On Jan 4, 7:15 pm, Jeffrey D Angus wrote:

What's next? Secret handshakes and weird rituals?

I read the bylaws and they do seem to be a pretty exclusive group.

What I see as the flaw in their system is that they state that they
want to create a renaissance in CW. Okay, that's a worthy goal. I do
question how they are going about it.

But setting the bar at 25 wpm is not going to produce that goal. And
reading through their web pages, it is not difficult to derive a
conclusion that they are working at a atmosphere of exclusivity.
Exclusivity and renaissance are pretty much at odds. Plus there is the
strange part in the FAQ about one's sponsors possibly making a
applicant take a test. That's just inconsistent and odd, and smacks of
sub-groups, and people who are more equal than others.

That being said, if a person likes that sort of thing, that's just
fine by me.

But for myself, I'm happy to be member number 891 in the Second Class
Operator's Club.

- 73 de Mike N3LI -

On Jan 5, 10:27 am, "Michael J. Coslo" wrote:
On Jan 4, 7:15 pm, Jeffrey D Angus wrote:

What's next? Secret handshakes and weird rituals?

I read the bylaws and they do seem to be a pretty exclusive group.

I'm not a member, but I don't see any secret handshakes or weird
rituals.

What I do see are requirements that prospective members prove
themselves by actually getting on the air and working existing members,
using CW, at a given speed or better.

What I see as the flaw in their system is that they state that they
want to create a renaissance in CW. Okay, that's a worthy goal. I do
question how they are going about it.

But setting the bar at 25 wpm is not going to produce that goal.

Why not?

And
reading through their web pages, it is not difficult to derive a
conclusion that they are working at a atmosphere of exclusivity.
Exclusivity and renaissance are pretty much at odds. Plus there is the
strange part in the FAQ about one's sponsors possibly making a
applicant take a test. That's just inconsistent and odd, and smacks of
sub-groups, and people who are more equal than others.

I see it very differently.

CWOps isn't the only game in town. FISTS has been around a long time,
for example. SKCC has attracted thousands of members in just a few
years. Second Class Operator's club is another example. All have pretty
minimal entry requirements. That's not a bad thing.

ISTM that the idea for CWOps is to have a club focused on those with a
somewhat-higher level of skill in Morse Code, who actually use the mode
on the air regularly. The requirement for QSOs with members looks to me
as a way of insuring a personal connection between members.

So I think there's room for a club like CWOps, too. It will be
interesting to see how membership grows.

I'm happy to be member number 891 in the Second Class
Operator's Club.

Which reminds me - I gotta sign up for that one.

---

One thing I remember clearly from my early days in amateur radio is
actually seeing and hearing real live Radio Amateurs using Morse Code
at a high level of skill.

I think it was Field Day 1969 when I encountered a grizzled OT working
CW on the low end of 40, working them faster than I could keep track of
through the fierce QRM of the crowded band. Even though FD had only
been going for a couple of hours he'd made more QSOs than many
stations would make all FD.

"Which one are you copying?" I asked

"All three" said the OT, logging another one. "Now get me another
beer"

I went to get it, and decided right then that someday I'd have that
level of skills.

73 de Jim, N2EY

wrote:

ISTM that the idea for CWOps is to have a club focused on those with a
somewhat-higher level of skill in Morse Code, who actually use the mode
on the air regularly. The requirement for QSOs with members looks to me
as a way of insuring a personal connection between members.

So I think there's room for a club like CWOps, too. It will be
interesting to see how membership grows.

I gave up long ago trying to predict what motivates ham radio operators.
Personally, this whole idea of having to be nominated by current
members turns me off, but I know that I am far from typical in that
regard. If the process of obtaining membership in this club actually
results in increased cw activity, more power to them. If it ends up
being a method for people to pat each other on the back without ever
keying a transmitter, then it's completely worthless.

Personally, I wish that they had instituted a tiered membership for
people who are learning cw. One way to increase cw activity is to
motivate trained operators to get on the air, but another way is to
motivate new hams to learn and use cw. If being a member of an
exclusive club is a strong motivator for hams, then recognize the
newcomers and reward them for increasing their proficiency.

73, Steve KB9X

On 2010-01-06, Steve Bonine wrote:

I gave up long ago trying to predict what motivates ham radio operators.
Personally, this whole idea of having to be nominated by current
members turns me off, but I know that I am far from typical in that
regard. If the process of obtaining membership in this club actually

Morse has transitioned from being the lingua franca of amateur radio to an
exclusive club.

And folks marvel at its decline...

--
Jeff, KE9V

In Jeff Davis
wrote:

On 2010-01-06, Steve Bonine wrote:

I gave up long ago trying to predict what motivates ham radio
operators.
Personally, this whole idea of having to be nominated by current
members turns me off, but I know that I am far from typical in that
regard. If the process of obtaining membership in this club actually

Morse has transitioned from being the lingua franca of amateur radio
to an exclusive club.

Exclusive? How so?

Nobody has to be invited to actually use CW on the air. Membership in
this or any other club is not required.

There's no longer any code requirement for licenses in the US or most
(all?) of the rest of the world, so its use is now completely voluntary.

Even so, large chunks of the bands are still populated almost
exclusively by CW ops.

And folks marvel at its decline...

If people don't use CW, it's because they don't want to, not because
someone won't let them.


--
Bert Hyman W0RSB St. Paul, MN

On 2010-01-06, Bert Hyman wrote:

Exclusive? How so?

Nobody has to be invited to actually use CW on the air. Membership in
this or any other club is not required.

True, however, 'exclusive' is implied in the bylaws that call for nomination
for membership, pop tests to prove competancy, etc. It's just another form
of cronyism by a handful of folks not happy that the hazing requirement to
obtain HF privileges has been removed.

Nothing wrong with it but the result will be the same hundred old guys who
all belong to the same tired hundred clubs all with the same stated purpose
of "saving" ham radio by protecting and promoting Morse.

Been there, done that, got the shirt and it still doesn't work...

If people don't use CW, it's because they don't want to, not because
someone won't let them.

Also true. Now if I could just make a few contacts without being shaken down
for my FISTS, SKCC, NAQCC, etc, etc, etc, numbers....

73,
--
Jeff, KE9V

On Jan 6, 11:12 am, Jeff Davis wrote:

True, however, 'exclusive' is implied in the bylaws that call for nominat
ion
for membership, pop tests to prove competancy, etc. It's just another for
m
of cronyism by a handful of folks not happy that the hazing requirement t
o
obtain HF privileges has been removed.

Then don't join.

Almost *any* nontrivial requirement is bound to be labeled a "hazing
ritual", "cronyism", "luddite" or other derogatory term by somebody.

Now if I could just make a few contacts without being shaken down
for my FISTS, SKCC, NAQCC, etc, etc, etc, numbers....

You can have a QSO with me, then. I have a bunch of those numbers but I
don't ask folks for them during QSOs unless there's a specific
reason (such as they ask me).

IIRC the whole exchanging-numbers deal came from the Ten-Ten folks,
who mostly use 'phone...

73 de Jim, N2EY

On Jan 6, 9:13 am, Bert Hyman wrote:

If people don't use CW, it's because they don't want to, not because
someone won't let them.


I think that Jeff was referring to the club in question, not to CW in
general.

At least for me, the issue is promotion of the mode, how new Ops might
be brought into the mix.

For some folks, this is not an issue, for others, it is a concern.
Some of the concern might be historical, some folks just happen to
like something, and therefore like to promote it.

But some of us believe that the mode has merit, and would like to see
it continue. Now that element 2 is history, how do we promote the
mode?

I believe it does need a little promotion, at least at the present
time, because there is a pretty big gulf between people like me,
people that don't know it at all, and the really proficient
operators. There aren't all that many people in the middle any more.
Perhaps after a new balance is achieved, there will be less need for
promotion, but at present, I believe it is critical. We don't need to
convince the already proficient, we need to work with the new people.

- 73 de Mike N3LI -

Michael J. Coslo wrote:
But some of us believe that the mode has merit, and would like to see
it continue. Now that element 2 is history, how do we promote the
mode?

Oddly enough, the only mode that was outlawed by the FCC was spark.

Yet some people still carry as if dropping Element 2 was somehow
banning CW (Morse Code) from the airwaves.

I just don't get it.

You know, there's other "out dated" modes that are still in use
on the Amateur bands. AM and RTTY to name a couple. And yet,
there NEVER was a proficiency test for either mode.

Speaking of outdated, there are quite a few people out there that
are proficient at sending and receiving telegraph (sounder) based
code as well, and not all of them are 85+ years of age.

Will somebody please point out that the calender says 2010 not
1930.

Things change, but there will always be room for and people who use
CW on the Amateur bands.

Oh, and in answer to your question, you promote it by using it.
And you make a point to tutor others how to use it. And that means
putting up with people like me that are a bit rusty when I happen
to get on the air. QRS doesn't mean calling CQ on my frequency
instead of slowing down so I can copy.

Jeff-1.0
wa6fwi


--
“Egotism is the anesthetic that dulls the pain of stupidity.”
Frank Leahy, Head coach, Notre Dame 1941-1954

http://www.stay-connect.com

On Jan 6, 12:17 pm, "Michael J. Coslo" wrote:

Now that element 2 is history, how do we promote the
mode?

Ten Ways:

1) Use Morse Code on the air. For ragchewing, DXing, contesting,
traffic handling, QRP, QRO, QRS, QRQ, whatever floats your boat. If
your favorite band is crowded, try another and/or get a sharper filter.
If you contest, even a little, send in your logs, photos, soapbox
comments, etc. Our presence on the air is essential.

2) Work on your Morse Code skills. Got a Code Proficency certificate?

But Morse Code skill is not just speed. Can you send and receive a
message in standard form? Can you do it faster than someone on 'phone?
Can you do both "head copy" and write it down? How about copying on a
mill? Ragchewing? Contesting? Being able to have a QSO at slow as well
as fast speeds? All are forms of proficiency.

3) Find a local club that does Field Day and go out with them,
particularly if they have little or no Morse Code activity on FD now.
Help with their Morse Code efforts however you can - operating,
logging, setting up, tearing down, etc. FD is one way to actively
demonstrate 21st Century Morse Code *use*. Talking to people about
Morse isn't nearly so effective as showing them.

4) Set up a Morse Code demo at a local hamfest/club meeting/air show/
town fair/middle school etc. Not as some sort of nostalgia thing but as
a demonstration that Morse Code is alive and in use today. Have
handouts and audience-particiaption if possible.

5) Conduct Morse Code training - on the air, in person, over the 'net,
whatever. Help anybody who wants to learn. Could be as simple as giving
them some code software, tapes or CDs, or as involved as a formal
course at a local community center.

6) Elmer anybody who wants help - even if they're not interested in
Morse Code at all. Your help and example may inspire them.

7) Write articles for QST/CQ/Worldradio/K9YA Telegraph/Electric Radio/
your local hamclub newsletter etc. Not about the code *test* nor about
Morse Code history, the past, etc., but about how to use Morse Code
*today*, and how you are using it. How about an article on what rigs
are best for Morse Code use, and why? Or about the differences between
a bug, single-lever keyer, iambic A and iambic B? Your FD experiences
with Morse Code? (QST, June, 1994) Yes, you may be turned down by the
first mag you submit it to - but keep submitting.

8) Get involved in NTS, QMN, ARES, whatever, and use Morse Code there.
The main reason so much emergency/public service stuff is done on voice
is because they don't have the people - skilled operators - to
use any other mode.

9) Join FISTS & SKCC and any other group that supports Morse. Give out
numbers to those who ask for them even if you're not a contester/award
collector.

10) Use the online environment to its fullest. The online training idea
is excellent. Another is to post Morse-Code-centric videos on YouTube
(one fellow did it with guitar lessons, why not Morse Code
lessons?).

"The test" is long gone and FCC won't bring it back. FCC won't preserve
our standards and values - we have to do it.

And our attitude is a key part of that (pun intended). If we're seen as
a bunch of old grumpy gus types, not many will want to join us. But if
we present ourselves as a fun-loving, welcoming, young-at-heart-and-
mind,
helpful group with useful skills, people will want to join us.

IMHO

73 de Jim, N2EY