Unlike any of the other modes, it is a SKILL SET, and not just > something from memory, or which can be picked up in a few minutes of > operatin,such as PSK. > the CW rule (way back in the mid 60s) it was ILLEGAL for any government to > allow any ham who had not demonstrated their SKILL in CW (It did not mention > a code speed)was not to be allowed operations on the HF bands. That was an > international law and no government had the right to go against it in their > own country whether they wanted to or not.
CW is like learning a foreign language and not everyone can learn a different language, and if you can some are better then others at it. I memorized the different dots and dashes for the different letters when I learned CW and I know it was not the correct way to do it. As far as using CW to show a skill I disagree, because in the 60's in the old Novice days of 1yr or upgrade, I had hard enough time listening for my call let alone call it a skill, even though I passed the test. I am tired of hearing all the crying and gashing of teeth about the downfall of Amateur Radio because of no more code. The same thing was said in the 50's about bringing in the Novice license, or the advent of Voice. I think that the requirement should have stayed for Extra Class, but the FCC decided that it isn't necessary anymore. Now it is time to get over it, and move on. CW hasn't gone away, it is just not a requirement for HF. There are a lot of great CW group FIST/SKCC/NVARC that still promote CW. Show the no-codes that CW can be fun, just like the other modes. As far as other countries and CW the international law stated CW was required for operation on 30mhz or below, anything about was left up to the country itself. The last WARC they decided that CW was no longer need as a requirement and left it up to the individual country to decide. Kurt K8YZK 20wpm Extra.
