[Amps] Ham Tests, was Price per Watt Conversation

[Mark Bitterlich]

 "Bill Turner" <dezrat at outlook.com> said:  "As he often does, Mark has 
missed the point about the Titanic radio operator"

Bill, I did not miss the point, I just think you're wrong.  Please do not 
assume that the two things are synonymous.

In an emergency a level headed person will use the training he or she has 
received to make a logical decision to use whatever method works best to 
save lives. Your speculation is exactly that, speculation ....  and your 
experience in this area is not overly conclusive.  You mentioned that 
"Relying on CW will get people killed" .  You then used as your main point 
that they did not have voice "back in those days" and that they would have 
used it had they had it.  Refuting my point that survivors of the Titanic 
might disagree with your statement.

Ok then.  How about today?  How is CW used today on a regular basis as a 
means to save lives?  I can think of a few right off the top of my head.

Are there any pilots in this AMPS-Group list?  How many of you remember that 
you were required to identify a VOR, TACAN, or ILS using the Morse Code 
identifier when you got your ticket?  Amazingly enough, most *ALL* still 
identify with their Morse Code identifier today.  When a VOR, TACAN, or ILS 
(or even an old ADF) system is in a test or check mode, what is the means to 
tell pilots not to use them for navigation?  Well, because when they are not 
reliable, the FAA removes the Morse Code identifier.  Would you refer to 
that as being in some way impacting safety of life?  I would say definitely 
yes.  And it is done every day.  Voice is readily available.... but they 
also still use Morse Code.  Tune your HF rigs down to 190-535 KHz and please 
listen to all those Morse Code ADF identifiers used even today for aircraft 
approaches to airports.   True, GPS is a lot better than ADF for heavens 
sake, but they are still out there, plugging away.  So next time you hop 
into a commercial jet, please realize that the aircrew still turn up the 
volume and listen for the Morse Code identifier.  It's a rule by the way.

Next:

Our United States Navy has periods where *ALL* RF emissions are disabled. 
Referred to as EMCON.  During said conditions, guess how the Battle Group 
communicates with each other?  Uhuh.  Morse Code with flashing light.  And 
they can be amazingly fast at it by the way.  The U.S. Navy Signalman on the 
Signal Bridge is still using Morse Code flashing lights between ships.  What 
course to set, what speed to maintain, what formation positions to form, 
etc.   They rely on Morse Code, and amazingly enough it is not getting 
people killed.  Just the opposite in fact.  Oh, and they do have voice, they 
just don't connect it to a light bulb.

The statement that relying on CW will get people killed is simply incorrect. 
People rely on it every day .... today, now, as we speak.  Now you know.


Mark
wa3jpy

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Turner" <dezrat at outlook.com>
To: "Amps group" <amps at contesting.com>
Sent: Thursday, April 27, 2017 10:57 PM
Subject: Re: [Amps] Ham Tests, was Price per Watt Conversation


> As he often does, Mark has missed the point about the Titanic radio
> operator.
>
> Here it is:  The op used Morse because radio voice equipment hadn't
> been installed on the Titanic. This was the era of spark, remember.
>
> As I speculated, if good voice equipment was available, I'm sure the
> op would have used it first. We'll never know.
>
> 73, Bill W6WRT