Robert,

A lot of folks have been portraying this 'doom and gloom', yet amateur radio
keeps growing. While I don't think Morse is a valid requirement, I don't
see the wisdom of lowering technical requirements. I read (was it last
year, or the year before?) where a newly minted tech was killed putting up a
tower. A 150 watts of rf is modest power, but what kind of voltage exists?
Sure, you have a 50 ohm feed point and you can calculate voltage and current
..... but that is at the 50 ohm feed point. The far ends of a dipole exhibit
around 1000 ohms impedance. That inverted V just might have some very
dangerous rf voltage at the ends. Should they be fairly close to the ground
..... not good for humans or animals.

Also, there have been lawsuits filed over cell phones causing brain cancer.
Some research shows inconclusive results; others show modulated rf does
affect cells. Guess what group sponsors the research showing inconclusive
results? Remember the tobacco companies? Also, most of the legal limit
amps are still vacuum tubes. These are running thousands of volts.
Questions concerning bleeder resistors and why they are there and what to do
to ensure they did their job before grabbing hold of items within the
enclosure are very legitimate questions. Questions as to what modes and
where (frequencies) are certainly appropriate. NCI may well be good, but I
don't think NTI (No Test International) would be a good idea; of course, if
we had no tests, many bands would be rendered as useful as 11 meters - but
the good side is that we might have a lot of folks remove their genes from
the human gene pool. For information on that, please visit:
http://www.darwinawards.com/



73 from Rochester, NY
Jim AA2QA

"Robert Hartung" wrote in message
om...
The Morse Code Requirement
Is It Really The Reason People Turn Away?

Many people feel that the Morse Code requirement is the SOLE reason
why many people turn away from Amateur Radio. Well one group dose,
No-Code International, an organization dedicated to the abolition of
the Morse Code requirement for Amateur Radio licenses.

In this writers opinion, the code is only one of many reasons why
people turn away from Amateur Radio. Another, is the people already in
the hobby. If you been reviewing my website, you can see how the
people, not just the code requirement, can make, or brake a hobby. If
the people act no better then CB Agitator, or a show of being better
then others, can drive people away.

Let's not forget, many local clubs and members try to drive
undesirables away. Who is an undesirable? Well, undesirable are people
who have already join the hobby for reason other then local Clubs and
their members reasons. It varies from area too area, but it's somewhat
the same.

1) If you join the hobby to take advantage of the 2 meter and 70cm
bands and don't upgrade to the HF bands. Because, you like to talk to
family and friends. You could careless about DXing, filling your walls
with QSL cards, and etc.

2) You don't use as many "Q" signals as possible. Yes, I know they
were invented solely for CW and are totally inappropriate for bands
above 6 meters FM, but they are fun and entertaining. "I'm going to
QSY to the phone." Can you really change frequencies to the phone? QSL
used to mean, "I am acknowledging receipt", but now it appears to
mean, "yes" or "OK". I guess I missed it when the ARRL changed the
meaning. It is also best to use "OK" and "QSL" together.

3) Not following local codes of conducts, or rules made up by the
local clubs and not the FCC. For example, always giving the calls of
yourself and everyone who is (or has been) in the group, whether they
are still there or not. While this has been unnecessary for years, it
is still a great memory test. You may also use "and the group" if you
are an "old timer" or just have a bad memory.

All the above can classify you as an undesirable, and get you a life
sentence of ridicule, rude comments intended to make fun of your lack
of desire to upgrade, or your unwillingness to follow the leader. For
example, say you don't wish to upgrade, then your marked as being to
lazy to take the code test, or unable due to a lack of IQ.

If this is their idea of encouragement, well it doesn't seem like it
to me, it's down right RUDE, and drives people away. Which is the
whole idea, but is that really such a good idea?

If we destroy our own, then how do we expect newcomers to view us? If
your trying to buildup a hobby, then you need to deal with diversity,
not destroy it. Being difference from what is normal or expected is a
good thing. It helps make life, or in the care of amateur radio, a
much more divers, interesting and fun filled hobby. It's not the same
old thing, different day.

This will help bring new blood to the hobby, thus bring fresh, and new
ideas with it.

http://www.ke4jcd.com


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