"Michael Coslo" wrote in message
...
What is more important:

1. Having a license that allows HF access.


2. Not having to learn Morse code.

IOW, is standing on principle, and refusing to learn Morse code a better
thing than learning it to get the priveliges?

no, if standing on principle keeps you unlicensed and hence an 'outsider'
when you could easily learn it enough to get a license and then be an
'insider' it is not better. sometimes it is better to bend to the
requirements and gain status so you can work on changes from the inside than
to try to force an organization to relax the requirements and let you in...
and then consider you forever a whiner.

and then again, you don't 'have' to learn morse code. it is purely
voluntary, you actually only get a very small gain in spectrum going from
tech to general. you can 'work the world' on vhf via moon bounce,
satellites, meteor scatter, and other vhf modes. and there is always 11m...
or if you really want to be heard around the world pay a few bucks and use
any of the many 50kw shortwave broadcast stations that are begging for
programming.

In article ,
Dave wrote:

| "Michael Coslo" wrote in message
| ...
| What is more important:
....
| and then again, you don't 'have' to learn morse code. it is purely
| voluntary, you actually only get a very small gain in spectrum going from
| tech to general.

Certainly the total bandwidth gained is relatively small (compared to
what techs already have), but the bands you do gain access to are
quite special.

| you can 'work the world' on vhf via moon bounce, satellites, meteor
| scatter, and other vhf modes.

Perhaps, but HF is certainly an easier way of `working the world', and
probably more reliable. And there's probably a lot more people to
talk to.

| and there is always 11m...

You are aware that FCC regulations prohibit talking to somebody on a
CB that's over 250 miles away, right? (Of course, I'm talking about
the US here -- I don't know much about the laws elsewhere.)

Personally, I had a hard time learning morse code, and learned just
enough to barely pass the test. But I did pass, and now I can use the
HF bands. I'd like to learn morse code better -- not so much because
I want to use it, but just because it would be nice to understand CW
when I hear it (like from repeaters IDing themselves) at full speed.
But I've got a lot of things I'd like to learn, so maybe someday.
Maybe not.

--
Doug McLaren, , AD5RH
"$30 for the One True Ring. $10 each additional ring!" -- JRR "Bob" Tolkien