Judging by the complaints, propagation is at a low level again, and thumb
twiddling and complaining is the order of the day.
One day extra? Reading the ARRL letter makes it appear that it's more like
a one year extra. The implication that a crowd of unlicensed ham wannabe's
showed up, sat through seven hours of memorizing the questions and answers is
unfounded, to say the least. And if this latest lot of licensees turns out as
well as the other 5 WPM extras they will be an asset to our community.
Now, I'm one of those who would have preferred to retain the 20. BUT last
years "barely copy five" crowd are finger talking quite well at fifteen, and
a goodly proportion will be in next years 25-40 WPM class. GOOD! Because the
alternative is no new hams and an end of ham radio.
AND, since this is the Ten Tec reflector at Contesting dot Com - and a
certain faction does not want to hear about antennas and other extranious
subjects - let's confine the discussion to contesting, the care and feeding
of Ten Tec radios, and a sunnier tomorrow, when new and better Ten Tec's will
surely hit the market.
73 Pete Allen AC5E
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