"Dave Heil" wrote:

Not really, Dwight. You're now dancing around
your earlier statements in order to make them
read like something different.


Nonsense, Dave. I mentioned three things in that message - "child birth,
international affairs with Belarus, and NASA space missions." You
intentionally took two of those out of context (a response to your message
about code testing), and ignored the third ("Belarus"), to suggest I was
talking about something other than government policy. On top of that, you
used this nonsense to side-step the real issue being discussed - your false
claim that personal experience was required to make informed decisions.


...especially when we get into something which
appears to be a sizeable stretch of earlier
statements.


There has been no stretch of earlier statements - just your attempts to
twist what was actually said.


(snip) You've mentioned several times about areas
where our country needs expertise but you've
offered not even a single example. (snip)


No, I quoted or paraphrased what the FCC said about that. Again, if you
don't understand it, don't hold your breath waiting for me to explain it to
you.


(snip) I questioned whether a 5 wpm morse test
precluded someone from developing such
expertise.


Since the main goal, as stated by the FCC, is to "...attract technically
inclined persons, particularly the youth of our country...," the question is
simply not relevant. The second goal to "...encourage them to learn and to
prepare themselves in the areas where the United States needs expertise"
comes after they enter this radio service. To be honest, I don't believe we
can achieve either goal with the continued emphasis on Morse code through
code testing. CW should join the other operating modes, allowing each person
to discover on their own what really interests them without being pushed
towards Morse code through a licensing requirement.


Dwight Stewart (W5NET)

http://www.qsl.net/w5net/