"Alun" wrote in message
...
What is annoying is that a skill test is foisted on those who don't have
the desire to use the skill.

Alan, I'm gonna let you in on a secret...although I know that you're already
aware of it. Preparing for and passing the 5-wpm Elemnt 1 test does NOT
leave one ready to use the skill OTA. It only gives one a taste so that one
may make an educated choice as to whether or not they wish to persue CW any
further.

The majority of newbies I've worked sent at approx. 8 to 10-wpm. (That's
right, just below the plateau.) We seem to gravitate to one another. Ok, the
Novice/Tech"+" sub-bands help bring us together. My point is that those who
actually get OTA are putting in more effort than needed just to pass Element
1. Those who pass Element 1 and wish to go no further with CW have made a
truly educated dicision because they now have a little "practical"
experience with the mode under their belt on which to base their
decision...and are not just simply talking from their @$$!

Learning the theory of modes you don't want
to use is not too onerous, but having to pass a typing test to use phone
would be just as annoying and stupid as having to pass a code test to use
phone, for example. Besides, having to know about other modes is
reasonable, but actually learning to use them is another matter.

As I mentioned in another post, the mode is really not the issue...the
having to really learn it is. Do away with the published Q&A pools and watch
the whining escalate.

Also, if
I hear CW on my frequency I may be able to read it with some difficulty,
but if I hear RTTY or PSK31 there is no chance.

You may have just touched on a selling point for CW.

73 de Bert
WA2SI