On Feb 3, 10:23�pm, Mike Coslo wrote:
wrote groups.com:

On Feb 2, 10:43�pm, Mike Coslo wrote:
wrote
ups.
com:

On Jan 30, 8:03�pm, "
g
wrote:

previous post stuff snipped

* *At last, an amateur extra licensee besides Hans Brakob
* *who admits what has been visible for years.

* *The old paradigms are no longer worth a pair of pennies.

Which old paradigms, Len?

What should the old paradigms be replaced with?

Element one is gone.

In three weeks, yes.

The hams who fought code elimination for so many
years, many with unbridled hatred for uncoded hams, or even nickle
Extras such as myself now are at a crossroads.

Do you think I am one of those you describe, Mike?

Have you ever seen me display hatred for *any* amateur radio operator
who follows the rules?

* * * * Jim, I've picked up enough from your posts to believe that you are
going to have some trouble when the new folks start come in, if I read
my posts correctly.

What sort of trouble, Mike?

Hopefully the newbies won't sense it.

* * * * But as a direct answer - I haven't seen any hatred in your posts.

That's good.

They can either accept
the change for what it is, or become like little neutron stars,
perhaps embracing their hatred, perhaps clanning together to
reminisce about the good old days when hems were really hams.

There's nothing wrong with opposing a change that one thinks is not
a good idea. Of course there are good ways and bad ways of opposing a
change.

* * Of course not. Depends on just how they oppose it.

Exactly.

I propose that
Hams who call new guys CB'ers, and idiots just might be doing it the
wrong way.

I agree!

And I propose that those who refer to more-experienced/more-
knowedgeable hams as "fossils", "dinosaurs", "Luddites", "beepers",
and a host of other derogatory nicknames are doing it the wrong way,
too.

Perhaps not much consolation
however in the fact that they will have become irrelevant.

Why should any radio amateur be irrelevant?

You misunderstand. Amateur radio isn't and won't be irrevelant. The
"haters" will.

Not will. Already are.

My experience leads me to suspect that most will choose the latter.
Too bad, that.

That works both ways.

The new paradigm IMO should be that hams should now be expected to
advance their technical skills and knowledge.

That's not a new paradigm at all. It's as old as amateur radio itself.
In fact, it's a very old, traditional paradigm.

* * * * Kinda an old paradigm. But kinda not either, With alomst 50
percent
of Hams at the Technician level, it's more talk than walk.

How? There's a whole bunch of factors going on.

For one thing, the "Technician level" includes everyone from the VHF/
UHF centric ham who got his/her license 50-odd years ago, and the
newcomer who got one last week. It includes hams who never passed a
code test and hams who passed 5 wpm in front of the steely-eyed FCC
examiner. Hams who passed the new 35 question Element 2, hams who
passed the old pre-2000 30 question Element 2 (Novice) and 35 question
Element 3A, (Tech) and pre-1987 hams who passed the even older Element
3 (General/Tech) written exams.

It includes hams who are very active, hams who are totally inactive,
and everything in between.

And it includes hams who are waiting for Feb 23 so they can upgrade
without a code test, and hams who have no interest in upgrading at
all.

Perhaps we will see a massive upgrading to General and Extra after Feb
23. I hope we do.

License class is only one indicator of technical skills and
knowledge.

Basically it says that amateur radio operators are not simply users of
radio appliances. IMHO.

* * * * And we need more of that.

Google my callsign for an example of a non-appliance station....

The days when a Ham's
worth was measured by motor skills and auditory processing ability are gone.

Operating skills are still a major part of amateur radio - and what
hams should have and continue to develop. Whether or not they are
tested doesn't mean those skills are no longer relevant.

You're kind of combining a couple statements to come up with
something else, Jim.

My point is that technical knowledge and skills are not the only
things a ham should know.

IMHO, a "real ham" has technical knowledge, technical/practical
skills, regulatory knowledge, and operating skills.

I'm planning on moving on and am excited by the new potential.

* * * * What are you going to do?

Promote amateur radio - help other hams and wouldbe hams - enjoy
building, fixing, operating, teaching, and learning.

IOW, the same stuff I've been doing in amateur radio for almost 40
years.

No new paradigm at all.

We're going to hold beginners classes in everything from *soldering
to component identification to simply operating a HF radio to running
amplifiers. The whole shebang. No assumptions that the new guy
or gal is
knowledgeable or that they are an idiot and not worth the effort.

That's excellent!

* * * * I will hold that that is a bit of a change.

Perhaps in detail, but not in basic philosophy.

Take a look at the Glowbugs and Elecraft reflectors if you get the
chance. Online Elmering and technical/operating discussions. All sorts
of help to newcomers and oldtimers alike.

And while they are both moderated reflectors, the moderators take a
laid-back attitude and rarely if ever step in. Nor do they need to.

I suggest you take a look at them if you are interested in either
subject.


73 de Jim, N2EY