Re: [Elecraft] RE: Sad day

2005-07-21 Thread Sandy, W5TVW
I don't think it REALLY will either.  What I fear is the "SSB/digital" bunch 
will demand
use of the whole band!  It's a bitch to work QRP thru the Spanish SSB on 40, so 
I can
imagine what will happen when a jillion screaming USA SSB'ers take over the 
whole band!
The other shoe hasn't dropped yet!  (Expanding the 'phone bands).  I hope the 
FCC hasn't an
unpleasant surprise when it becomes a NPRM.
73,
Sandy W5TVW
- Original Message - 
From: "James Kern" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "'Craig Rairdin'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; 
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2005 11:20 AM
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] RE: Sad day


| Thinking about it,
|I don't think dropping the code will make one bit of difference to CW. I
| agree with Craig in that the guys that just squeak by the CW test most
| likely won't be found on the CW bands. The people who want to learn CW will.
| 99% of my HF operating is in CW. I'm not on HF that often, but when I do
| it's almost always CW. I imagine there will be (at least in the beginning) a
| flood of HF phone activity and then it will taper off back to 'normal' or a
| little higher than normal afterwards.
|
| James Kern
| Network Administrator
| Kurt S. Adler, Inc.
| 1107 Broadway
| New York, NY 10010
| 212-924-0900 x222 (work)
| 212-807-0575 (fax)
| 908-451-6801 (cell)
| 800-209-7438 (pager)
| [EMAIL PROTECTED]
|
|
| -Original Message-
| From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
| [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Craig Rairdin
| Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2005 12:03 PM
| To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
| Subject: RE: [Elecraft] RE: Sad day
|
|
| I sympathize with you, and certainly welcome your contributions to the hobby
| and to your local emergency services organizations (as if my "welcome" were
| necessary or even important).
|
| On the other hand, there are concepts on the written test that seemed like
| garbage to me no matter how much I studied. I have a computer science degree
| with lots of advanced math and engineering but some of the formulae and
| algorithms required for the Extra exam just leave me scratching my head.
|
| So my question is, should a bunch of us be able to get together and ask that
| all the technical requirements for ham licenses be dropped just because it's
| hard? That's what this "no code" thing sounds like to me. To me dropping the
| code and only having a written test is philosophically no different than
| dropping the written test and keeping the code.
|
| In the end, the hobby is changing. Other countries have dropped the code
| requirement. We should follow suit. It sounds like the tests have been
| steadily getting easier over the last 100 years. This is just the next step.
|
| As a CW-only, HF-only ham, I think this seems more ominous and wrong-headed
| to me than it does to others. I don't think other points of view are
| invalid, though. Just trying to make my opinions known. The guys who squeak
| by on a CW test just for the test's sake are probably never going to show up
| in the CW bands anyway so it may be a net zero loss for the practice of CW.
|
| I think I'll stop posting on this subject now. :-)
|
| Craig
|
|
| Original Message
| From: DAN ABBOTT <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
| Sent: 07/21/05 10:41 AM
| To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
| Subject: [Elecraft] RE: Sad day -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= I have been
| reading the comments about the possibility of dropping the requirement for
| CW in order to advance your license. I have great respect for those who have
| passed the code test and one day I would like to be able to use CW, but it
| will take a converter and keyboard to accomplish the task. Let me explain. I
| built my K2/100 while trying to learn the code to achieve my General license
| [ it's been three months now] with absolutely no success, my K2 is now only
| a listening device. I have used Ham University and Your Introduction to
| Morse Code from ARRL with no success. If your familiar with the courses, I
| get to the letter L and when you add all the other letters to the sentence
| it sounds like garbage to me.
| I guess my question is, does it make you less of an operator not knowing CW?
| I have an EE degree, so there is no problem with the concepts and I am the
| Resources Coordinator for ARES/RACES for my county. When the FCC dropped the
| requirement for CW, that opened the door for me to be come a HAM and be able
| to do the Emergency work I do now. So why should it stop me from expanding
| and being of even more use to the community?
|
| 73's
|
| Dan N7DWA  K2/100 # 4775
| ___
| Elecraft mailing list
| Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net
| You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
| Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
|  http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
|
| Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subsc

Re: [Elecraft] RE: Sad day

2005-07-21 Thread Paul Gates
Stephen wrote: "This is the time honored format that is traditionally used 
as the Final Exam for PhDs" That I think is my point. Amateur Radio is a 
hobby. And IMO I do not think we need to make the exam so stressful that it 
keeps some from entering the Ham community. Don't forget even with a written 
test some people freeze up and they think their mind is blank! 
Paul Gates
K1  #0231
KX1 #1186
XG1
[EMAIL PROTECTED]


- Original Message - 
From: "Stephen W. Kercel" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: 
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2005 5:43 PM
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] RE: Sad day


> Stuart raises an interesting point.
>
> Who controls the scope and format of the licensing exams?
>
> Does the FCC require that it be a list of multiple choice questions?
>
> If you want a fair but thorough way of assuring that new licensees pay the
> dues, why not do it on the basis of an oral exam? Each candidate spends 30
> minutes before a panel of three very experienced VEs (maybe 25 years 
> each).
> The VEs ask questions reflecting the scope of the standard question pool.
> This need not be done in either a hostile or high pressure atmosphere. The
> objective is for candidates to demonstrate that they know what they're
> talking about. The decision to pass or fail is based on a majority vote of
> the three VEs.
>
> This is the time honored format that is traditionally used as the Final
> Exam for PhDs.
>
> Steve Kercel
> AA4AK
>
>
>
>
> At 05:00 PM 7/21/2005 -0500, you wrote:
> >I invite those seeking answers to why the code testing requirement was
> >dropped to read the FCC's definition of the ham radio service given in 
> >the
> >NPRM, as well as the detailed FCC comments to each of the petitions they
> >considered.
> >
> >They clearly made a case of why test by mode, as CW is a mode; when there
> >are so many other modes.
> >
> >They also made it clear the VEC was free to establish the test topics 
> >based
> >on input from the tested community and existing ham operators.
> >
> >So, when the time to revise question pools is announced; be sure to 
> >notify
> >the VEC of what you would believe hams should be tested upon.
> >
> >Stuart
> >K5KVH
> >
> >
> >
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Re: [Elecraft] RE: Sad day

2005-07-21 Thread Stephen W. Kercel

Stuart raises an interesting point.

Who controls the scope and format of the licensing exams?

Does the FCC require that it be a list of multiple choice questions?

If you want a fair but thorough way of assuring that new licensees pay the 
dues, why not do it on the basis of an oral exam? Each candidate spends 30 
minutes before a panel of three very experienced VEs (maybe 25 years each). 
The VEs ask questions reflecting the scope of the standard question pool. 
This need not be done in either a hostile or high pressure atmosphere. The 
objective is for candidates to demonstrate that they know what they're 
talking about. The decision to pass or fail is based on a majority vote of 
the three VEs.


This is the time honored format that is traditionally used as the Final 
Exam for PhDs.


Steve Kercel
AA4AK




At 05:00 PM 7/21/2005 -0500, you wrote:

I invite those seeking answers to why the code testing requirement was
dropped to read the FCC's definition of the ham radio service given in the
NPRM, as well as the detailed FCC comments to each of the petitions they
considered.

They clearly made a case of why test by mode, as CW is a mode; when there
are so many other modes.

They also made it clear the VEC was free to establish the test topics based
on input from the tested community and existing ham operators.

So, when the time to revise question pools is announced; be sure to notify
the VEC of what you would believe hams should be tested upon.

Stuart
K5KVH



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Re: [Elecraft] RE: Sad day

2005-07-21 Thread Paul Gates
Yes, Aimee is off to a running start... Anything she does is that way. She 
has a 4.0 gpa in school and will be a senior next year.
Paul Gates
K1  #0231
KX1 #1186
XG1
[EMAIL PROTECTED]


- Original Message - 
From: "W3FPR - Don Wilhelm" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "Paul Gates" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2005 4:14 PM
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] RE: Sad day


> Paul,
>
> That may have been the young lady I saw explaining to a woman about 20 
> years
> older than herself what a lot of the information covered in the book was
> for - if she was indeed your granddaughter, I would say she is already off
> to a running start technically.
>
> 73,
> Don W3FPR
>
> > -Original Message-
> > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Paul Gates
> > Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2005 2:32 PM
> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; elecraft
> > Subject: Re: [Elecraft] RE: Sad day
> >
> >
> > I have a 17 year old granddaughter who just before Dayton indicated she
> > wanted to get her ham ticket. I told her about the no code
> > license. She told
> > me she had no desire to have that. She wanted to learn the code
> > and take the
> > Extra Exam.  I understand you have to take the Technician exam before 
> > you
> > can take the General, is that right? Her mother and I went to
> > Dayton and got
> > the granddaughter the things she needed to start learning the
> > theory. I made
> > her a CD of K7QO's CW CD.
> > Paul Gates
> > K1  #0231
> > KX1 #1186
> > XG1
> > [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> >
> >
> > - Original Message -
> > From: "James Kern" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> > To: "'Craig Rairdin'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; 
> > Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2005 12:20 PM
> > Subject: RE: [Elecraft] RE: Sad day
> >
> >
> > > Thinking about it,
> > >I don't think dropping the code will make one bit of
> > difference to CW.
> > > I
> > > agree with Craig in that the guys that just squeak by the CW test most
> > > likely won't be found on the CW bands. The people who want to learn CW
> > > will.
> > > 99% of my HF operating is in CW. I'm not on HF that often, but when I 
> > > do
> > > it's almost always CW. I imagine there will be (at least in the
> > beginning)
> > > a
> > > flood of HF phone activity and then it will taper off back to
> > 'normal' or
> > > a
> > > little higher than normal afterwards.
> > >
> > > James Kern
> > > Network Administrator
> > > Kurt S. Adler, Inc.
> > > 1107 Broadway
> > > New York, NY 10010
> > > 212-924-0900 x222 (work)
> > > 212-807-0575 (fax)
> > > 908-451-6801 (cell)
> > > 800-209-7438 (pager)
> > > [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > >
> > >
> > > -Original Message-
> > > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Craig Rairdin
> > > Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2005 12:03 PM
> > > To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
> > > Subject: RE: [Elecraft] RE: Sad day
> > >
> > >
> > > I sympathize with you, and certainly welcome your contributions to the
> > > hobby
> > > and to your local emergency services organizations (as if my "welcome"
> > > were
> > > necessary or even important).
> > >
> > > On the other hand, there are concepts on the written test that
> > seemed like
> > > garbage to me no matter how much I studied. I have a computer science
> > > degree
> > > with lots of advanced math and engineering but some of the formulae 
> > > and
> > > algorithms required for the Extra exam just leave me scratching my 
> > > head.
> > >
> > > So my question is, should a bunch of us be able to get together and 
> > > ask
> > > that
> > > all the technical requirements for ham licenses be dropped just 
> > > because
> > > it's
> > > hard? That's what this "no code" thing sounds like to me. To me
> > dropping
> > > the
> > > code and only having a written test is philosophically no different 
> > > than
> > > dropping the written test and keeping the code.
> > >
> > > In the end, the hobby is changing. Other countries have dropped the 
> > > code
> > > requirement. We should follow suit. It sounds like the tests have

Re: [Elecraft] RE: Sad day

2005-07-21 Thread Stuart Rohre
I invite those seeking answers to why the code testing requirement was
dropped to read the FCC's definition of the ham radio service given in the
NPRM, as well as the detailed FCC comments to each of the petitions they
considered.

They clearly made a case of why test by mode, as CW is a mode; when there
are so many other modes.

They also made it clear the VEC was free to establish the test topics based
on input from the tested community and existing ham operators.

So, when the time to revise question pools is announced; be sure to notify
the VEC of what you would believe hams should be tested upon.

Stuart
K5KVH



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Re: [Elecraft] RE: Sad day

2005-07-21 Thread Paul Gates
I have a 17 year old granddaughter who just before Dayton indicated she 
wanted to get her ham ticket. I told her about the no code license. She told 
me she had no desire to have that. She wanted to learn the code and take the 
Extra Exam.  I understand you have to take the Technician exam before you 
can take the General, is that right? Her mother and I went to Dayton and got 
the granddaughter the things she needed to start learning the theory. I made 
her a CD of K7QO's CW CD.
Paul Gates
K1  #0231
KX1 #1186
XG1
[EMAIL PROTECTED]


- Original Message - 
From: "James Kern" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: "'Craig Rairdin'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; 
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2005 12:20 PM
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] RE: Sad day


> Thinking about it,
>I don't think dropping the code will make one bit of difference to CW. 
> I
> agree with Craig in that the guys that just squeak by the CW test most
> likely won't be found on the CW bands. The people who want to learn CW 
> will.
> 99% of my HF operating is in CW. I'm not on HF that often, but when I do
> it's almost always CW. I imagine there will be (at least in the beginning) 
> a
> flood of HF phone activity and then it will taper off back to 'normal' or 
> a
> little higher than normal afterwards.
>
> James Kern
> Network Administrator
> Kurt S. Adler, Inc.
> 1107 Broadway
> New York, NY 10010
> 212-924-0900 x222 (work)
> 212-807-0575 (fax)
> 908-451-6801 (cell)
> 800-209-7438 (pager)
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>
> -Original Message-
> From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Craig Rairdin
> Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2005 12:03 PM
> To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
> Subject: RE: [Elecraft] RE: Sad day
>
>
> I sympathize with you, and certainly welcome your contributions to the 
> hobby
> and to your local emergency services organizations (as if my "welcome" 
> were
> necessary or even important).
>
> On the other hand, there are concepts on the written test that seemed like
> garbage to me no matter how much I studied. I have a computer science 
> degree
> with lots of advanced math and engineering but some of the formulae and
> algorithms required for the Extra exam just leave me scratching my head.
>
> So my question is, should a bunch of us be able to get together and ask 
> that
> all the technical requirements for ham licenses be dropped just because 
> it's
> hard? That's what this "no code" thing sounds like to me. To me dropping 
> the
> code and only having a written test is philosophically no different than
> dropping the written test and keeping the code.
>
> In the end, the hobby is changing. Other countries have dropped the code
> requirement. We should follow suit. It sounds like the tests have been
> steadily getting easier over the last 100 years. This is just the next 
> step.
>
> As a CW-only, HF-only ham, I think this seems more ominous and 
> wrong-headed
> to me than it does to others. I don't think other points of view are
> invalid, though. Just trying to make my opinions known. The guys who 
> squeak
> by on a CW test just for the test's sake are probably never going to show 
> up
> in the CW bands anyway so it may be a net zero loss for the practice of 
> CW.
>
> I think I'll stop posting on this subject now. :-)
>
> Craig
>
>
> Original Message
> From: DAN ABBOTT <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Sent: 07/21/05 10:41 AM
> To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
> Subject: [Elecraft] RE: Sad day -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= I have 
> been
> reading the comments about the possibility of dropping the requirement for
> CW in order to advance your license. I have great respect for those who 
> have
> passed the code test and one day I would like to be able to use CW, but it
> will take a converter and keyboard to accomplish the task. Let me explain. 
> I
> built my K2/100 while trying to learn the code to achieve my General 
> license
> [ it's been three months now] with absolutely no success, my K2 is now 
> only
> a listening device. I have used Ham University and Your Introduction to
> Morse Code from ARRL with no success. If your familiar with the courses, I
> get to the letter L and when you add all the other letters to the sentence
> it sounds like garbage to me.
> I guess my question is, does it make you less of an operator not knowing 
> CW?
> I have an EE degree, so there is no problem with the concepts and I am the
> Resources Coordinator for ARES/RACES for my county. When the FCC dropped 
> the
> requirement for CW, that opened the door for me to be come a HAM and be 
> able
&

RE: [Elecraft] RE: Sad day

2005-07-21 Thread Thom R LaCosta

On Thu, 21 Jul 2005, Craig Rairdin wrote:


So my question is, should a bunch of us be able to get together and ask that all the 
technical requirements for ham licenses be dropped just because it's hard? That's what 
this "no code" thing sounds like to me. To me dropping the code and only having 
a written test is philosophically no different than dropping the written test and keeping 
the code.


Sureafter all, why impede the enjoyment of a hobby by making it difficult to 
join?  I think you made a very interesting point...and I'm waiting for folks to 
have lots of words explaining wny dropping the technical requirements would be 
wrong, while they champion dropping the CW requirements.




I think I'll stop posting on this subject now. :-)


Before it's declared off topic, folks can visit the forum at 
http://www.zerobeat.net/qrp/phpBB2/



73,Thom-k3hrn
www.zerobeat.net Home of QRP Web Ring, Drakelist home page,
Free Classified Ads for amateur radio, QRP IRC channel
Elecraft Owners Database
www.tlchost.net/hosting/  ***  Web Hosting as low as 3.49/month
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RE: [Elecraft] RE: Sad day

2005-07-21 Thread James Kern
Thinking about it, 
   I don't think dropping the code will make one bit of difference to CW. I
agree with Craig in that the guys that just squeak by the CW test most
likely won't be found on the CW bands. The people who want to learn CW will.
99% of my HF operating is in CW. I'm not on HF that often, but when I do
it's almost always CW. I imagine there will be (at least in the beginning) a
flood of HF phone activity and then it will taper off back to 'normal' or a
little higher than normal afterwards. 

James Kern
Network Administrator
Kurt S. Adler, Inc.
1107 Broadway
New York, NY 10010
212-924-0900 x222 (work)
212-807-0575 (fax)
908-451-6801 (cell)
800-209-7438 (pager)
[EMAIL PROTECTED]


-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Craig Rairdin
Sent: Thursday, July 21, 2005 12:03 PM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] RE: Sad day


I sympathize with you, and certainly welcome your contributions to the hobby
and to your local emergency services organizations (as if my "welcome" were
necessary or even important).

On the other hand, there are concepts on the written test that seemed like
garbage to me no matter how much I studied. I have a computer science degree
with lots of advanced math and engineering but some of the formulae and
algorithms required for the Extra exam just leave me scratching my head.

So my question is, should a bunch of us be able to get together and ask that
all the technical requirements for ham licenses be dropped just because it's
hard? That's what this "no code" thing sounds like to me. To me dropping the
code and only having a written test is philosophically no different than
dropping the written test and keeping the code.

In the end, the hobby is changing. Other countries have dropped the code
requirement. We should follow suit. It sounds like the tests have been
steadily getting easier over the last 100 years. This is just the next step.

As a CW-only, HF-only ham, I think this seems more ominous and wrong-headed
to me than it does to others. I don't think other points of view are
invalid, though. Just trying to make my opinions known. The guys who squeak
by on a CW test just for the test's sake are probably never going to show up
in the CW bands anyway so it may be a net zero loss for the practice of CW.

I think I'll stop posting on this subject now. :-)

Craig


Original Message
From: DAN ABBOTT <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: 07/21/05 10:41 AM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] RE: Sad day -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= I have been
reading the comments about the possibility of dropping the requirement for
CW in order to advance your license. I have great respect for those who have
passed the code test and one day I would like to be able to use CW, but it
will take a converter and keyboard to accomplish the task. Let me explain. I
built my K2/100 while trying to learn the code to achieve my General license
[ it's been three months now] with absolutely no success, my K2 is now only
a listening device. I have used Ham University and Your Introduction to
Morse Code from ARRL with no success. If your familiar with the courses, I
get to the letter L and when you add all the other letters to the sentence
it sounds like garbage to me. 
I guess my question is, does it make you less of an operator not knowing CW?
I have an EE degree, so there is no problem with the concepts and I am the
Resources Coordinator for ARES/RACES for my county. When the FCC dropped the
requirement for CW, that opened the door for me to be come a HAM and be able
to do the Emergency work I do now. So why should it stop me from expanding
and being of even more use to the community?

73's

Dan N7DWA  K2/100 # 4775
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RE: [Elecraft] RE: Sad day

2005-07-21 Thread Craig Rairdin
I sympathize with you, and certainly welcome your contributions to the hobby 
and to your local emergency services organizations (as if my "welcome" were 
necessary or even important).

On the other hand, there are concepts on the written test that seemed like 
garbage to me no matter how much I studied. I have a computer science degree 
with lots of advanced math and engineering but some of the formulae and 
algorithms required for the Extra exam just leave me scratching my head.

So my question is, should a bunch of us be able to get together and ask that 
all the technical requirements for ham licenses be dropped just because it's 
hard? That's what this "no code" thing sounds like to me. To me dropping the 
code and only having a written test is philosophically no different than 
dropping the written test and keeping the code.

In the end, the hobby is changing. Other countries have dropped the code 
requirement. We should follow suit. It sounds like the tests have been steadily 
getting easier over the last 100 years. This is just the next step.

As a CW-only, HF-only ham, I think this seems more ominous and wrong-headed to 
me than it does to others. I don't think other points of view are invalid, 
though. Just trying to make my opinions known. The guys who squeak by on a CW 
test just for the test's sake are probably never going to show up in the CW 
bands anyway so it may be a net zero loss for the practice of CW.

I think I'll stop posting on this subject now. :-)

Craig


Original Message
From: DAN ABBOTT <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: 07/21/05 10:41 AM
To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net
Subject: [Elecraft] RE: Sad day
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
I have been reading the comments about the possibility of dropping the 
requirement for CW in order to advance your license. I have great respect for 
those who have passed the code test and one day I would like to be able to use 
CW, but it will take a converter and keyboard to accomplish the task. Let me 
explain.
I built my K2/100 while trying to learn the code to achieve my General license 
[ it's been three months now] with absolutely no success, my K2 is now only a 
listening device. I have used Ham University and Your Introduction to Morse 
Code from ARRL with no success. If your familiar with the courses, I get to the 
letter L and when you add all the other letters to the sentence it sounds like 
garbage to me. 
I guess my question is, does it make you less of an operator not knowing CW? I 
have an EE degree, so there is no problem with the concepts and I am the 
Resources Coordinator for ARES/RACES for my county.
When the FCC dropped the requirement for CW, that opened the door for me to be 
come a HAM and be able to do the Emergency work I do now. So why should it stop 
me from expanding and being of even more use to the community?

73's

Dan N7DWA  K2/100 # 4775
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