On 11 Jul 2003 02:08:29 GMT, ospam (Larry Roll K3LT)
wrote:

It is a plain fact that future hams who do not face a code tesing requirement
for licensing are going to be less capable communicators than myself and
others who did. The only thing that got me into the use of the Morse/CW
mode was the requirement to learn it. It made me a better ham in every
respect. The New Age non-code tested hams will be inferior for the lack of
this requirement.

The only reason I learned code was that it was required to upgrade
beyond Technician class. Passing the code test would have made me a
Tech Plus and earned me some phone privileges on 10m and CW on several
other bands...except that I took the General class written at the same
VE session, and passed it, walking out with General class privileges.

At that point, I could communicate using CW at 5 WPM. At the same
point, I could also communicate using phone at a significantly faster
rate than 5 WPM since I can speak a lot faster than that. I could
also communicate using PSK31 at a significantly faster rate than 5 WPM
since I can type a lot faster than that. Thus, for me the use of
another mode is more efficient for me than to use CW. I would actually
be a less capable communicator if I used CW than I am using another
mode. My facing the code testing requirement did not affect my ability
to speak or to type.

Well, everyone's estimate of their "enjoyment" of ham radio is a subjective
thing. However, in this age where we're trying to justify our hold on
literally
billions of dollars worth of commercially viable spectrum, we place a great
emphasis on our capabilities as "emergency" communicators. Unfortunately,
the least reliable modes we employ are those that depend on voice
communication -- and these modes are the first to "go South" when
atmospheric conditions and man-made interference do not operate in our
favor.

These days, the vast majority of emergency communications is done on a
local basis, primarily on 2m using FM repeaters and simplex. 70cm is
probably the next most widely used band for this purpose. Neither is
subject to the propagation difficulties often encountered on HF.

In my own estimation, the biggest problem with emergency
communications in the ARS right now isn't the people who don't know
CW, it's the people who think their 5-watt (or 2-watt, or 150
mkilliwatt) HT and its 650mAh battery pack is all they need to
function as an emergency communicator when the proverbial merde hits
the proverbial ventillateur.

Morse/CW allows us to overcome the majority of those obstacles,
but only those who know how to effectively employ this mode are qualified
to make that judgment.

Actually, it's the agencies served by our ARES and RACES and other
emergency communications groups who are best qualified to judge the
effectiveness of our contributions. The ones I've worked with so far
have expressed high praise for the efforts of our team of hams, and we
have yet to use CW during an activation.

Therefore, your argument about "enjoyment" is,
as are most NCTA arguments, self-serving at best.

Apples and oranges, perhaps. Only the most masochistic among us would
claim to actually enjoy pulling a 12- or 14-hour shift in a chilly EOC
or standing in a street in the middle of an ice storm. Emergency
communications isn't done for enjoyment. DX'ing, contesting, and
casual ragchewing are done for enjoyment, and if one enjoys using CW
for such activities, there's nothing stopping anyone from doing so.
For those who do not enjoy using CW, the same activities can also be
enjoyed using other modes.

73 DE John, KC2HMZ