In rec.radio.amateur.misc Michael A. Terrell wrote:
I was interested in Amateur Radio back in the late '60s but quickly
lost interest in HF. I wanted to work 144, 432 and up, where code
wasn't used so I went into broadcast and CATV engineering, followed by

Not used by whom? I frequently use CW on the VHF, UHF, and microwave bands -
perhaps moreso than SSB and certainly at least as much.
--
Chris Cox, N0UK/G4JEC NIC Handle: CC345
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving is not for you.

wrote in message
oups.com...

'Way to go Bert! That's a tough one, there aren't a whole lot of HZs on
the air. "Back when" the only HZ on the air for years was HZ1HZ. He was
only on 40M CW and usually only in the major DX contests so he was a
real "catch". Problem with him was that he had about the worst bug
swing most of us have ever heard, absolutely indecipherable. Thank God
he wasn't a ragchewer. But that was OK because that swing was his
immediate "identifier" and ya knew who it had to be even if ya could
hardly copy him in the piles. I have no idea what their rules are today
but back then only members of the royal family were allowed to get on
the ham bands.

Serious HF dxers aren't serious unless they work both phone and CW, ya
have to do both or else yer shooting yerself in the foot.

Thanks Brian. I'm havin' gobs of fun and have broken out the K2/100 running
approx. 70 Watts. I'm about a third of the way through toward DXCC and need
an Asian contact for WAC.

I will heed your advice re. using both phone and CW. I do hop on 10 using
phone while commuting to and from work, but in the shack, well... ;-)

To be honest, I suppose I just find the CW itself fun. I'm also a big WW II
buff and was quite honored to work W5E over the weekend, who was operating
from a Boeing B-17 bomber. The op was using the vintage onboard gear. It's
humbling to think of the transmissions that have traveled through that gear.
Tnx agn es hpe c u ota. Take care es...

--
Vy 73 de Bert
WA2SI
FISTS #9384/CC #1736
QRP ARCI #11782

From: "cl" on Sun,Apr 17 2005 11:33 pm

"bb" wrote in message
roups.com...

cl wrote:



The biggest problem with most is "laziness".

Was that your problem? If you hadn't been so lazy you could have
learned the code in under a week?


Eh - I had the code down in 2 weeks for the Novice exam. AND I'm now
an
Extra. Been licensed since the early 80s.
Yeah, I probably could have learned it in under a week, if I pushed
myself.
Most anyone will tell you - it isn't good to do such.

Sorry, according to many in here you have to approach it as
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN YOUR LIFE!!! :-)

Besides, at that time,
I was chasing rug rats - so study time was premium.

Excuses, excuses, excuses! :-)

Most recommendations are
15 minutes to a half hour a day. That hardly makes it possible in a
week. I
used the words " "AT LEAST" 2 WEEKS". Some are faster learners than
others,
that is a given. BUT my point was, you have to get started to learn
ANYTHING. You can't absorb it through osmosis. Back to the timing
thing, I
hope someone from the military can step in to tell us how much time
they
were given to get the code down. I think they had to "Cram".

"Caveat," I was in the military, the United States Army,
voluntary enlistment beginning 13 March 1953. Went from
Basic to Signal School at Fort Monmouth, NJ. Amount of
Signal School time spent on morse code? ZERO! NO class,
NO "cramming."

At that time the ONLY military occupation specialty
in the Army requiring morsemanship was Field Radio.

Field Radio then required passing 20 WPM, was taught
at Camp Gordon (later Fort Gordon, now the home of the
Signal Corps). Drop-out rate was roughly a quarter of
all starting...that I know about. Those that didn't
make it, but had some apitude for electronics, got to
go to Inside Plant Telephone, Outside Plant Telephone,
Carrier, Teleprinter Operator, Field Wireman...or the
Infantry. :-)

My Signal School classes taught Microwave Radio Relay
(at a time when there was little of such operational).
Radar was also taught at Fort Monmouth, had the same
basic electronics as Microwave. I got assigned to a
Fixed Station Transmitter site in Japan. Got all of
about a day's worth of on-site "training" to operate
one of three dozen HF transmitters having a minimum of
1 KW output. NO MORSEMANSHIP NEEDED THERE. NO MORSE
USED at the third-largest station in the Army Command
and Administrative Network.


Maybe you never will use it again.

Perhaps. I've found little use for it so far. Maybe once I'm an
old
fart, have loads of time, and wax nostalgic for things that never
were,
I'll take it up and enjoy it, and demand that all learn it.

Probably the same age bracket as me. I do listen to call signs now and
then
on the scanner to pick out the services they represent - if I don't
immediately know who the service is. I do listen some times to code on
the
H.F. Bands.

...or what you think is morse. :-) There's very LITTLE
morse code on HF nowadays...EXCEPT inside the ham bands.

There are many things you learn in life and may never use
again, unless you plan to play on Jeopardy.

Tell that to Ken Jennings! :-)

Many people learned the skeletal
system in health class, microorganisms in Biology class. It doesn't
mean
they use it now. Probably forgot it as soon as they graduated. But,
it was
"required". It's not a big deal people. Once you get past the "do I
have to"
and start doing it, you'll amaze yourself at how fast and easy it
can
be.

Indeed. I never had the "do I have to?" attitude as there was no
code-free license when I became a ham. Yet it took me about 9 weeks
of
daily practice.

And you stuck with it!!!!!!!! You didn't quit, and it got you where
you
wanted to be. OR had to be - for your class of license. 2 weeks, 9
weeks, so
what... you did it. A milestone to be proud of. No one can fault you
for
that effort.

Riiiight, Coach Lector. :-)

After my release from active duty in 1956, I thought it
good to get a Commercial Radiotelephone License. Lots of
job opportunities with that then. Couldn't find a Q&A
book in town but I got a copy of the entire FCC regulations
from a good guy at a local broadcast station, studied that
and got my First 'Phone on the first sitting in Chicago,
90 miles away (didn't walk, rode the train, kept my shoes
on even if there was no snow). Moved to L.A. at the end of
'56, started at Art Center School of Design to become an
illustrator. Worked during the day at Hughes Aircraft,
found out that illustrators didn't make much money, liked
electronics (already spent three years in Army
communications) and switched to Electronics Engineering.
Took me 15 years to complete that due to job requirements
making me miss whole semesters. Got engineering
responsibility, title, and pay before any "certificate"
(suitable for framing) awarded (sheep did not sacrifice
their skins for graduates, regardless of what is said).

In between semesters, I thought it a neat thing to learn
this morse code stuff, get a fancy callsign to "sign
after my name" (youth can be misleading on what is
important). Got to roughly 8 WPM clean copy using
practice tapes (magnetic, reel-to-reel, cassettes had
not yet been invented in those 60s days). Stopped after
that plateau, wondered "whatinhell am I doing spending
all this time on morse?" I'd already spent three full
years on Army communications at a major station (220
thousand messages a month in 1955), had become a
supervisor, did finally work on microwave radio relay
operations in the service, was now an employee of Ramo-
Wooldridge Corp. in electronic warfare group, and the
Class D CBs had already started. I'd gotten the First
'Phone, worked on HF, was now working on more of the EM
spectrum than any ham of today can use, already had a
good home workshop and was coming along on professional
design. I didn't "NEED MORSE" to GET ON THE AIR. I had
already done that, perfectly legal, without fault.

I had tossed the idea of getting a "title" (the callsign)
since there was MUCH MORE electronics coming along. The
first of the ICs had already hit the market and some of
us were tinkering with the first personal computers,
rolling our own without benefit of MITs or Apple or SwTP
kits (hadn't come out yet). PLENTY of fun and games in
electronics AND radio to be interested in.

I DO use code now and then, but not daily like many others do.
Everyone has
their own thing. Some are into Packet, RTTY, AMTOR, etc, I'm
not...To each
his own. But we all had to learn "something" about those modes to
pass an
exam.

Oooooo! "PASS THE (code) EXAM!"

Geez, poor babies, like an amateur exam is "Nobel
Laureate" material? Like "rocket science?" Yeah...
a "life accomplishment!" :-)

I used to "pass a test" every week...on payday. If
I didn't KNOW what was needed on the job, to do the
things my bosses had given me responsibility for, I
wouldn't "pass that exam." No paycheck. Bye.

I never failed such an exam. I never failed any exam
in college courses, either. I just kept on working
in engineering design...and having to constantly keep
on learning. The state of the electronics arts have
NOT ceased to advance...not one iota of stopping.


Funny thing is, we're all arguing pros and cons and in the end, it
won't
matter. WE do not have control.

NO NO NO!!! WRONG IN HERE!!!

The NO-CODE TEST ADVOCATE extras "HAVE CONTROL!" At
least three have "forbidden" any non-amateur to EVER
say anything about getting INTO amateur radio! Such
folk are, as these gods of radio put it, "NOT INVOLVED!"

Damn the First Amendment (say those three). THEY "rule"
on What Shall Be in U.S. amateur radio!

Their clubhouse door is CLOSED to "outsiders." [so are
their minds, BTASE...)

So, if we're going to debate the issues we
have no control over, may as well keep it clean.

What is "clean?" Anything done the way the ARRL says
is "clean?" Anything done to show "committment" and
"dedication" to amateurism is "clean?" Does "clean"
mean that ALL must obey the olde-fahrt amateur extras
who cuss at all the (evil) no-coders?

Does "clean" mean the usual Double Standard in this
newsgroup? All the PCTA extras can cuss at others
but everyone else has to be OH so polite, civil,
obediant, and respectful to their MIGHTY personal
accomplishments?

Hardly any of us know the
other and it isn't worth making enemies over.

Quite true, but that is NOT practiced in here. Look
at the labels of "PUTZ," "LIAR," "COWARD" that are
tossed out freely by these MIGHTY PCTA extras!

Certainly not worth name calling....

It MUST be "worth it" to these stalwart, noble, good
and true MORSEMEN. They seem to thrive on it.

Whether I'm right or wrong, I do value opposing view points.
Everyone has a right to his/her own opinion.

Commendable and should be the operative ethic in here.

Unfortunately, it is NOT SO.

Pro or con, it is a matter of time. May be a year, may be 5, but it
will
come to pass.

Absolutely. But...that will be the END of the ARS
(Archaic Radiotelegraphy Society).



retired (from regular hours) electronic engineer person

From: "Michael A. Terrell" on Mon,Apr 18 2005 6:00 am

cl wrote:



The local ham club is looking for people to take classes with "Now
Your Talking" rather than try to find people with any electronics
background. I offered to help maintain their club equipment but they
brushed me off because I don't have a ham ticket. I still have a
half
way decent RF bench, but nothing compared to the $1,000,000 plus
benches
of test equipment I had at Microdyne.

I never had any formal electronics training, yet I ws a broadcast
engineer, and a engineering tech for some products at Microdyne. I
learned it because I wanted to. I went to work part time in a TV shop
at
13 after school and on Saturdays. When I was drafted I was tested to
prove I didn't know electronics but it backfired. I not only passed
the
MOS test for Broadcast Engineer at Ft Knox, I was told I had received
the highest score on record for the test. These are some of the
reasons
for my sig file. :-)

--
Former professional electron wrangler.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

Michael, be warned that you can now expect all sorts of
"hate mail" in public in response to what you've written.
:-)

Trust me on that if you haven't seen others' received
flak. :-)



Still a professional electron pusher (and long-time
electronics hobbyist) but one doesn't do it during
regular office hours. :-)

wrote:
From: "cl" on Sun,Apr 17 2005 11:33 pm

Eh - I had the code down in 2 weeks for the Novice exam. AND I'm now
an
Extra. Been licensed since the early 80s.
Yeah, I probably could have learned it in under a week, if I pushed
myself.
Most anyone will tell you - it isn't good to do such.

Sorry, according to many in here you have to approach it as
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN YOUR LIFE!!!

Actually, Lennie, YOU are the only one making that assertion.

Back to the timing
thing, I
hope someone from the military can step in to tell us how much time
they
were given to get the code down. I think they had to "Cram".

"Caveat," I was in the military, the United States Army,
voluntary enlistment beginning 13 March 1953. Went from
Basic to Signal School at Fort Monmouth, NJ. Amount of
Signal School time spent on morse code? ZERO! NO class,
NO "cramming."

I guess it was too much to ask you to actually comment on
something you KNOW about, is it, Lennie...?!?!

HUUUUUUGGGGGGGEEEEEE snip of usual Lennie reliving his youth by
recounting his "good ole Army days..."...But still without really
answering the original correspondant's questions...

Pro or con, it is a matter of time. May be a year, may be 5, but it
will
come to pass.

Absolutely. But...that will be the END of the ARS
(Archaic Radiotelegraphy Society).





retired (from regular hours) electronic engineer person

Retired from what he alledges to have been an engineering
career...

Now full time newsgroup insulting.

Steve, K4YZ

wrote:
From: "Michael A. Terrell" on Mon,Apr 18 2005 6:00 am

cl wrote:
The local ham club is looking for people to take classes with
"Now
Your Talking" rather than try to find people with any electronics
background.

"Now You're Talking" is for folks with no prior background. The
idea being to introduce those who DON'T have that prior background.

I offered to help maintain their club equipment but they
brushed me off because I don't have a ham ticket. I still have a
half
way decent RF bench, but nothing compared to the $1,000,000 plus
benches
of test equipment I had at Microdyne.

I am sure the offer was appreicated, Mike, it it IS an "Amateur
Radio" club. Do you have an aversion to getting licensed?

I never had any formal electronics training, yet I ws a broadcast
engineer, and a engineering tech for some products at Microdyne. I
learned it because I wanted to. I went to work part time in a TV
shop
at
13 after school and on Saturdays. When I was drafted I was tested
to
prove I didn't know electronics but it backfired. I not only passed
the
MOS test for Broadcast Engineer at Ft Knox, I was told I had
received
the highest score on record for the test. These are some of the
reasons
for my sig file. :-)

--
Former professional electron wrangler.

Michael A. Terrell
Central Florida

Michael, be warned that you can now expect all sorts of
"hate mail" in public in response to what you've written.

Actually, not really Mike.

Welcome to RRAP, wherein our resident
"used-to-be-an-engineer-and-know-everything-better-than-you"
representitive, Len "Lennie" Anderson endears himself and makes friends
by calling them Nazis, thugs, elitists, etc, then crying foul when
"called" on it.

Trust me on that if you haven't seen others' received
flak.

Trusting Lennie Anderson on ANYthing is like letting Jack
Kevorkian make your health care decisions for you.

Do a Google on ", ",
(before winter 2001, I believe...)

Lennie's "reputation" for honesty, trustworthiness and
dependability are less than adequate.

Still a professional electron pusher (and long-time
electronics hobbyist) but one doesn't do it during
regular office hours.

You don't do it during OFF hours either, judging by your complete
lack of evidence on ANY "hobbyist" project other than listening to the
ATIS at LAX on your scanner.

Hope you'll get a ticket at one level or another, Mike...there's
a lot of fun to be had...If some club was rude to you, don't think it's
the whole tamale.

73

Steve, K4YZ

wrote in message
oups.com...
From: "cl" on Sun,Apr 17 2005 11:33 pm

"bb" wrote in message
groups.com...

cl wrote:



The biggest problem with most is "laziness".

Was that your problem? If you hadn't been so lazy you could have
learned the code in under a week?


Eh - I had the code down in 2 weeks for the Novice exam. AND I'm now
an
Extra. Been licensed since the early 80s.
Yeah, I probably could have learned it in under a week, if I pushed
myself.
Most anyone will tell you - it isn't good to do such.

Sorry, according to many in here you have to approach it as
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN YOUR LIFE!!! :-)

Besides, at that time,
I was chasing rug rats - so study time was premium.

Excuses, excuses, excuses! :-)

Most recommendations are
15 minutes to a half hour a day. That hardly makes it possible in a
week. I
used the words " "AT LEAST" 2 WEEKS". Some are faster learners than
others,
that is a given. BUT my point was, you have to get started to learn
ANYTHING. You can't absorb it through osmosis. Back to the timing
thing, I
hope someone from the military can step in to tell us how much time
they
were given to get the code down. I think they had to "Cram".

"Caveat," I was in the military, the United States Army,
voluntary enlistment beginning 13 March 1953. Went from
Basic to Signal School at Fort Monmouth, NJ. Amount of
Signal School time spent on morse code? ZERO! NO class,
NO "cramming."

At that time the ONLY military occupation specialty
in the Army requiring morsemanship was Field Radio.

Field Radio then required passing 20 WPM, was taught
at Camp Gordon (later Fort Gordon, now the home of the
Signal Corps). Drop-out rate was roughly a quarter of
all starting...that I know about. Those that didn't
make it, but had some apitude for electronics, got to
go to Inside Plant Telephone, Outside Plant Telephone,
Carrier, Teleprinter Operator, Field Wireman...or the
Infantry. :-)

My Signal School classes taught Microwave Radio Relay
(at a time when there was little of such operational).
Radar was also taught at Fort Monmouth, had the same
basic electronics as Microwave. I got assigned to a
Fixed Station Transmitter site in Japan. Got all of
about a day's worth of on-site "training" to operate
one of three dozen HF transmitters having a minimum of
1 KW output. NO MORSEMANSHIP NEEDED THERE. NO MORSE
USED at the third-largest station in the Army Command
and Administrative Network.


Maybe you never will use it again.

Perhaps. I've found little use for it so far. Maybe once I'm an
old
fart, have loads of time, and wax nostalgic for things that never
were,
I'll take it up and enjoy it, and demand that all learn it.

Probably the same age bracket as me. I do listen to call signs now and
then
on the scanner to pick out the services they represent - if I don't
immediately know who the service is. I do listen some times to code on
the
H.F. Bands.

...or what you think is morse. :-) There's very LITTLE
morse code on HF nowadays...EXCEPT inside the ham bands.

There are many things you learn in life and may never use
again, unless you plan to play on Jeopardy.

Tell that to Ken Jennings! :-)

Many people learned the skeletal
system in health class, microorganisms in Biology class. It doesn't
mean
they use it now. Probably forgot it as soon as they graduated. But,
it was
"required". It's not a big deal people. Once you get past the "do I
have to"
and start doing it, you'll amaze yourself at how fast and easy it
can
be.

Indeed. I never had the "do I have to?" attitude as there was no
code-free license when I became a ham. Yet it took me about 9 weeks
of
daily practice.

And you stuck with it!!!!!!!! You didn't quit, and it got you where
you
wanted to be. OR had to be - for your class of license. 2 weeks, 9
weeks, so
what... you did it. A milestone to be proud of. No one can fault you
for
that effort.

Riiiight, Coach Lector. :-)

After my release from active duty in 1956, I thought it
good to get a Commercial Radiotelephone License. Lots of
job opportunities with that then. Couldn't find a Q&A
book in town but I got a copy of the entire FCC regulations
from a good guy at a local broadcast station, studied that
and got my First 'Phone on the first sitting in Chicago,
90 miles away (didn't walk, rode the train, kept my shoes
on even if there was no snow). Moved to L.A. at the end of
'56, started at Art Center School of Design to become an
illustrator. Worked during the day at Hughes Aircraft,
found out that illustrators didn't make much money, liked
electronics (already spent three years in Army
communications) and switched to Electronics Engineering.
Took me 15 years to complete that due to job requirements
making me miss whole semesters. Got engineering
responsibility, title, and pay before any "certificate"
(suitable for framing) awarded (sheep did not sacrifice
their skins for graduates, regardless of what is said).

In between semesters, I thought it a neat thing to learn
this morse code stuff, get a fancy callsign to "sign
after my name" (youth can be misleading on what is
important). Got to roughly 8 WPM clean copy using
practice tapes (magnetic, reel-to-reel, cassettes had
not yet been invented in those 60s days). Stopped after
that plateau, wondered "whatinhell am I doing spending
all this time on morse?" I'd already spent three full
years on Army communications at a major station (220
thousand messages a month in 1955), had become a
supervisor, did finally work on microwave radio relay
operations in the service, was now an employee of Ramo-
Wooldridge Corp. in electronic warfare group, and the
Class D CBs had already started. I'd gotten the First
'Phone, worked on HF, was now working on more of the EM
spectrum than any ham of today can use, already had a
good home workshop and was coming along on professional
design. I didn't "NEED MORSE" to GET ON THE AIR. I had
already done that, perfectly legal, without fault.

I had tossed the idea of getting a "title" (the callsign)
since there was MUCH MORE electronics coming along. The
first of the ICs had already hit the market and some of
us were tinkering with the first personal computers,
rolling our own without benefit of MITs or Apple or SwTP
kits (hadn't come out yet). PLENTY of fun and games in
electronics AND radio to be interested in.

I DO use code now and then, but not daily like many others do.
Everyone has
their own thing. Some are into Packet, RTTY, AMTOR, etc, I'm
not...To each
his own. But we all had to learn "something" about those modes to
pass an
exam.

Oooooo! "PASS THE (code) EXAM!"

Geez, poor babies, like an amateur exam is "Nobel
Laureate" material? Like "rocket science?" Yeah...
a "life accomplishment!" :-)

I used to "pass a test" every week...on payday. If
I didn't KNOW what was needed on the job, to do the
things my bosses had given me responsibility for, I
wouldn't "pass that exam." No paycheck. Bye.

I never failed such an exam. I never failed any exam
in college courses, either. I just kept on working
in engineering design...and having to constantly keep
on learning. The state of the electronics arts have
NOT ceased to advance...not one iota of stopping.


Funny thing is, we're all arguing pros and cons and in the end, it
won't
matter. WE do not have control.

NO NO NO!!! WRONG IN HERE!!!

The NO-CODE TEST ADVOCATE extras "HAVE CONTROL!" At
least three have "forbidden" any non-amateur to EVER
say anything about getting INTO amateur radio! Such
folk are, as these gods of radio put it, "NOT INVOLVED!"

Damn the First Amendment (say those three). THEY "rule"
on What Shall Be in U.S. amateur radio!

Their clubhouse door is CLOSED to "outsiders." [so are
their minds, BTASE...)

So, if we're going to debate the issues we
have no control over, may as well keep it clean.

What is "clean?" Anything done the way the ARRL says
is "clean?" Anything done to show "committment" and
"dedication" to amateurism is "clean?" Does "clean"
mean that ALL must obey the olde-fahrt amateur extras
who cuss at all the (evil) no-coders?

Does "clean" mean the usual Double Standard in this
newsgroup? All the PCTA extras can cuss at others
but everyone else has to be OH so polite, civil,
obediant, and respectful to their MIGHTY personal
accomplishments?

Hardly any of us know the
other and it isn't worth making enemies over.

Quite true, but that is NOT practiced in here. Look
at the labels of "PUTZ," "LIAR," "COWARD" that are
tossed out freely by these MIGHTY PCTA extras!

Certainly not worth name calling....

It MUST be "worth it" to these stalwart, noble, good
and true MORSEMEN. They seem to thrive on it.

Whether I'm right or wrong, I do value opposing view points.
Everyone has a right to his/her own opinion.

Commendable and should be the operative ethic in here.

Unfortunately, it is NOT SO.

Pro or con, it is a matter of time. May be a year, may be 5, but it
will
come to pass.

Absolutely. But...that will be the END of the ARS
(Archaic Radiotelegraphy Society).



retired (from regular hours) electronic engineer person


Correction - I'm "not" Caveat Lector........ I use small case cl, he uses
capitals. See my address within!

cl

Mel A. Nomah wrote:
"Michael Coslo" wrote in message
...

:
: I've looked at some of the older questions. The only thing about them
: that is difficult is that they tend to pertain to operating with
: equipment and different condition than today.
:

No, the only thing harder was that those were just samples, and you had to
actually understand the underlying material because the question on the
examination would be different.

But it wasn't harder, just different.

From your description of "take the online test until I can pass it, then
rush down to the VE session", I expect that you'd be another Len Anderson
under those conditions, on the outside looking in.

Well then you'd be wrong.

- Mike KB3EIA -

Kim wrote:

"Mike Coslo" wrote in message
...

cl wrote:



which required code. 5 WPM is not impossible to learn. It only takes a

few

minutes a day and about 2 weeks at least to get enough to pass a test.

Took me 45 minutes a day for over 6 months, plus one failed test to get
to 5 wpm.

I'm all in favor of Morse code testing, but you guys have to show some
understanding that it isn't that easy for a lot of people.

I aced the writtens, without a whole lot of study by comparison to a
lot of people. I don't go around calling them retards or stupid.

- Mike KB3EIA -


For some, Mike, the "code" (i.e., even just the connotation in the word
"code") is all they got.

Well said, Kim.

- Mike KB3EIA -

cl wrote:

"Mike Coslo" wrote in message
...

cl wrote:



which required code. 5 WPM is not impossible to learn. It only takes a
few minutes a day and about 2 weeks at least to get enough to pass a
test.

Took me 45 minutes a day for over 6 months, plus one failed test to get to
5 wpm.

I'm all in favor of Morse code testing, but you guys have to show some
understanding that it isn't that easy for a lot of people.

I aced the writtens, without a whole lot of study by comparison to a lot
of people. I don't go around calling them retards or stupid.

- Mike KB3EIA -


Ok.... It took "me" 2 weeks, I know others who learned it quickly, but I
can't provide a time frame. Yes, code "can" be harder for others to pick up.
I don't doubt that for a minute. Point is, you have to put one foot in front
of the other and stick with it, to get down the path to learn it.

Yup. I must confess that I kind of drew you and some folks into this a
bit, because I have some significant hearing defects. Several 60+ db
notches,esp at the mid and higher frequencies and two separate tones of
tinnitis, a different frequency for each ear. I haven't had a quiet
moment for 30 years or more. When conversing with people, I read lips. I
understand vey much the situation of the fellow whose wife has notches
in her hearing.(conjecture alert) I would also say I suspect that the
constant noise in my ears has turned of parts of my brain that process
sound. And that is probably why I had such a hard time (conjecture alert
off) All I can say for teh folks with hearing problems is that study,
practice, and most importantly, relaxation during copying is the key.

Does 6 months of constant hard effort indicate the desire to "stick
with it"?

Many don't
want to start, and whine about it without ever putting forth effort. Hell, I
know people who bitched about having to look at the "basic" Q/A manual! One
remark was "Do I "have" to learn all this?" Another - "Do I "have" to read
all these questions?" But yet they want a license. Pure laziness. Licenses
should be "earned" not given away. People are least likely to respect
something "given" to them.

Most of what you say , I agree with. If a person doesn't want to study,
they shouldn't have a license

The bands are already showing signs of
deterioration from people who just don't care.

I've heard of some pretty wild times long before things were "dumbed down"!

- Mike KB3EIA -