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No code makes No sense: think about it
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by VE2DC on July 27, 2005
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If you like code... I do... do it. However, it's worth remembering that in the heyday of CW, it was a "state of the art" means of communications. It is not today... it's quaint, though admittedly effective. I think the hams who are engaging in new forms of communications, digital or otherwise, have more in common with the spirit of CW ops of years gone by... more reflective of the technical side of the hobby where there are always new frontiers to be explored. When CW first hit the airwaves, I'm sure there were those who bemoaned the passing of spark. (B4 my time) I know SSB wasn't accepted by many when it first was introduced to the bands. (Not b4 my time) Some always resist change, especially as they get older... it's human nature. I miss the old days too sometimes (sigh!)...
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RE: No code makes No sense: think about it
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by n7zg on July 31, 2005
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I'm into contesting both CW and SSB. I prefer CW and my contesting code speed is in the mid 30 WPM range. I see CW contesting as a growth segment of our hobby. Not because of some barrier or mandate, but because it is fun.
IMHO, dropping the CW requirement is a good thing because there are ops who just can't learn the code. My brother-in-law has been a tech licensee for many years and is a pretty motivated guy with great electronics knowledge. He has been on the outside and it is time to let folks like him get on HF.
I think many newcomers will get bored with SSB and will look to other modes like digital and maybe even CW. In short, I think it can only increase activity and that is what the goal is.
73's
Guy, N7ZG
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No code makes No sense: think about it
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by VK4JSR on August 1, 2005
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It's not the fact that code has been removed, rather the decrease in the satisfaction of other criteria required to achieve an amateur radio licence that has created issues in VK... at least from my perspective.
The introduction of no-code together with reduced technical qualification criteria has seen a dramatic increase in the number of CB'ers migrating to the amateur bands. Their behaviour and respect of other operators leaves a lot to be desired. This is about to get worse with the introduction of a foundation licence that requires almost no form of qualification... just a couple of days swatting!
Acceptance of no-code may be justified, but the denegration of amateur operating standards (regardless of whether you a contester, DXer, rag chew, VHFer, etc) surely can not be!
Scott VK4JSR / VK4CZ
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No code makes No sense: think about it
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by N5GLR on August 2, 2005
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Here's my comments to the FCC ... for all the good it will do.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Subject: Comment to NPRM WT 05-235
1. Morse Code (CW) is an essential communication method and should remain a test requirement for access to Amateur HF frequencies. CW is among the most bandwidth efficient and effective communications modes available to the Amateur radio operator. CW communication will succeed when other methods fail. Emergency communications will be severely compromised if an operator does not have the ability to communicate using Morse Code.
2. Manual radiotelegraphic (CW) communications has not been superceded by more modern methods of communication. There are no other methods of communication as reliable,accurate, fast, and efficient.
3. Requiring manual telegraphy proficiency is entirely compatible with the radio amateur's mandated objective of contributing to the advancement of the radio art. To that end, a manual key and a simple, homebrew transmitter/receiver is all that is required for communication with CW as compared to the increasingly sophisticated equipment for all other modes. All other
modes of operation require far more sophisticated equipment than does CW and is far more difficult to construct.
4. FCC evidence exists that proves Morse Code (CW) proficiency is an indicator of a desirable,
motivated, and better qualified operator. Proficiency at Morse Code demonstrates that the operator has worked hard to earn HF privileges and is dedicated to the art and science of Amateur Radio. The overwhelming majority of violations of the FCC code governing Amateur Radio concern operation in the VHF/UHF spectrum, often involving repeaters, and Technician
class operators. I have seen only one alleged violation by a CW operator. (ref. �FCC Amateur
Radio Enforcement Letters�, as posted on the ARRL web site).
5. The Morse code requirement serves as an advancement barrier to no one. Those who put forth the effort will achieve. Those who won�t aren�t serious enough about becoming an Amateur Radio operator.
6. The value of Morse code communications in the Amateur Service is primarily recreational in
nature, as are all other modes, and manual telegraphy proficiency should continue to be a compulsory licensing requirement for any class of Amateur Radio license.
7. The most challenging problem is maintaining the standards of the Amateur Radio service.
While lowering the standards (eliminating CW testing) may increase the number of licensed operators temporarily, quality will surely suffer. Morse Code operation teaches good operating skills (e.g. courtesy, perseverance, patience, etiquette, etc.) far better and faster than any other mode. Furthermore, it proves you don�t need maximum allowable power to communicate, as is evidenced by the hundreds of contacts made daily using simple equipment (homebrew or kit) at power levels at or below 5 watts.
8. Some will lament they have been ostracized, belittled, etc. because they don�t know Morse
Code. I can only theorize that these folks have brought this criticism on themselves through a
loudly expressed disdain for Morse Code and lack of desire to exert the effort to learn.
9. The fact that many Technician and Technician Plus licensed operators are MARS operators and operate HF with their MARS License prove that they have learned the basic military protocols and etiquette for operating in a military environment and passing military health and welfare traffic. MARS is a fine organization that has developed thousands of highly proficient operators. Therefore, I propose that all applicants for a General class license either pass a 10
WPM CW exam or the equivalent of the MARS Operator training course.
10. It is time to stop the down-hill slide of proficiency and quality in Amateur Radio. Let�s raise
the standard rather than lower it for a change. Clearly, the IARU left the decision to retain or
eliminate the Morse Code testing requirement to each member nation. To date, approximately 8% of nations have done so. It is worth noting that Japan retained a CW testing requirement.
11. We clearly need to retain Morse Code testing for advancement to HF operating frequencies. Poor operating practices on VHF/UHF are an embarrassment to the local community but,on HF they are a national and international embarrassment. This is our opportunity for the USA to rise above the world wide trend in lowering standards. Let�s establish our leadership instead of following the crowd.
Sincerely,
Garry Rife
N5GLR
Arlington, TX
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No code makes No sense: think about it
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by w8vfm on August 5, 2005
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Remember when the ARRL supported "Incentive Licensing". This whole approach was to bring the whole fraternity along to improved technical and operational standards. As a General Class amateur, who had all amateur privileges available to them, we were told that this would improve our technical capabilities and improve the bands with a "higher class licensee" I was, and have been a cw operator from my Novice days back in 1955. I could easily pass the 20 wpm requirement. However, to get back the frequencies lost to the Advanced Class and especially the Extra Class, we were required to take a comprehensive test on all modes of operation and the technical knowledge to go with it. These were modes that most were not interested in, yet to get back our lost privileges, we were forced to learn, and admit it guys, just to pass the exam, many technical concepts we would not ever use. Did Incentive Licensing improve our bands?
Did it bring into the hobby those who solely wanted to advance the hobby technically? Those who want to improve the hobby were there already and those who wanted to seek new frontiers were there already as they have been since the beginning and will be with or without special licensing. The code requirement was still part of this licensing program, and should remain so. Why, because it is still the best way to communicate information reliably, accurately, fast and efficiently. Entry into the hobby with a required morse code proficiency has proved over and over again that it produces a more motivated and proficient operator. You can also enter this hobby with a much lower cost and have many hours of enjoyment in a service that is primarily recreational in nature, as are all the other modes requiring much more investment of time and money.
Why not be a leader in the world, instead of a follower, and promote a "hobby" that anybody can get into, with minimal investment and the excitement of sending simple signals over simple equipment and just have fun! There is certainly a lot of "magic" to be caught doing so! Wow, what a new concept!
73,
Ned
W8VFM
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No code makes No sense: think about it
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by KD4KVE on August 5, 2005
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I've got an Idea. If you who love Code will allow those of us who teach to get people licensed. Then it becomes your duty to do what the Digital guys do.Attend meetings of ham clubs and show the new ham with no predigice against code the beauty and simplicity of using your favorite portion of the hobby. I attended a three hour club meeting devoted entirly to using the voice linked repeaters over the internet. The guys who did the demo found a willing audiance and at the end the club was seriously considering the placement of the computer link on the repeater that they sponsor.If you take these new hams under your wing and work with them there will be little or no chance that you will lose your band space to the digital groups. The old adage still holds" USE IT OR LOSE IT"
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No code makes No sense: think about it
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by kc8byf on August 5, 2005
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:Not really sure what to say about this idea of dropping the morse code for HF amateur radio testing. I have heard and read many well thought out opinions on the issue. I (nearly) understand both sides of the controversy. I will have to say that, personally, I am all for keeping the code requirement even if this requires a compromise of lowering it to even three words per minute, as I read one posting here mention. Here are some thoughts I pontificated upon and placed into my personal reasonings for "keeping the code".
The deaf (or hearing impared) can learn the code via light... even with the help of technical knowledge a person can impliment a light to the voltage of the speaker connections to work cw (on any band or any radio)...light is as any energy "spectrum":...Manipulatable.
The fire age of humanity brought on the advent of smoke signals ...a "code" communication forum dating back to the ages of fire (perhaps back even further).
My personal (not technical, educated or otherwise) opinion is that the only groups standing to gain from the "droppage" of the morse code requirement for HF priviledges are 3 (three) (. . . _ _).
(1)// people who are for any number of reasons UNWILLING to learn the code
(2)// Some administrations accepting the lobby moneies from large corporate radio mfgrs.
(3)// The radio manufacturers...
I find it interesting that in all the articles read on the issue, no one mentioned this; Remember in the 80's when a group of hostiles in Iran took over our American embassy over there ? DID YOU KNOW THAT MORSE CODE SAVED THE HOSTAGES IN THAT SITUATION ??? WELL, IT DID... When the "hostiles" filmed the hostages; The hostages were "scriped" on what to say in order to tell the United States government that the matters at hand was not a "torturous" situation. WELL ! An Air Force Official, here in Dayton, Ohio at Wright Patterson A.F.B, was reviewing the tapes and noticed one of the hostages was blinking out the word TORTURE (in morse code)with his EYEBALLS... (back to the smoke signals we arrive with visual "code") We all want to assume that we or anyone in our "circle" would never be in any situation like that; Right? Who knows where any of us will be in our lives. If this type of extreme tragity were ever to befall any one I would sure hope someone in the situation and in a position to render effective communications help ...KNOWS THE CODE.
The difference with knowing the code or not knowing the code is this. Lets say all the modern IC type "plug and play" equipment in some shack takes a lightning strike, static hit or any other destructive energy intrusion (naturally occouring or otherwise i.e. nuculear contamination etc.) and melts the IC components into pools of uselessness... perhaps the small one tube transmitter in that shack which someone built or bought at a flea market that is a cw only rig will help someone help others. Just a made up situation to ponder on and not intended to offend or alarm anyone.
I'm glad there are a few old tube type rigs accesable here and/or the knowledge of how to build a very crude but usable, cw capable radio with any attainable voltage source, some wire, some hand made copper plate capacitors and a little chunk of selenium stashed away in an old shoe box. (remember the cat whiskers ? ...before my time)
Many things in life require a LICENSE to maintain the safety, integrity and structure of any number of "PRIVILEDGES". Driving a car is a priviledge grantet to those who show basic operational skills of a motorized vehicle and the knowledge of the basic laws governering the driving task. Remember driving a vehicle or obtaining a driving license is a PRIVILEDGE ...not a "RIGHT". Same goes for Amateur radio... The basics first philosophy keeps order to the structure of amateur radio as well, yadda yadda yadda
The very basics of any type of communications must be understood and adheared to because the "basics" are the key component to any type of gainful endeavor.
Nothing usefull is built from the top down". (unless we're talking about dropping a "slinky" from a window or balcony to use as an antenna...hi hi "attempt at humor")
I learn as much from my own research as I learn from observing others who know absolutely nothing. (Can I purchase a quote right on that)
73 & GL to those at least trying to learn the code,
KC8BYF
Jimmie
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No code makes No sense: think about it
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by wt6g on August 7, 2005
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If the FCC does away with code, then who is going to be able to identify all of the transmitters in the country that use CW for ID?
Already many radio interference problems have to be solved by local hams because the engineers don't know the code well enough to ferret it out of a mixing product on a mountain top.
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If we had got something in return for permitting 'no code' like total preemption on restrictive covenents, that might have been a reasonable trade.
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What we're really getting is setup. The ensuing lawlessness that is already springing into the bands will bring forth more calls for more regulation and enforcement. This will raise license fees and begin to restrict what can be said on Amateur Radio, how and when and what it can be used for etc...
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Ultimately, CW will be gone so 'enforcement' on the bands can be locally done by brainless druids.
Of course the process has already begun, and there is no stopping it. Citizens lost control of the government a long time ago, in fact I think you need to be over 50 just to remember when we still had some control!
The attack on freedom is moving ahead on all fronts, and Amateur Radio is one of the targets. It had to happen sooner or later.
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Before we allowed media corporations to own all of the media outlets there were decency standards that actually could vary, giving you a choice. There was also content that could vary. Then there was a lot of differing editorial opinion that was actually informative. It's gone, and as the water slowly heats up around us, the real question is when or if anyone will notice that CW isn't the issue, but it may be a place to take a stand.
I would have thought BPL might have given us all a clue as to what's really going on in Washington. The end game is the end of Amateur Radio, the fraternity, the common skillset, and the freedom that it represents.
Its just too dangerous to have so many people who know how to use radios, antennas, code, electronics, and computers out there.
That's why we'll soon see the internet connected with terrorism so we will let it be regulated for public safety - and taxed of course - that will limit activist expression.
Freedom to travel has been cut back by supporting economic strategies that have built economies stroner than ours that can afford to pay high prices for gas. That will keep the activits at home.
The biggest culprit though is the fact that our educational system now turns out idiots who rank in the bottom 4% worldwide in science and technology.
They know all about alternative lifestyles and never utter anything that's not politically correct. They're totally feminized right down to the pants that look more like knee length dresses.
Yes, guys, we've lost CW, but we lost a lot more before we lost that, and frankly it was a lot more valuable.
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As for alternatives, in 1967 the burned draft cards and bras. Perhaps we should burn our microphones!
As one of the other commenters pointed out, though we can't look to the ARRL to fix the problem, and nothing less than a mass movement will fix it. Might I suggest the following as a counter srategy with teeth:
That all VE Teams stop giving any exam
except Technican exams. If we do this, then
there will be few, if any 'no code' hams. In
fact if we stop NOW, we'll stem the tide of the
nuts operating at 3 wpm on 20M in the Extra Class
bands.
This is passive resistance. It's not illegal, but it will have an effect. If enough of you do it, then it will have a major effect.
Then there's the potential for Congressional intervention. Given that they just passed CAFTA, I seriously doubt this is anything but a waste of time.
Theres a few other things that can be done:
--Put a CW ID (like W6OBB, Art Bell uses) on your SSB transmitter.
--run it at 20 wpm and stop using verbal callsigns.
--Refuse to identify using your voice. Use CW ONLY. This is [cw] calling CQ 20....
As Arlow Guthrie said, 'they'll think its a movement'.
--Remove all voice ID's from repeaters.
-- Run ARRL code practice on any repeater you control.
Well, you get the idea. You can talk about it, or do soemthing about it. It won't take very much to have a big impact. Just a few thousand VE's could do it. A few hundred repeater owners would really get noticed. Of course if a few thousand SSB operators started using CW for ID, Amateur Radio might just have a chance!
/Len dit dit
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