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