"Dwight Stewart" wrote in message link.net...

And why would the ARS wish to continue to specifically develop radio
operators capable of using code?

Because the mode offers lots of advantages to radio amateurs.

What benefit does it offer?

- Narrow bandwidth required
- Can be used with a wide variety of technologies
- Capable of both manual and machine generation and recognition
- excellent weak-signal performance
- QSK (near-duplex operation possible on a simplex channel)
- only popular non-voice "audio" mode (can you work PSK-31 while
driving?)
- usable by many disabled persons

Not what it
offers you, but what benefit does it offer to the ARS (here is your
opportunity to show your position is not just self-serving)?

See above. That's the short list.

How are the
goals and purposes of the ARS served by continued skill testing of this one
operating mode?

Introduces new hams to a mode with the advantages cited, just as
theory testing introduces new hams to radio technology.

How will this (code skill testing) help to keep the ARS
abreast of modern technology, insuring our continued value to others?

The mode can be successfully used with equipment of almost any level
of complexity, so that beginners can start off with simple equipment
and work their way up to advanced technologies. And have good
performance all along the path.

How
will this help move the ARS into the future (where we should be mainly
focused)?

By empowering more hams to design and build their own radios.

Dwight, how many hams do you know who have designed and built (from
scratch) entire amateur radio stations? And who use them on a regular
basis - in 2003? (Besides me, that is). I'm not talking kits, either,
(my K2 doesn't count) nor accessories, but actual transceivers and
such.

Do you think a kid with a sodder arn is gonna build an a 2 meter HT or
a PSK-31 station as a first project?

73 de Jim, N2EY