Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," accordingto CDC
 

John Smith I wrote:
Stefan Wolfe wrote:
... ... So true, Ms. Kott...


Let's demand Ms. Kott learn to do calligraphy, make handmade parchment
and operate an old franklin press, before we license her to be a mag's
editor!

"Let's", "we license"? Are you involved in those things, "John"? Is
there a licensing requirement for magazine editors?

Many things in this country have been totally dumbed down. Ms. Kott is
right on the mark. Amateur radio has been being dumbed down over the
past decade or two.

Then let's see how she feels about "dumbing down."

How do you feel about it? Do you generally find that things are better
after the amount of knowledge required to participate has been reduced?

Have you noticed how much better pro basketball has become now that
traveling is not called?

Dave K8MN

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," accordingto CDC
 

Dave Heil wrote:
...
"Let's", "we license"? Are you involved in those things, "John"? Is
there a licensing requirement for magazine editors?
...

Exactly my point. The last time amateurs made any advances or performed
meaningful contributions to radio was decades ago ...

Why even bother licensing a bunch of appliance operators engaging in a
well established hobby?

Regards,
JS

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," accordingto CDC
 

John Smith I wrote:
Dave Heil wrote:
...
"Let's", "we license"? Are you involved in those things, "John"? Is
there a licensing requirement for magazine editors?
...

Exactly my point.

Your point was that you aren't involved in licensing magazine editors?

The last time amateurs made any advances or performed
meaningful contributions to radio was decades ago ...

That's your view and you're stuck with it.

Why even bother licensing a bunch of appliance operators engaging in a
well established hobby?

If you have to ask the question, it is apparent that you don't know the
answer.

Dave K8MN

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," accordingto CDC
 

Dave Heil wrote:
...
If you have to ask the question, it is apparent that you don't know the
answer.

Dave K8MN

Dave:

I know the answers to all which has gone on here ...

The point is some who are under-achievers have established a class
system. They have sold the un-technical-minded that a ham ticket is the
equivalent of a doctorate degree. Strangely, this class system ended up
centered around CW (the one non-technical aspect of electronics
(actually, has almost nothing to do with radio communications in its'
present state and, indeed, having more to do with 'other skills.') They
and others wish to keep amateur radio what it is today, a good old boys
club who like the peace and quiet of the bands.

New comers will be a "burden." They will need to be brought up to speed
(elmered if you like.) They will make mistakes, they will think they
know it all (but some here already do that!) and have to learn new
things, it will tax the patience of even saintly men and women. The FCC
will finally have to start making sure sane rules are enforced for a
larger population.

Amateur Radio is about to undergo a face lift and a painful rebirth into
the new millennium ... These are truly exciting times to live in.

Regards,
JS

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," accordingto CDC
 

John Smith I wrote:
Dave Heil wrote:
...
If you have to ask the question, it is apparent that you don't know
the answer.

Dave K8MN

Dave:

I know the answers to all which has gone on here ...

It is readily apparent from what you've written below that you do not know.

The point is some who are under-achievers have established a class
system.

That's incorrect, "John". The under-achievers are those who want the
testing dumbed-down. Those who can, do. Those who can't, whine.

They have sold the un-technical-minded that a ham ticket is the
equivalent of a doctorate degree.

I know of not a single individual who has made such a statement. You
and Len Anderson seem to believe that there are folks who have stated
such. Neither of you has documented your claim.

Strangely, this class system ended up
centered around CW (the one non-technical aspect of electronics
(actually, has almost nothing to do with radio communications in its'
present state and, indeed, having more to do with 'other skills.')


There has been no class system centered around CW. The FCC implemented
Incentive Licensing back in the late 1960's. One class of license--the
Advanced--had no additional CW test over the General Class license. Only
the Amateur Extra had an increase in CW speed as an additional test.
Each class of licensing has increased theory and regulatory knowledge
required.

They
and others wish to keep amateur radio what it is today, a good old boys
club who like the peace and quiet of the bands.

I disagree. The Good Old Boys will be the new entrants, those
underachievers who could not be bothered to pass the previous exams.
The bands are not now peaceful and quiet. Anyone who says otherwise
isn't active on the air.

New comers will be a "burden." They will need to be brought up to speed
(elmered if you like.) They will make mistakes, they will think they
know it all (but some here already do that!) and have to learn new
things, it will tax the patience of even saintly men and women.

Newcomers have always been a burden. They have always needed to be
brought up to speed. They have always made mistakes and there have
always been those who think they know it all. They have all had to
learn new things and they have always taxed the patience of some.
Newcomers of the past have been better prepared than newcomers of the
future. Newcomers of today will be better prepared than newcomers of
tomorrow. That is the direction of the country and that is the
direction amateur radio is taking.

The FCC
will finally have to start making sure sane rules are enforced for a
larger population.

The FCC long ago abrogated its duty to enforce the regulations in the
amateur bands. Riley Hollingsworth has taken steps to try to reverse
that, but he doesn't have the staff to enforce the regs.

Amateur Radio is about to undergo a face lift and a painful rebirth into
the new millennium ... These are truly exciting times to live in.

Vietnam was exciting. It wasn't necessarily pleasant.

The amateur bands will, for the foreseeable future, be much as they have
been for decades. The same analog modes will predominate. We've seen
an increase in some phone segments of some bands as re-farming of the
old Novice bands has taken place. The dumbing-down of HF licensing has
begun and there is already pressure to further dumb-down the written exams.

The real pressure will be on the phone bands. Those of us who favor CW
will see little change.

Dave K8MN

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," accordingto CDC
 

Dave Heil wrote:
...

The "greatness" you "hint" of simply does not exist anymore, amateur
radios' day has come and gone, I think it needs a revival, and that may
not even be possible, and if so, we need to face up to that too and dump
amateur radio. The expense and trouble is simply not worth it to keep
it alive for such a few to benefit from. We need thousands of new
licenses, tens-of-thousands really.

To the old timers (and yes, I am 54, I just refuse to act 54!, dern it!)
change is a frightening thing, let's face it, only babies like a change
and they cry then!

The number of amateur tickets reflect that the "service" (more like
hobby) is near death. The internet is a much better form of
communication and satellites are a much better form of signal
transmission, and much more dependable.

I don't like communication with "old fart hams" who key down for 15
minutes telling me all about themselves, their illness(s), their
likes/dislikes and how things used to be in the early 1900's; and, mind
you, I AM 54 YEARS OLD!, just imagine how all this sounds to preteens,
teens and 20-50 year old "newbies" looking for a hobby!

It is time to hand the reins to a much younger generation of hams who
must now mold it into something usable and desirable to them, what has
gone before, what was in vogue before, what was popular before, what
seemed important before--is no more ...

What has existed before will be no more ...

But, that is only one mans' opinion, time will tell now.

Regards,
JS

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," according to CDC
 

"John Smith I" wrote:

Amateur Radio is about to undergo a face lift and a painful rebirth into
the new millennium ... These are truly exciting times to live in.

That's what people said when the FCC did the 2000 restructuring.

Guess what? No effect.

11k amateurs added between '00 and April '03. Since April '03, ARS has lost
32k amateurs.


This latest change will have about as much effect -- a fizzle -- because
when push comes to shove, the 5wpm code test did not represent a significant
barrier to entry to amateur radio, despite what the No-Code Agenda would
like you to believe.

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," according to CDC
 

"Dave Heil" wrote:

The real pressure will be on the phone bands. Those of us who favor CW
will see little change.

I disagree. Now that the code test has been eliminated from amateur radio,
it is my belief that members of the No-Code Agenda will start to attack the
mode itself -- attempt to gather support to re-farm code and other non-voice
mode allocations into voice.

The level of hatred and vitriol from that side of the aisle is quite
staggering, IMO. Not only hatred of the mode itself, but hatred of the
people who support it and like to use it. In my mind, it is a very
disturbing mindset, and only promises to be more divisive in the short (and
long) term.

I'm sure there are some LIDs who still rail on codeless techs. However, in
my travels on HF and VHF, I have to say I've found very, very few who I
would categorize as such. Most of the caustic comments I find are from
codeless techs or slowcode licensees.

73
KH6HZ

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," accordingto CDC
 

KH6HZ wrote:
...
I disagree. Now that the code test has been eliminated from amateur radio,
it is my belief that members of the No-Code Agenda will start to attack the
mode itself -- attempt to gather support to re-farm code and other non-voice
mode allocations into voice.
...

I agree. Let the bands now be allocated by use. If phone requires a
larger segment, it goes there, if CW it goes there, if video/digital
voice it goes there.

Who still rides a horse on the freeway?

Regards,
JS

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," accordingto CDC
 

KH6HZ wrote:
"John Smith I" wrote:

Amateur Radio is about to undergo a face lift and a painful rebirth into
the new millennium ... These are truly exciting times to live in.

That's what people said when the FCC did the 2000 restructuring.

Guess what? No effect.

11k amateurs added between '00 and April '03. Since April '03, ARS has lost
32k amateurs.

...

Like I say, because of past policy and the "damn the bands but save CW!"
crowd, it may be too late to save amateur radio ...

However, one thing is for REAL sure, hams will continue dieing off like
flies--whether we can attract newbies to swell past numbers is the
question of the hour.

One bright light in all this, some of my students will now go for their
license. All colleges now need a program to make amateur radio known to
their students, high schools are not too young to start with ...

Regards,
JS

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," according to CDC
 

"John Smith I" wrote:

Like I say, because of past policy and the "damn the bands but save CW!"
crowd, it may be too late to save amateur radio ...

Completely unrelated.

Even if people had gotten licensed decades ago, amateur radio as a hobby
competes with many other things, some of which are much more technical and
rewarding.


However, one thing is for REAL sure, hams will continue dieing off like
flies--whether we can attract newbies to swell past numbers is the
question of the hour.

It isn't going to happen. Amateur Radio is a hobby of the past, the same way
horseshoes are a hobby of the past.


One bright light in all this, some of my students will now go for their
license. All colleges now need a program to make amateur radio known to
their students, high schools are not too young to start with ...

None of my students express an interest in ham radio. The code requirement
wasn't a significant barrier to entry for them anyway, since the tech
license would yield all the privileges they require for working in the GHZ+
bands, where most of their interests (consumer electronics) lay.

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America,"
 

wrote in message
...

entirely related


As much as you wish you could will your skewed perception of reality into
existance for others, the fact of the matter is you're simply wrong.

Amateur radio appeals to a very narrow segment of society.

These days, ragchewing on a 2m repeater or 20m SSB or CW frequency -- which
is by far what the vast majority of people who are licensed hams actually
engage in -- simply isn't appealing to society these days.

When I was a kid, it was a big deal to pick up the phone and call someone in
California. It was "cool" if I could do it on the radio. Now... no big deal,
the call is even 'free' on my cell phone. Heck, I do not even have a home
phone any longer -- only a cell phone.

The "magic" of what was once amateur radio has long since left the hobby.
And, it had nothing to do with CW, in as much as you'd like to hate the
mode, hate the people who use it, and blame it for all the world's ills.

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," accordingto CDC
 

KH6HZ wrote:
...

None of my students express an interest in ham radio. The code requirement
wasn't a significant barrier to entry for them anyway, since the tech
license would yield all the privileges they require for working in the GHZ+
bands, where most of their interests (consumer electronics) lay.


That is difficult to believe. Most young men with engineering interests
"goof about" with electronic transmitters of one sort or another. Old
police/public service rigs, microwaves, old amateur equip., military
equipment, modified cb equip., wireless nic cards, etc., etc.

Lots of guys who retired from Livermore Labs retired here because of
reasonable property prices. Some of them serve as instructors, those
guys have a really great effect on the young men and women here.
Several are hams ...

Regards,
JS

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," according to CDC
 

"John Smith I" wrote in message
...
KH6HZ wrote:
"John Smith I" wrote:

Amateur Radio is about to undergo a face lift and a painful rebirth into
the new millennium ... These are truly exciting times to live in.

That's what people said when the FCC did the 2000 restructuring.

Guess what? No effect.

11k amateurs added between '00 and April '03. Since April '03, ARS has
lost 32k amateurs.
...

Like I say, because of past policy and the "damn the bands but save CW!"
crowd, it may be too late to save amateur radio ...

However, one thing is for REAL sure, hams will continue dieing off like
flies--whether we can attract newbies to swell past numbers is the
question of the hour.

One bright light in all this, some of my students will now go for their
license. All colleges now need a program to make amateur radio known to
their students, high schools are not too young to start with ...

Regards,
JS

Don't slap the old guys too hard. They are the only ones with time
available to go into the schools and recruit the young. The rest of us have
to earn a living. Many of us work days and simply cannot go into the
schools. The ones who work nights have to sleep in the day. So it will be
counterproductive to alienate the older guys and gals. If you want programs
in the schools, it would behoove you to start recruiting the older amateurs
to do it.

Dee, N8UZE

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America,"
 

KH6HZ wrote:
...

The "magic" of what was once amateur radio has long since left the hobby.
And, it had nothing to do with CW, in as much as you'd like to hate the
mode, hate the people who use it, and blame it for all the world's ills.



I see the world though other glasses. Is is not the medium which is no
longer useful. However, much of the practices, methods, uses and people
who were/are in amateur have outlived their time. I trust the youth to
change amateur into a new world, much as computers have done with
electronics on a whole. How many hams do you know who even have a pci
card sw receiver in their computers? How many hams build pci cards to
interface with their computers for amateur uses? How many hams write
articles in the radio rags on how to do computer/radio xmitters/rcvrs,
projects? How many could?

We need the next generation which can ... the computer age has bypassed
OT hams :(

Regards,
JS

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," according to CDC
 

"John Smith I" wrote in message
...
KH6HZ wrote:
...

None of my students express an interest in ham radio. The code
requirement wasn't a significant barrier to entry for them anyway, since
the tech license would yield all the privileges they require for working
in the GHZ+ bands, where most of their interests (consumer electronics)
lay.


That is difficult to believe. Most young men with engineering interests
"goof about" with electronic transmitters of one sort or another. Old
police/public service rigs, microwaves, old amateur equip., military
equipment, modified cb equip., wireless nic cards, etc., etc.


Must be unique to your area. None of the young engineers I knew ever had
any interest in "goofing about" with transmitters.

Lots of guys who retired from Livermore Labs retired here because of
reasonable property prices. Some of them serve as instructors, those guys
have a really great effect on the young men and women here. Several are
hams ...

Regards,
JS


Again, I'd say likely to be unique to your area. None of my instructors
ever mentioned or indicated in any way that they were hams.

Dee, N8UZE

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America,"
 

"John Smith I" wrote in message
...
KH6HZ wrote:
...

The "magic" of what was once amateur radio has long since left the hobby.
And, it had nothing to do with CW, in as much as you'd like to hate the
mode, hate the people who use it, and blame it for all the world's ills.

I see the world though other glasses. Is is not the medium which is no
longer useful. However, much of the practices, methods, uses and people
who were/are in amateur have outlived their time. I trust the youth to
change amateur into a new world, much as computers have done with
electronics on a whole. How many hams do you know who even have a pci
card sw receiver in their computers? How many hams build pci cards to
interface with their computers for amateur uses? How many hams write
articles in the radio rags on how to do computer/radio xmitters/rcvrs,
projects? How many could?


These things have been done in one way or another. That isn't new
technology by any stretch of the imagination. So why get excited about it?
Perhaps it was exciting 10 years ago when these things were being done but
not now. It just does not enhance the operating experience by any
appreciable amount.

Dee, N8UZE

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," accordingto CDC
 

Dee Flint wrote:

Don't slap the old guys too hard. They are the only ones with time
available to go into the schools and recruit the young. The rest of us have
to earn a living. Many of us work days and simply cannot go into the
schools. The ones who work nights have to sleep in the day. So it will be
counterproductive to alienate the older guys and gals. If you want programs
in the schools, it would behoove you to start recruiting the older amateurs
to do it.

Dee, N8UZE



Dee:

Perhaps 20-35 year old guys can make real contact with the youth and
influence them, older that that, forget it.

Personally, I just work on supplying them with fuel for their minds to
burn ... I have a rig on campus with a "miracle microvert antenna", it
is a real conversation starter I find--and NO, I didn't ask permission
evil grin ...

Regards,
JS

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America,"
 

Dee Flint wrote:
...
Dee, N8UZE



Dee:

You are so busy deciding what they are, and what they are not (the next
hams) that I doubt you could get a real one to pay attention to you.

If all else fails, ignite their imaginations and get out of their way!

I find underneath it all, these young men and women are just like I was
when younger. I just had access to so much more, like cheaply available
military equip., tubes, xmitters and parts of all sorts--it seemed as
though it was everywhere. No one ever stopped me from firing up tesla
coils with neon sign transformers and spark gaps driving their
primaries, or building vlf osc's to drive them. Heck, we could even go
skinny dipping in the river ... but I digress here.

We have changed, times have changed, laws have changed, "they" haven't
changed ... anyone who strives to change "them" has already lost the
battle ... now, we CAN encourage them to better efforts and expenditures
of their energies. What is the fun of an ipod when you can see 18"
corona discharges and smell the ozone?

Regards,
JS

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," accordingto CDC
 

KH6HZ wrote:



I disagree. Now that the code test has been eliminated from amateur radio,
it is my belief that members of the No-Code Agenda will start to attack the
mode itself -- attempt to gather support to re-farm code and other non-voice
mode allocations into voice.


I doubt it. Al the no coders cared about was removing element 1 from
the tests. If some hams want to do a CW net or contest, have at it,
have fun. Just pick a frequency not in use according to band plan.

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," according to CDC
 

"Dee Flint" wrote:

Must be unique to your area. None of the young engineers I knew ever had
any interest in "goofing about" with transmitters.

I wouldn't say never... occasionally I get a student who will express an
interest in some of our marine transmission gear, from a technical
standpoint, but I would say 99.99% of the 'interest' in it would be
classified as 'operational use'. In fact, I can only recall 1 person in the
past 3 years who has asked anything technical about the electronics gear.

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," according to CDC
 

"robert casey" wrote in message
ink.net...
KH6HZ wrote:



I disagree. Now that the code test has been eliminated from amateur
radio, it is my belief that members of the No-Code Agenda will start to
attack the mode itself -- attempt to gather support to re-farm code and
other non-voice mode allocations into voice.


I doubt it. Al the no coders cared about was removing element 1 from the
tests. If some hams want to do a CW net or contest, have at it, have fun.
Just pick a frequency not in use according to band plan.

Europe goes only by band plans and they are not observed or followed during
contests. Do we really want that here?

Dee, N8UZE

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America,"
 

wrote:

well you would likely have more luck if you avoided staments like the
magic is gone from ham radio

I've never had a student ask me about ham radio, ever.

Nor do I mention it.

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America,"
 

wrote:

like I said you are obvuious not the guy we want as point man

From what I read of your postings in this forum, I think I can safely say
that the majority of US hams feel the same way about you.

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," according to CDC
 

John Smith I wrote in
:

One bright light in all this, some of my students will now go for
their license. All colleges now need a program to make amateur radio
known to their students, high schools are not too young to start with

PSU has one, and puts out a pretty fair number of new Hams. It's a very
good idea.

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," according to CDC
 

"KH6HZ" wrote in
:

"John Smith I" wrote:

Like I say, because of past policy and the "damn the bands but save
CW!" crowd, it may be too late to save amateur radio ...

Completely unrelated.

Even if people had gotten licensed decades ago, amateur radio as a
hobby competes with many other things, some of which are much more
technical and rewarding.

What kinda Ham radio do you do Michael? Buy a rig, and pay someone
to install it and put up your tower? Your statement is unusual to say
the least. What hobbies are more technical?

I'm using my Christmas vacation to learn Visual Studio, so that I
can program Ham apps. I build as much of my own equipment as possible,
and find it all intensely rewarding.

Judging from your other posts, I'd guess that you are simply tired
of Amateur radio, and for some reason, you find it interesting to stir
up the ants nest from time to time.

Are you going to allow your license to expire so that the hobby
won't be annoying you any more?


However, one thing is for REAL sure, hams will continue dieing off
like flies--whether we can attract newbies to swell past numbers is
the question of the hour.

It isn't going to happen. Amateur Radio is a hobby of the past, the
same way horseshoes are a hobby of the past.

What interesting and rewarding hobby have you substituted for
Amateur radio?


One bright light in all this, some of my students will now go for
their license. All colleges now need a program to make amateur radio
known to their students, high schools are not too young to start with
...

None of my students express an interest in ham radio. The code
requirement wasn't a significant barrier to entry for them anyway,
since the tech license would yield all the privileges they require for
working in the GHZ+ bands, where most of their interests (consumer
electronics) lay.

I would expect that. Most IT people, computer support folks, and
programmers (especially) I work with are quite simply not technically
inclined at all.

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," accordingto CDC
 

One bright light in all this, some of my students will now go for
their license. All colleges now need a program to make amateur radio
known to their students, high schools are not too young to start with


PSU has one, and puts out a pretty fair number of new Hams. It's a very
good idea.


Back 30 years ago, at Syracuse University, the ham club offered to send
Valentine's Day messages to students with boy or girl friends at other
colleges. This was a big hit, made students a little aware of ham
radio, and also was useful come student government club funding time.
Of course, this was before the Internet was commonly known about, and
all there was was snail mail or very expensive long distance phone
calling.

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," according to CDC
 

Dave Heil wrote:
John Smith I wrote:
Stefan Wolfe wrote:
... ... So true, Ms. Kott...


Let's demand Ms. Kott learn to do calligraphy, make handmade parchment
and operate an old franklin press, before we license her to be a mag's
editor!

"Let's", "we license"? Are you involved in those things, "John"? Is
there a licensing requirement for magazine editors?

Many things in this country have been totally dumbed down. Ms. Kott is
right on the mark. Amateur radio has been being dumbed down over the
past decade or two.

"Dave" are you kidding? Bypassing the military communication school
because you had a ham license was only the beginning of your "dumbing
down."

Then let's see how she feels about "dumbing down."

How do you feel about it? Do you generally find that things are better
after the amount of knowledge required to participate has been reduced?

"Dave," you tell us.

Have you noticed how much better pro basketball has become now that
traveling is not called?

Dave K8MN

Have you noticed how many more Frenchmen you can work on 6 meters when
license priveleges are ignored?

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," according to CDC
 

"Mike Coslo" wrote:

What kinda Ham radio do you do Michael?

I'm principally a firmware engineer. My technical work in the hobby consists
of writing, analyzing, and modifying firmware for standalone and linked
repeater networks. I operate 20m SSB/CW, 40/80m CW, and 2m/440 FM.


I'm using my Christmas vacation to learn Visual Studio, so that I
can program Ham apps. I build as much of my own equipment as possible,
and find it all intensely rewarding.

Skip VB.NET and C++, learn C#. Lots of good books on the .NET Framework out
there too. Sams, Sybex, Addison Wesley.


Judging from your other posts, I'd guess that you are simply tired
of Amateur radio, and for some reason, you find it interesting to stir
up the ants nest from time to time.

That's an odd observation, considering I've made perhaps a half-dozen
postings to this newsgroup in the past year, almost all of which deal with
my beliefs as to what will happen to raw licensing numbers as a result of
the Element 1a elimination. Do you somehow feel threatened by my stated
beliefs that the change will have little if any statistical effect on
licensing numbers?


Are you going to allow your license to expire so that the hobby
won't be annoying you any more?

Odd, I do not recall ever stating ham radio annoyed me. Perhaps you have my
postings confused with someone else.


What interesting and rewarding hobby have you substituted for
Amateur radio?

Almost all of my "hobbies" these day revolve around activities and "hobbies"
where I can spend time with my two youngest children.


I would expect that. Most IT people, computer support folks, and
programmers (especially) I work with are quite simply not technically
inclined at all.

You can blame Bill Gates for that.

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," accordingto CDC
 

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America,"
 

"Dave" are you kidding? Bypassing the military communication school
because you had a ham license was only the beginning of your "dumbing
down."

No, Brian Burke, I'm not kidding. I was permitted to bypass military
tech school because I passed exams which demonstrated that I knew the
relevant material.


prooving that you cheated and were unwilling to do the work, from one

I wouldn't say so. He saved the military the expense of training him on
material that he already knew. And having the ham license probably was
enough evidence for the trainers to allow him to take the challenge
exams, which he'd then have to pass to confirm that he did in fact know
his stuff. Not like he just showed them his ham license and get waived
thru. The point is not "How much work did you do", but "how much
material do you now know".

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," according to CDC
 

"Mike Coslo" wrote


I would expect that. Most IT people, computer support folks, and
programmers (especially) I work with are quite simply not technically
inclined at all.


Yeah, all those "low tech" people, as compared to all the "high tech" Morse code
operators that you work with?

73, de Hans, K0HB

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," according to CDC
 

"KØHB" wrote in
ink.net:


"Mike Coslo" wrote


I would expect that. Most IT people, computer support folks, and
programmers (especially) I work with are quite simply not technically
inclined at all.


Yeah, all those "low tech" people, as compared to all the "high tech"
Morse code operators that you work with?

It's a bit of a non-sequitar, but since you asked, I only work with
one Ham who is big on Morse code. He is pretty technically savvy. But
that is a sample of one, so I can't make any judgement. Quite a few of
the Hams that I am friends with are quite competent, and Morse code
acumen doesn't seem to be much of a determinant of technical savvy.

But I'm around a lot of IT types, and can make a judgement. By and
large, they are not technically proficient. That's just how it is. Of
course there are a few who know beyond programming and simply buying and
using - but they are the exceptions that prove the rule.

tapa, tapa 8^)

- 73 de Mike KB3EIA -

Code Free "It's part of the dumbing down of America," according to CDC
 

On Fri, 29 Dec 2006 21:57:42 -0600, Mike Coslo
wrote:

But I'm around a lot of IT types, and can make a judgement. By and
large, they are not technically proficient. That's just how it is. Of
course there are a few who know beyond programming and simply buying and
using - but they are the exceptions that prove the rule.

How many of them have Element 1 credit?