"N2EY" wrote


1) Back in '78, the students learned Morse Code as part of their CG training,
so there was no other training needed for them to get Extra Class amateur
licenses. Today, they would need to put in some of their own time, and a bit of
effort, learning Morse at 5 wpm for that test.


You know Jim, the more I ponder this paragraph, the more I think you
may just have hit on an important way of grading the dedication (and
therefore "value") of any given amateur licensee. Just by examining
their involvement in the military, we can assign them a scientific
"grade of merit" based on whether they got a free pass based on being
forced to learn code or not forced.

Merit Zero (0.0): Draftee who was forced into the military and then was
forced into Morse school.

Merit Zero-point-one (0.1): Draftee who was forced into the military
and then volunteered for Morse school to get a cushy non-infantry job.

Merit One (1.0): Volunteer who joined the military by judicial suggestion
("Boy, come back for sentencing in 10 days, unless you're in the
military by then, in which case the charges will be dropped.") but
was forced into Morse school.

Merit One-point-one (1.1): Volunteer who joined the military by
judicial suggestion ("Boy, come back for sentencing in 10 days,
unless you're in the military by then, in which case the charges
will be dropped.") and then volunteered for Morse school to get a
cushy non-infantry job.

Merit Two (2.0): Volunteer who joined the military to avoid the draft
and was forced into Morse school.

Merit Two-point-one (2.1): Volunteer who joined the military to avoid
the draft and then volunteered for Morse school to get a cushy
non-infantry job.

Merit Three (3.0): Volunteer who freely joined the military and then
was forced into Morse school.

Merit Three-point-one (3.1): Volunteer who freely joined the military
and then volunteered for Morse school to get a cush non-infantry job.

Merit Four (4.0): Person who declined to volunteer for the military
service and learned Morse on his own time and effort. (Hello, Jim)

Merit Four-point-one (4.1): Person who fled the country to avoid
military service and learned Morse on his own time and effort.

..... or maybe I've got that all bass-ackwards.

73, de Hans, K0HB