"Dee Flint" wrote in message
...
Having no interest in the mode is not a valid reason for dropping it from
testing. There are rational reasons for dropping it (just as there are
equally rational reasons for keeping it) but having no interest in the
mode
is not one of them. That same argument could be applied to every test
question and test element since there is sure to be at least one person
who
has no interest in that question and/or element for every item on the
test.

I've never operated satellite and never intend to and have no interest in
ever doing so. Yet I had to answer questions on it. Do I think it should
be taken out of the test? No, because it is something allowed by my
privileges.

Dee D. Flint, N8UZE

As I understand it, the reason for the requirement to display proficiency in
CW stemmed from times in the ancient past where CW was the primary (if not
the only) option for communicating, and there was also the requirement that
we be proficient so that we could understand emergency traffic and pass it
on / respond to it. The CW emergency freqs (i.e. 500 KHz) are no longer
used or monitored by the vast majority (is not all) of the emergency groups
(i.e. Coastguard) and CW is not really used by many people or organisations
outside of the amateur community.
There is really no valid reason for the retention of CW as a mandatory
requirement for HF access - many countries around the world have removed it
and surprisingly enough, now that it is no longer a requirement, there is
apparently a resurgence of interest in the mode (here in VK for one). If
you want to keep on using it, feel free, but please don't force others to
learn a mode that is no longet essential, and indeed only barely relevant.
Here in VK we removed the CW requirement for HF access just over a year ago
and while the bands are only slightly more active, there hasn't been the
flood of moronic operators that were being forecasted.

P.S. if I use some of the digital data modes, I can send and receive 100%
copy when CW cannot even be heard - go digital modes.



Matt