Clint wrote:

The new requirements *probably* will have no Morse code requirements,
ergo Morse is not really relevant to this thread.



They may or may not; if the FCC decides that no "no further change in the
license structure is required at this time" then of course that will be the
final
word on *that* matter, and we'll accept it and go on since they are the
ones that have the final say. I just couldn't help but notice how certain
ones
in here I think have such an overpowering agenda regarding the CW
part of the testing that it tends to take them over and govern, or at least
seriously influence, everything they have to remark about in ham radio.

I'm a general class operator; I realize by definition that means I had to
show knowledge in certain areas to prove I deserved recieving the next
higher license class than tech-plus; however, I did not demonstrate enough
skill and knowledge to warrant recieving the advanced class license.
Therefore,
advanced class operators *should* know more than I do, or at least as much.

That brings us to the sad truth that if an *extra* class license operator
doesn't
know how to calculate the length of a walf wave dipole on 40m (or whatever
frequency), that is a serious issue. I say that because calculating the
length of
an antenna, especially a halfwave dipole of ALL things, is and always WILL
be so basic to ham radio that it should be on page one of chapter one of
every study guide ever printed. Such matters is why I put such a strong
emphasis on putting more priority on written testing than that of the skills
of
translating a CW transmission.

Sad thing is, most the time I get on 75 meters and begin discussing ham
radio tech stuff, there is usually one heckler that harangues you about it and
makes light of the fact that you were talking about ham radio stuff and not what
the weather was like on a day 58 years ago while an old man sat on a porch
and peeled potatoes in the hot summer sun... true story. I actually was on
the airwaves a few weeks ago discussing the pros and cons how how to set up
a new 75 meter inverted V I was going to make at home... and as soon as
I finished the conversation with the other ham and he went off the air, a
couple of hams got in there and began talking to one another BASHING me for doing
so... can you imagine???

75 meters is a strange place. I usually don't go there for the reasons
you mention. I do contest and PSK31 there, but that's about it. And
yeah, they bitch about me too. But I love to have technical
conversations on the air - otherwise I run out of things to say pretty
quick!

The strangest/scariest think I ever heard on 75 was one ham who was in
pretty bad shape and talking to another about his health. He pretty
matter of fact noted that his doctor said it was only a day or two left
for him, and it sounded like it, rattles and wheezes. I thought he was
going to shift his coil right while I was listening.

- Mike KB3EIA -