Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
#11
|
|||
|
|||
New club for Morse enthusiasts
On Jan 11, 6:48�pm, "Michael J. Coslo" wrote:
Maybe it's because I am in a college town, and being around fraternities, the word "test" has more than one meaning, Fraternities often have tests that really filter out who wants to join, and who doesn't It's one of those red flag words. Ah - good point. if I were to promote Morse, I'd do it to people at the other end of the spectrum. Clubs like FISTS and SKCC do that. I guess w';ll just have to disagree, Jim. No problem! let me try a different analogy. If I wanted to have an exclusive club, one in which I and others who I thought had made the grade, and that I wanted to be around, without annoying new people, I would design it to have a minimum requirement well beyond what the base requirement was - keeping in mind that the original test was gone. Then I would have something like prospective members have to be nominated by people who are already club members. Which raises the proverbial chicken-and-egg question of how the club could ever get started.... I would do this in order to be sure that only the right people got in. Is this the case here? Not necessarily, but who knows. One thing is for su the club appears to be growing fast. I printed out the member roster a few days ago, and already it's way outdated because there's a lot more members. N2EY previously wrote: One thing I have observed among amateurs actually *using* Morse Code is the friendship and comaraderie (sp?) and general welcoming. I don't hear the put-downs and such that are claimed by others - not on the air, anyway. Young or old, newcomer or OT, fast or slow, QRP or high power, it doesn't make any difference. Well, my experience has been a little different. On the air, it hasn't been too bad, but in person, I've been told that despite what I do for amateur radio, I am a second class Ham because I'm not a regular user of CW. I've been told that my physical issues notwithstanding, I can never be a first class Ham, because it is like an athlete. Not everyone can be a professional football player, because not everyone has the physical attributes. My hearing precludes me being a real Ham. I disagree with that very strongly! Of course not everybody can be a world-class athlete nor even a "professional" one. But almost everyone can be an athlete at somelevel. I agree with Bill Rodgers, the famous marathoner (won Boston a couple times IIRC). When someone asked him who *he* admires, he pointed to the folks who run a marathon in four hours, as compared to his two- hours-and-change. He said something on the order of 'they're out there twice as long as I am, trying just as hard!' And believe it or not, I was once called insane because I gave the same number of QSO points to RTTY and PSK31 QSO's for scoring a contest. That's the exact wording. I've been called a lot worse, and a lot more times, for a lot less. Some of these folks wanted the double point value to be exclusively for CW Ops, and were outraged that I offered it to any other modes. That was personally disappointing to say the least, because I've always stood up for the mo de. The operative word there is "some". IMHO, when a person resorts to things like name-calling and personal insults, it really says a lot more about the name-caller than the name- callee. (if that's even a word). Now as far as that goes, no problem. I'm opinionated and realize that the nail that sticks up is the one that gets the hammer. For me, it's just data points. I appreciate the mode, and will continue to support and promote it, because of it's historical, practical, �and technical value. That's good. But I've learned to not expect any appreciation for that. Well, I appreciate it! One of these years the PA QSO party will fall on a weekend when I don't have ten other things going on - and then watch out! Anyhow, it's been a good thread. It's not over yet... 73 de Jim, N2EY |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
AR88 enthusiasts in Australia | Boatanchors | |||
Shortwave radio enthusiasts | Shortwave | |||
Cruise Enthusiasts | Antenna | |||
Amateur radio enthusiasts fight to save Morse Code | Equipment | |||
Just 1 week, shortwave enthusiasts .. | Shortwave |