensed radio amateurs do
not want to learn "traditions and operating skills" from veteran hams.
All we old-timers receive from the new breed of hams is constant abuse
and derision.

To make this work, two groups of hams are needed. First we need skilled
operators who are willing to donate time to assist those in need of training.
We also need new hams to come forward and say: “I want to learn more.”

There is your problem.

73 de G3NYY

To some degree, you are right. And that is what comes with
relaxing the standards. Don't get me wrong, I agree that Morse is
antiquated. But, t also agree that it shouldn't be replaced without
coming up with a plan to require other proficiency.

There are good people coming into ham radio now. But there
are also those who don't want to go to the trouble of *earning* their
amateur radio license. Here is where the biggest part of the problem
comes from.

I know that the code requirement didn't solve all problems.
Nonetheless, the bands never sounded like the chicken squawking that
was heard on eleven meters in the United States. When you earn
something, you think twice before doing something that might cause you
to lose it or to lose respect in the amateur community.



Fred, WB4AEJ