"N2EY" wrote in message
...
In article , "Kim" dont

writes:


At least that's the way I see it. I
wonder how much shareholders realize that there is complete insanity
inside
the realm of large corporate entities who constantly spend huge dollars
on
organizational/operational changes, often just to change again in less
than
a year!

All true. But in the area of code testing, FCC has been constantly moving
in
the direction of reduction/elimination for at least 28 years.

Of course that doesn't mean they will act logically now that the end is in
sight.

Are you saying we should keep Element 1, Kim?
--

Oh goodness, what a loaded question, and that is very astute of you (you'll
understand that comment much more than many here, I suspect GRIN). I
don't want to seem like I'm hedging, and I'm a damned good debater, but let
me preface my "final answer" with the following:

It is extremely disappointing to me to see that this hobby is so populated
by people who are so pleased with themselves and under the apparent
impression that a ham radio license includes the authority to gnash and hate
anyone different from themselves.

I believe that CW testing has promulgated such behavior as above. It is a
"governmental approval" for a specific mode, thereby warranting that anyone
who has taken and passed this mode test is, somehow, of a higher regard to
the FCC and, at least, to fellow hams.

Over time, the CW testing has (by many hams) been a filtering device to keep
their ideas of "no gooders" out of the hobby--promoting a "good 'ol boy"
concept. This is attitude is horrendous in a "goodwill" hobby, and displays
of it are terribly disturbing to me. As amateur radio operators we are
ambassadors of the United States. And, to get so petty as to some of the
arguments spoken in this newsgroup, and even more comments I hear on the
air, it makes me totally embarrassed to even bring the hobby of ham radio up
to anyone any more.

Now, all that given, I respect the tradition of CW. Contrary to such people
as Dick Carroll and Larry Roll, who go off half-cocked thinking they "know"
who someone is based on their dislike of the mode of CW, most of we who are
new to the hobby are quite respectful of the tradition of ham radio, and
know good talent on CW when we see it--indeed even love to watch someone
doing it.

Yes, I want CW to stay as a testing element and I think 5wpm is sufficient.
I also think it should be sending OR receiving (not both), and I think that
waivers should only be given upon the agreement of 2 doctors that a certain
handicap is, indeed, the complaint of any particular individual. Heck,
maybe the Federal Gov't. could even come up with approved doctors--they
approve VEs, right? I hear too many stories of hams who have no business
being any class of ham where CW was required--because they DON'T know CW.

People such as those mentioned earlier here are reprehensible in their
opinion (in *my* opinion GRIN), and it is their behavior that does more to
harm ham radio than the choices others make NOT to learn CW or who choose
not to use CW once they've passed and exam requirement. I am happy to have
*anyone* in the hobby--even those with not-so-great-operating practices, as
long as they are friendly, promote ham radio as a positive experience, and
encourage others to simply JOIN, not to GET TO EXTRA.

Kim W5TIT