Larry Roll K3LT wrote:
In article , Mike Coslo
writes:


Reading a report on how long it will likely take for the U.S. to ratify
and drop Morse requirements, we are given an estimate of two years.


Mike:

I wonder if the NCTA's will figure out a way to get the FCC to fast-track
this process?


This leads me to wonder, is it better to wait for those two years to go


by before getting ones HF ticket, or is it better to just learn Morse
and get the ticket much sooner?


I learned the hard way. I waited 14 years, and lost out on what could have
been the best years of my ham radio career! Now I'm 50 years old, and
won't even qualify for QCWA membership for another three years!

THAT'S what I've been trying to get through to some of these good folk!!!!

I didn't get my license until I was in my mid-40's, and now regret I
didn't get it a long time ago. Granted, I didn't get interested in the
ARS until the late 1990's, but if there is any advice I can give the
prospective ham is that "It's too much fun, don't waste ANY time getting
your ticket!"

Is a person willing to wait those two years more imterested in the ARS,
or is the person who, even if they are not personally interested in
Morse Code, yet studies for and passes the test and gets on the air now
more interested?

Anyone who waits the (up to) two years a US No-code General/Extra
may take would appear to be interested only in being lazy. A classic
filter feeder.

And two years off their life that they could have been on the air.

I personally think this is no contest. The person who is willing to get


their license sooner shows a greater interest than a person who says "As
long as there is requirement X, I am more interested in NOT being in the
ARS than I am in being IN the ARS."


I'll provide them some incentive: As of now, 20 July 2003 at 0321 hrs UTC,
any prospective US ham who learns the code at the gruelling speed of 5
WPM, passes the test, and gets their Extra will be considered by me to
be a full-fledged ham as long as they regularly use at least one non-voice
mode on-the-air at least 40 percent of their total operating time. Wow --
is that a deal or what?


Heheh, Maybe a certificate thing brewing here? 8^)

- Mike KB3EIA -

In article , Mike Coslo
writes:

Larry Roll K3LT wrote:
In article , Mike Coslo

writes:

Reading a report on how long it will likely take for the U.S. to ratify
and drop Morse requirements, we are given an estimate of two years.

Mike:

I wonder if the NCTA's will figure out a way to get the FCC to fast-track
this process?

This leads me to wonder, is it better to wait for those two years to go

by before getting ones HF ticket, or is it better to just learn Morse
and get the ticket much sooner?

I learned the hard way. I waited 14 years, and lost out on what could have
been the best years of my ham radio career! Now I'm 50 years old, and
won't even qualify for QCWA membership for another three years!

THAT'S what I've been trying to get through to some of these good folk!!!!

I didn't get my license until I was in my mid-40's, and now regret I
didn't get it a long time ago. Granted, I didn't get interested in the
ARS until the late 1990's, but if there is any advice I can give the
prospective ham is that "It's too much fun, don't waste ANY time getting
your ticket!"

[ Coslo-esque behavior mode ON ]

WHAT WERE YOU WAITING FOR? An engraved invitation?!?

US amateur radio has been around since BEFORE 1912.

Jay-suss! I'd say you were a LAZY, good-for-nothing bum for sitting
around SO LONG!

[ Coslo-esque behavior mode off ]


Is a person willing to wait those two years more imterested in the ARS,
or is the person who, even if they are not personally interested in
Morse Code, yet studies for and passes the test and gets on the air now
more interested?

Anyone who waits the (up to) two years a US No-code General/Extra
may take would appear to be interested only in being lazy. A classic
filter feeder.

And two years off their life that they could have been on the air.

I personally think this is no contest. The person who is willing to get
their license sooner shows a greater interest than a person who says "As
long as there is requirement X, I am more interested in NOT being in the
ARS than I am in being IN the ARS."

I'll provide them some incentive: As of now, 20 July 2003 at 0321 hrs UTC,
any prospective US ham who learns the code at the gruelling speed of 5
WPM, passes the test, and gets their Extra will be considered by me to
be a full-fledged ham as long as they regularly use at least one non-voice
mode on-the-air at least 40 percent of their total operating time. Wow --
is that a deal or what?

Heheh, Maybe a certificate thing brewing here? 8^)

Some can't get enough pretty, engraved certificates. Those prove you are
SOMEBODY!!!

You need a Worked All Certificates award.

LHA

On 21 Jul 2003 03:54:36 GMT, (Len Over 21) wrote:

[ Coslo-esque behavior mode ON ]

WHAT WERE YOU WAITING FOR? An engraved invitation?!?

US amateur radio has been around since BEFORE 1912.

Jay-suss! I'd say you were a LAZY, good-for-nothing bum for sitting
around SO LONG!

[ Coslo-esque behavior mode off ]

Or Roll-esque, or Carroll-esque, or.....

Some can't get enough pretty, engraved certificates. Those prove you are
SOMEBODY!!!

I'm not an award collector personally - my enjoyment comes from making
the contacts on the radio, and I feel no real need after having done
so to further prove that I can overcome the deficiencies of
international snail-mail in order to get a piece of paper that merely
proves what both I and the other op already know to be true (I'm in
his log, he's in mine).

Nevertheless, I can well understand the attraction to some of these
awards, as they allow an operator to set a goal for himself (or
herself) - working at least one station in all fifty states or
whatever - and then feel a sense of accomplishment when that goal is
achieved. Of course, one can do the same thing without bothering to
obtain the certificate. I've worked about 18 states to date, but the
only QSL cards I have are ones that the other op sent me because he
(or she) needed mine for worked all states - mostly folks I worked on
the Century Club nets on 40m and 80m phone.

You need a Worked All Certificates award.

There are so many awards out there, it would be virtually impossible
to collect all of them in a single lifetime, even if one did nothing
but eat (in the shack), sleep (very little), and operate.

73 DE John, KC2HMZ

On Mon, 21 Jul 2003 01:15:33 GMT, Mike Coslo
wrote:

I didn't get my license until I was in my mid-40's, and now regret I
didn't get it a long time ago. Granted, I didn't get interested in the
ARS until the late 1990's, but if there is any advice I can give the
prospective ham is that "It's too much fun, don't waste ANY time getting
your ticket!"

I was 8 (no typo, that's eight) when I got interested in radio as a
hobby. I was 42 when I got my first ham license. I undoubtedly could
have passed the written tests through General while I was still in
high school. The main reason I didn't was the code test. Of course, I
didn't spend the intervening years in a vacuum - I learned a lot about
computers, and I spent a lot of time twiddling the dials on a general
coverage receiver and playing with scanners and thus still dabbled in
radio. Even did the 11-meter bit for awhile, until the supposed
"energy crisis" in 1977 led to the CB craze of the late 1970's and
everybody and their brother crowded onto what was then just 23
channels and began ignoring Part 95, thus ruining the band forever.

For what it's worth, I would and do give prospective hams pretty much
the same advice - take ten bucks down to the very next VE session you
can make and keep taking written tests until you flunk one or run out
of tests to take. If you know Morse, take Element one as well, if not,
you have a year to learn it before your CSCEs run out, and once you
pass it once you never have to touch it again if you don't want to.
Seems that in this area, about one or two in ten end up pursuing the
use of CW once they've passed the 5 WPM test (i.e. actually use the
mode on the air to make one or more contacts). On the other hand, I
know a couple of folks who have had a General ticket for over a year
and haven't even operated on HF yet, including at least one who has a
working HF station in the house (spouse uses it) but simply prefers
ragchewing with friends on two meters instead.

Again, to each their own - my feeling is, it's all radio regardless of
what mode one chooses to employ, and upon satisfying the licensing
requirements that happen to be in effect at the time one takes the
tests, it's up to each individual ham to decide how he or she wishes
to make use of the privileges that license bestows - and it is not up
to me to judge how someone else chooses to enjoy the hobby.

73 DE John, KC2HMZ