Dee Flint wrote:
"Dave Heil" wrote in message
ink.net...
bb wrote:

Dave Heil wrote:

Dee Flint wrote:

"Dan/W4NTI" wrote in message
rthlink.net...


[snip]



Why do I contest? To improve my score by improving my station and
myself.

Its as simple as that.

Have a good day

PS; I worked a bunch of sporadic skip yesterday on six meters in the
June
VHF contest.....with 8 watts and a 3 ele yagi at 20'.

It's all a matter of perspective.

Dan/W4NTI




I and the OM also worked some of the VHF contest and noticed a very
strange
thing. Only 10% of the contacts that we made were Technician operators.
On
the other hand, 80% of them were Extra class operators. So where are
all
the Techs who are "trapped" in VHF and above because they "can't" pass
the
code (as some would have us believe)?

Oh, they're still trapped on VHF, Dee. Most of 'em are so trapped that
they know only one mode--FM and do all of their operating via repeaters.

What a wunnerful attitude you have toward Techs, Oh Mighty DXer. And
people have to ask who chased away the Techs. I guess the only time
you would embrace a Tech is if he were calling you out of band on 6M.
Hi!

I don't embrace radio amateurs at all, "bb". A firm handshake is good
enough for me.

My attitude toward many of the current crop of new techs is one bathed
upon five years observation, since returning to the U.S. I haven't chased
them anywhere. In fact, it has been just the opposite. I've tried to
encourage them to use simplex on FM. I've tried to encourage them to try
6 meters along with 432 and 144 MHz SSB and CW. I can't be faulted that
they don't act after being encouraged. If these folks are, in fact
"trapped" in a world of 2m only FM repeater operation, they have fashioned
the trap themselves by not being more curious about the rest of VHF/UHF
amateur radio. There are avenues open to them but they aren't
participating.

Dave K8MN


I agree with you Dave,

Of course you do.

I and the OM (who is our local club's VHF/UHF SSB
guru) have worked hard at trying to get Techs involved with something other
than repeater FM.

Why?

While we have had some modest success, it's only a small
percentage of the Techs who have jumped into these waters.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE

Have you asked them why they are reluctant to jump into those waters?

Since they've not jumped in, does that change your attitude about them?

"bb" wrote in message
oups.com...


Dee Flint wrote:
"Dave Heil" wrote in message
ink.net...
bb wrote:

Dave Heil wrote:

Dee Flint wrote:

"Dan/W4NTI" wrote in message
rthlink.net...

[snip]

I and the OM (who is our local club's VHF/UHF SSB
guru) have worked hard at trying to get Techs involved with something
other
than repeater FM.

Why?


Because they have expressed dissatisfaction with repeater FM.

While we have had some modest success, it's only a small
percentage of the Techs who have jumped into these waters.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE

Have you asked them why they are reluctant to jump into those waters?


They are unwilling to commit to the equipment until they have their General,
not realizing how much fun they can have in the meantime.

Since they've not jumped in, does that change your attitude about them?


Nope, we just keep trying to find ways to let them know that there is much
more available to them than they realize.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE

Dee Flint wrote:
"bb" wrote in message
oups.com...


Dee Flint wrote:
"Dave Heil" wrote in message
ink.net...
bb wrote:

Dave Heil wrote:

Dee Flint wrote:

"Dan/W4NTI" wrote in message
rthlink.net...

[snip]

I and the OM (who is our local club's VHF/UHF SSB
guru) have worked hard at trying to get Techs involved with something
other
than repeater FM.

Why?


Because they have expressed dissatisfaction with repeater FM.

Who hasn't?

While we have had some modest success, it's only a small
percentage of the Techs who have jumped into these waters.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE

Have you asked them why they are reluctant to jump into those waters?

They are unwilling to commit to the equipment until they have their General,
not realizing how much fun they can have in the meantime.

I was told, when Novice Enhancement came along, not to pick up a
microphone because I would never get good at the Morse Code and
advance.

Since they've not jumped in, does that change your attitude about them?


Nope, we just keep trying to find ways to let them know that there is much
more available to them than they realize.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE

Fair enough. Don't overdo it though, they might think you are "pushy."

"bb" wrote in message
oups.com...


I was told, when Novice Enhancement came along, not to pick up a
microphone because I would never get good at the Morse Code and
advance.


That was good advice. I did the same thing. I had my Novice for 3 months,
skipped the Technician, and got the General. I could have got on 2m AM as
a Novice. I had a Gonset II on load from Civil Defense. I flat refused to
do so until I got the General. Glad I did.

Dan/W4NTI

Dan/W4NTI wrote:
"bb" wrote in message
oups.com...


I was told, when Novice Enhancement came along, not to pick up a
microphone because I would never get good at the Morse Code and
advance.


That was good advice. I did the same thing. I had my Novice for 3 months,
skipped the Technician, and got the General. I could have got on 2m AM as
a Novice. I had a Gonset II on load from Civil Defense. I flat refused to
do so until I got the General. Glad I did.

Dan/W4NTI

Perhaps it was good advise in your case.

I tested for General. The Morse Code sped by at an incredible rate,
and I did not pass. In retrospect, this must have been the diff
between Morse Code and the advent of the ARRL VEC use of the Farnsworth
Code.

Anyway, the consolation prize was the Technician license. The Novice
enhancement came later, so was not a player.

"bb" wrote in message
oups.com...


Dan/W4NTI wrote:
"bb" wrote in message
oups.com...



and I did not pass. In retrospect, this must have been the diff
between Morse Code and the advent of the ARRL VEC use of the Farnsworth
Code.

I'm not sure I understand that. As I remember the FCC universally used
those paper tape machines. And the method, although not called Farnsworth
that I can recall, was the same. I.E. Code sent at a fast rate with
spacing larger. This is the Farnsworth method.

Of course I may be wrong. But explain what you mean.

Dan/W4NTI

From: "bb" on Sat 18 Jun 2005 17:01


Dee Flint wrote:
"Dave Heil" wrote in message
bb wrote:
Dave Heil wrote:
Dee Flint wrote:
"Dan/W4NTI" wrote in message


I agree with you Dave,

Of course you do.

The Elite always seem to do that... :-)

I and the OM (who is our local club's VHF/UHF SSB
guru) have worked hard at trying to get Techs involved with something other
than repeater FM.

Why?

They like feeling superior...

While we have had some modest success, it's only a small
percentage of the Techs who have jumped into these waters.

Have you asked them why they are reluctant to jump into those waters?

The Elite don't "ask." They COMMAND. :-)


Since they've not jumped in, does that change your attitude about them?

They are allowed to continue existance. [ho hum]

As of 17 Jun 05, there were 722,134 U.S. amateur radio licenses
exclusive of Club Calls. Of those, 293,897 were Technician Class
making them 40.70 percent of all licensees. There were 55,816
Technican Plus licensees, 7.73 percent of the total.

Combined, Technician and Technician Plus licensees number
349,713 or 48.43 percent of the total number of licensees.

The Elite (the PCTA Extras, that is) will rationalize that
"few of those Techs are active" in an attempt to rationalize
that "they don't count." :-) Unfortunately for the Elite,
they will soon be the MAJORITY among all U.S. licensees.

Dee and the others will "change their attitude" only in a quasi
acknowledgement that they MIGHT exist...but wouldn't want their
daughters marrying any of them (or equivalent).

wrote:
As of 17 Jun 05, there were 722,134 U.S. amateur radio
licenses
exclusive of Club Calls.

But inclusive of at approximately 56,672 that were expired but in the
grace period. Total unexpired licenses held by individuals
stands at 665,462.

Of those, 293,897 were Technician Class
making them 40.70 percent of all licensees.

Of those, 269,204 are current and approximately 24,693 are expired but
in the grace period.

There were 55,816
Technican Plus licensees, 7.73 percent of the total.

48,713 current and 7,103 expired but in the grace period.

Combined, Technician and Technician Plus licensees number
349,713 or 48.43 percent of the total number of licensees.

Of whom 317,917 are current and 31,796 in the grace period.

The Elite (the PCTA Extras, that is) will rationalize that
"few of those Techs are active" in an attempt to rationalize
that "they don't count." :-)

That claim is incorrect.

Unfortunately for the Elite,
they will soon be the MAJORITY among all U.S. licensees.

How do you know, Len? What's the trend?

The number of Technicians (including Pluses) with current licenses
peaked back in March of 2000, at 338,334. It has
since dropped by more than 20,000.

Meanwhile, the number of current Extra class licenses has
climbed from 75,985 in March of 2000 to 106,806 today.

You are invited to show how the trend in Technician/Tech Plus license
numbers predicts any sort of majority in the future.
Since all Technician Pluses are renewed as Technician since April 2000,
it's logical to combine them when looking for a trend.