wrote:
Mike Coslo wrote:


I'm firmly convinced that many of the people that think of Element 1 as
the "great barrier" will be dismayed when they find out that there are
other barriers to Amateur radio.

"I tried but I'm just not able to learn the code." I heard it in the
1950's and I still hear it today. The global-standard copout which
probably goes back to 1912.

ah yes accusing everyone that disagrees of laziness we have been
hearing that a long time too

In 1912 there were reason you needed to be able to USE morse code,
today there is no NEED to USE it at all and yte we test for for it
awhile longer


Putting together a station is probably
harder for most people than learning Morse code. Putting together a
*good* station is definitely so.

Agreed. The upcoming wave of nocode Extras and Generals will have to
face and resolve the same age-old problems us 20wpm OFs have faced for
decades when it comes to put up or shut up time as it relates to
actually operating in the HF bands. Like being able to spend the money
it takes to acquire decent HF equipment, having the ingenuity and

already got a decent rig, and one since it has VHF and UHF abilities I
have been the air for years with

knowledge needed to home-brew decent antennas for constricted spaces

I don't need to to worry about constricted spaces I at least own 58
acress I don't think that even 160m will be a problem

for instance, ditto solving QRN and RFI problems, etc. Those have
always been far bigger HF show-stoppers than the code tests ever were
and will continue to be so.

and you make this statement why?

it seems to have no point

Those who want to get on HF badly enough will by one means or another.
Those who can't be bothered with learning the code, cut

not much longer


spending the money,
doing the learning and the physical work required to get on HF won't

learnign how to operate hf before geting on it a weird and impossible
idea

get on HF. In some huge percentage of cases those in this category are
the same bunch who have been eagerly waiting for the code test
"barrier" to completely disappear so that they can upgrade to HF
tickets.

I can operate (physicaly not legaly) Now, indeed my station has
operated on HF during a phone failure and power failure (some idoit and
back hoe as I understand) my station Operated using the fact I make
most of my own power already took someone coming over and "Blessing me"
to do so

I expect that after the smoke and flames die down there won't be any
noticeable differences in the HF bands between now and 2010 as result
of eliminating the code tests. Which is where the rubber actually hits
the road.

why 2010?
given that there hearable deference in those band between now and 2000
(numbers down) just staying the same will be not a bad peice of work

- Mike KB3EIA -

w3rv