I used to subscribe to that theory, but no more. There was a time when CW
was the best mode for weak signal work, but as of my last experience (1990
or so) AMTOR had it beat hands down. I hear that AMTOR has since been
replaced with yet more efficient digital modes. Too, the stuff about being
able to put together a CW transmitter is kind of pointless; to wit, what
kind of emergency would find you with nothing except a GDO and power to run
it? It is much more likely today that one would have some kind of rig and
access to a charged car battery.

I fully understand the emotion and the heritage of the argument, but if you
strip out the emotion and the heritage stuff, cw doesn't really have much of
a leg to stand on.

Oh, there will be the odd story about tapping out SOS on one's brake lights,
but aside from that.............................................. ..



"scharkalvin" wrote in message
...
BFoelsch wrote:
As a ham radio operator for 40+ years, I agree, but I note that progress
has
been made.
Today, not only is Morse code obsolete, but ham radio itself is
obsolete!



I suppose that for many the internet has replaced ham radio. (I guess
that makes
hackers the equal of CB'ers, except that the hackers have a MUCH higher
IQ!)

I hope that many hams will continue to take some pride in their skill with
morse code and continue to use it. In a true emergency, cw will get
through
when nothing else will work. You can build a CW transmitter with the
barest pile of junk salvaged from an old radio or TV set. (well maybe not
a MODERN radio or tv set.....). There is even the story of using a GDO as
an emergency CW transmitter. Let's see you try that on SSB, AM, or some
of the new digital modes!

I finally got my extra class ticket after the code requirement went down
to 5wpm
(I had an advanced class licence, so that makes me a 13wpm extra). The
written
test was hard enough, I had to bone up on college level engineering
stuff. Being
a computer EE I never had to mess with smith charts before. The
technical test
will serve as enough of a barier to keep the riffraff out!