Is the code requirement really keeping good people out of ham radio?
 

Dave wrote:
wrote:

SNIPPED

Removing the code requirement at this late date would do little to
increase the number of hams applying for a license. At one time,
possibly 30 years ago it would have made sense to replace the code test
with one that emphasizes skills that actually have a use in the real
world. Sadly, I think that there is little that can be done to attract
younger hams into the hobby. There are just too many license-free ways
of communicating with people from around the world.


Amateur Radio is about much more than "communicating with people from around the
world".

Amateur Radio is about LEARNING !!! LEARNING some physics, learning about
sunspots, learning about antennas, learning about propagation, learning about
some electronics, learning about digital communication techniques, learning
about VHF propagation, learning about microwaves, learning about wide band tv
systems, learning about narrow band tv systems, learning about ... [you complete
the phrase].

If you just want to talk around the world, use CB. If you just want to talk
around town, use FRS. If you want to LEARN about radio become an Amateur Radio
operator [make a commitment to LEARN].


I agree - learning something about amateur radio is a requirement for
passing the test. The real question is what kinds of knowlege about
amateur radio should be required of prospective hams before giving them
a license. It would seem to me that testing a prospective ham for
knowlege of how radios operate, how to set up a station properly and
how to operate the equipment safely would be a primary concern. Next
the ham should be able to demonstrate an ability to use the equipment
to communicate in an efficient and courteous manner in a mode that is
widely used. Voice is hands down the most frequently used mode of
communication. Additionally, a knowlege of how to communicate via
radio using voice would be a big help when trying to make contact
during an emergency with professional rescue groups. Having the
prospective ham learn morse code would not provide him with a skill
that has any real world use.

Is the code requirement really keeping good people out of ham radio?
 

It's not code requirements or tests that is keeping ( and driving) good
people out of ham radio, and away from lists like these, it's
psychopaths like SC and the idiots that feed him. This WAS about real
issues, and about technology (I hit this cesspool from the antennas
list), but it is not now.
Thanks to the crap fron SC, and from the idiots that feed this Troll,
I'm leaving. On real lists, s--t pots like him are kicked out. On
usenets, the only way is to quit feeding his ego, but, unfortunately,
he is not the only idiot here.
Bye-Bill

Is the code requirement really keeping good people out of hamradio?
 

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Telamon wrote:
In article .com,
wrote:

Snip off topic crapola

Quite frankly I'm tired of seeing posts arguing about the amateur code
requirement in rec.radio.shortwave so I'm kill filing everyone in the
thread or any other thread with that subject from now on.


If everyone was aware of all the cross posting and only responded to
the group they are in that would be a great help - it might stop the
same old crap being repeated in every radio group that I subscribe to!


Charlie.

- --
www.wymsey.co.uk
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Is the code requirement really keeping good people out of hamradio?
 

charlie wrote:
If everyone was aware of all the cross posting and only responded to
the group they are in that would be a great help - it might stop the
same old crap being repeated in every radio group that I subscribe to!

I tried replying only to rec.radio.amateur.policy but the
misbehaving posters added all the other groups back into
the followup reply.
--
73, Cecil http://www.w5dxp.com

Is the code requirement really keeping good people out of ham radio?
 

Dave wrote in
:

wrote:

SNIPPED

Amateur Radio is about LEARNING !!! LEARNING some physics, learning
about sunspots, learning about antennas, learning about propagation,
learning about some electronics, learning about digital communication
techniques, learning about VHF propagation, learning about microwaves,
learning about wide band tv systems, learning about narrow band tv
systems, learning about ... [you complete the phrase].

I notice none of the things you list is Morse Code

If you just want to talk around the world, use CB. If you just want to
talk around town, use FRS. If you want to LEARN about radio become an
Amateur Radio operator [make a commitment to LEARN].

/s/ DD, W1MCE

http://kb9rqz.blogspot.com/


I can still put 18-20 wpm on paper [with arthritis in fingers] and read
25+ wpm.

What is your skill level?


Mark in the Dark doesn't have a skill level. He butchers the english
pretty good though.

SC

Is the code requirement really keeping good people out of ham radio?
 

"R. Scott" wrote in
:


Good, we should keep the requirement then, because it has kept a
lot of Bad people out of ham radio.

SC

How come it didnt keep you out ?


I'm not bad.

SC

Is the code requirement really keeping good people out of ham radio?
 

Cecil Moore wrote in
:

charlie wrote:
If everyone was aware of all the cross posting and only responded to
the group they are in that would be a great help - it might stop the
same old crap being repeated in every radio group that I subscribe to!

I tried replying only to rec.radio.amateur.policy but the
misbehaving posters added all the other groups back into
the followup reply.

Is the code requirement really keeping good people out of ham radio?

SC

Is the code requirement really keeping good people out of ham radio?
 

"Bill" wrote in
oups.com:


It's not code requirements or tests that is keeping ( and driving) good
people out of ham radio, and away from lists like these, it's
psychopaths like SC and the idiots that feed him. This WAS about real
issues, and about technology (I hit this cesspool from the antennas
list), but it is not now.
Thanks to the crap fron SC, and from the idiots that feed this Troll,
I'm leaving. On real lists, s--t pots like him are kicked out. On
usenets, the only way is to quit feeding his ego, but, unfortunately,
he is not the only idiot here.


Is the code requirement really keeping good people out of ham radio?

SC

Is the code requirement really keeping good people out of ham radio?
 

" wrote in
oups.com:

Barry OGrady wrote:
On Thu, 28 Sep 2006 22:54:46 -0500, Nada Tapu wrote:

On Sun, 10 Sep 2006 23:23:03 GMT, Slow Code wrote:


Or just lazy people out?

Sc

It certainly didn't keep me out, and I wasn't all that crazy about
learning it, either.

More to the point, are there more licensed amateurs since the code
requirement was removed years ago?

Yes. In the USA at least.

Since the inception of the no-code Technician class here in 1991,
the growth of the Technician class license numbers in the USA
has been continuous. Those now comprise about 49 % of ALL
licensees. The Technician class license numbers are twice that
of General class, the next-largest license class.

Since the "reconstruction" in FCC amateur radio regulations of
2001, the number of licensees grew to peak in July, 2003. At
that time the maximum code test rate was fixed at 5 WPM, all
classes.

A problem now is the attrition of the older licensees. More old-
timers are leaving/expiring (their licenses) than are being
replaced by new (never before licensed in amateur radio)
licensees. Source: www.hamdata.com. That trend has
persisted for three years.

The code test is not THE factor causing it, just one of the
major factors in slowing the increase of new licensees.
Coupled with the stubborn resistance to change of ANY
regulations by olde-tymers, there is little incentive to enter
olde-tyme amateur radio. Ally that with the huge growth of
the Internet in the 15 years it has been public - an Internet
that has spread worldwide with near-instant communications
over that world - and the traditional standards and practices
of olde-tyme ham radio just don't have the appeal to
newcomers they once had.

Elimination of the code test for any license will cause a
spurt in new licensees. While such elimination is not a
guarantee to far-future growth, it will be the significant act
to being CHANGING regulations to better fit the modern times.
Keeping up with changing times is a NECESSITY in
regulations, regardless of the personal desires of the minority
of amateurs making up the olde-tyme group.




You should market your posts to farmers Len. The fertilizer content in
them could green the Sahara.

SC

Ahhh someone has finally spoken the truth. How refreshing. We will always have the one percenters in any hobby, activity or other rallying point. When you remove the barriers to admittance you simply let in more one percenters, so now that one percent equals many thousands instead of the hundreds that got through before no code, incentive licensing etc. Its not the gold coaster filled with pride anymore guys, its become the redneck yatch club. Lets help out and team up with the new guys that are not part of the one percenters and you'll find that most of them would have eventually overcome the barriers. Most of the garbage ends up on 2 meter fm and 75 phone that leaves lots of bands and modes for the real amateurs (no coders included) to enjoy. And that doesn't mean that 2 fm and 75 phone are for loosers, by no means. When you swim in a community pool you just stay out of the nasty end and enjoy whats left. If the non-morons get mad and go away then the whole pool becomes nasty. Stay in the hobby, continue to do it the "right" way (lead by example), have fun, ignore the morons, pay attention to the newbies that show promise and the hobby just might survive. Morphed a bit but survive non the less. I welcome the influx of interest good or bad. Without it we would not be enjoying all the new rigs, antennas and accessories that are now on the market since the manufacturers were dropping like flies when we were more of a closed snobish hobby with dwindling numbers. The yahoos don't quite know what to make of the advanced DSP, high quality RF amps, Ops specific radios like the FT847 or IC910 or other inovations like the 1.2 ghz data stuff etc. but it wouldn't be rolling out of the factories if they weren't swelling the ranks of ham radio with new hams good or bad. C U on the bottom end of 160 and 80 ... or 40 SSB on Sunday mornings .... or 20 PSK mid week ... or 6 during that sudden opening on an indian summer morning ... or 10 FM around the greyline ... or, well you get the picture (I Hope) The new hams are not ALL ABOUT doom and gloom unless we (oldtimers?) let it happen and waste all our time crying about it on the newsgroups instead of being on the air communicating, contesting, experimenting and just plain olde fashioned hamming. Acting the fool (or just sounding like one) on the air and calling it fun is the sport of Morons. Serious, intelligent amateur radio is also fun and can usually be found by just changing the frequency, band or mode. All in all ham radio is getting better or at least has the potential to get better, bigger, broader in scope etc. as long as we don't waste our time bellyaching about the few that slipped under the ever diminishing radar. In fact before all this new ham bashing I remember we had a proportional amount of bad eggs then as well. We just seemed to either tolerate or take care of the problems in a different way. Wake up amateurs, the only way you loose the hobby is if you let go of the reigns.