"Larry Roll K3LT" wrote:
Last time I looked, Amateur Radio was a strictly
VOLUNTARY activity. Nobody has ever been
"forced" to do anything related to the hobby/
service known as Amateur Radio. If you want to
have privileges within the ARS, you meet the
licensing requirements -- as a voluntary act.
Compliance with all laws (or regulations) is a voluntary act. But, in this
country, there is a mechanism for eliminating laws that no longer serve a
purpose. That process is happening now with the regulations concerning Morse
Code testing.
Only NCTA whiners who are too lazy and indifferent
to the true nature of the ARS to be bothered to learn
a useful communications skill like Morse/CW drag out
the "I'm being forced to learn Morse code" or "I'm
having Morse code shoved down my throat" arguments.
This is truly pathetic.
Attempts to prevent the process of ending code testing, with no reason
other than your own preference for that testing, is indeed an attempt to
force interested parties to comply with your wishes instead of complying
with regulations which reflect the true needs of Amateur Radio. The only
reason you've offered for keeping code testing is your desire to limit
access to Amateur Radio (to keep out those who are not "interested,
motivated, or incentive-driven" enough to meet your tastes). Of course,
Amateur Radio was not created to be your own private club with rules
designed to keep out those you don't like. Instead, Amateur Radio is open to
all Americans with ANY interest in this activity, with rules to reasonably
facilitate that safely and orderly. That interest is not limited to just
Morse Code today. It also includes those who just want to hang out on the
repeaters, those who just want to talk with their friends, those who just
want to build their own equipment, and those with many other similar
interests (and soon to include those interested in HF, but with no interest
in Morse Code).
(snip) This is the genius of the Morse code testing
requirement -- it brings out the best in interested, motivated,
and incentive-driven people, who, for the most part,
become the best hams.
Your own ongoing behavior in this regard clearly shows that statement to
be totally false.
Dwight Stewart (W5NET)
http://www.qsl.net/w5net/