Perturbation

///////////////////////////////////////////
The Unthinkable

Posted: 07 Mar 2016 08:24 PM PST
http://ke9v.net/2016/03/07/the-unthinkable/


In the aftermath of the rule change that removed Morse testing as a
requirement for amateur radio licensing in the United States many years
ago, hams went on a roller coaster ride of emotion.

At first, we fretted and freaked out that the change signaled the beginning
of the end for our favorite mode. But as time went on, the popularity of
Morse seemed to grow. Or at least thats what we told ourselves and anyone
who would listen.

We looked for reasons to believe that version of reality and found clues in
contest results that indicated CW was growing in popularity. Logs from
Field Day operations confirmed that Morse was alive and well.

That belief has become so pervasive that the popular meme among CW
enthusiasts goes something like this with the testing requirement removed,
more hams are taking an interest in CW because they dont have to.

But for one scary moment, allow yourself to consider that radio contest
enthusiasts are in it to win it and almost all contests, including Field
Day, offer a healthy bonus for CW contacts. Remove the bonus, and you have
to wonder if those contest scores would still reflect a healthy growth in
the use of Morse?

Maybe. Maybe not. But heres another data point to consider.

According to the ARRL, 136,000 NPOTA contacts have been logged so far this
year. Of those, 88.4% have been via voice while only 10% have been via CW.
This seems significant. Its an operating event where phone and CW contacts
are on an equal footing with the result that phone is preferred by almost 9
out of 10 operators.

Despite the fact that most trail-friendly equipment is CW only.

That seems odd considering our belief that CW is alive, well, and finding
plenty of new adherents. Unless of course the meme is a shared delusion.

On second thought, forget what Ive written here. Lets all take another blue
pill and keep believing that all is well Im certain well all sleep better.