RadioBanter - View Single Post

September 16th 03, 05:36 PM

(Len Over 21) wrote in message ...
In article , (N2EY)
writes:

In article , "Clint"
rattlehead@computronDOTnet writes:

sending and receiving CW isn't a building block
to anything else.....

Yes, it is.

First, it's a building block to the use of the mode on the air. Although other
services have pretty much stopped using Morse Code, hams use it extensivley,
and an amateur license is permission to operate an amateur station, not a
station in another service.

Roger that, Reverend Jim...

Who is "Reverend Jim", Len? You and Brian Burke keep using that name
to address someone.

It can't be me, because I graduated from electrical engineering
school, not divinity school. And my name isn't Ignatowski ;-)

What engineering school did you graduate from, Len?

IN the Archaic Radiotelegraphy Service...

No such thing exists.

I've been "in" the Amateur Radio Service for almost 36 years. You have
not done so for even one day.

Note that the Morse Code tests are at a very
basic level. They're entry-level, nothing more.

Well, "there ya go."

Glad you agree!

Second, if someone wants to actually design and build radio equipment, having
skill in Morse Code permits them to use almost anything from very simple to
very sophisticated equipment to good advantage. Would you expect a newcomer
to radio to build an SSB transceiver as a first project?

I built a simple battery powered voice transmitter back in 1948.

That's nice, Len. On what amateur band did you bootleg with it? Or was
it a broadcast band device so you could pretend you were on "Ted
Mack's Amateur Hour"? ;-)

I built a simple *AC line powered* Morse/CW transmitter back in 1967.
Covered the 80 and 40 meter bands. Required a valid Amateur Radio
license to operate.

Single tube, very low power, worked fine for a whole block.

Ah - several hundred feet.

My transmitter was single tube, 10 watts, worked fine for several
hundred *miles*. Despite my homemade receiver, lackluster antenna and
entry-level skills. ;-) :-) ;-P

Was 14 then. :-)

I was 13 then ;-) :-) ;-) --;

Perhaps that's why you want FCC to stop licensing people under the age
of 14 - they might do things you did not do at that age. Oh wait, some
of us have already done so.....

now, the electrical principals of what a CW
transmission is, and a knowledge test of that is a good idea, but
that's comparing apples and oranges.

Comparing apples and oranges is fine for the produce market,

Are you a fruit, Len? ;-)

Why should there be *any* written test on theory if all a person wants to do
is
operate manufactured radios? If someone doesn't want to build a rig, why
should
they have to memorize all those symbols, diagrams and formulas?

Well then, you WANT type-accepted radios in amateur radio?!?

Not me.

Was your 1948 'transmitter' type-accepted?

Why would you WANT such a thing?

I don't. Why do you think I want such a thing?

I simply asked:

"Why should there be *any* written test on theory if all a person
wants to
do is operate manufactured radios? If someone doesn't want to build a
rig,
why should they have to memorize all those symbols, diagrams and
formulas?"

Nothing about "type-accepted radios" - which term isn't used any more,
anyway.

Why are you avoiding that simple question?