[CQ-Contest] Re: SS CW Year

[Cqtestk4xs at aol.com]

 I'll propose the
North American QSO party SSB for starters) and resolve that each and every one
of us will go Multi-Single and make sure we have at least one new contester
(hopefully under 30 but any newbie will do) with us for part of the contest.
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A fine idea...BUT, the problem is not growth of the SSB domestic contests.  
The problem is with the CW domestic contests.  I did both contests this year 
and saw a huge difference in the check numbers.  The check numbers in SS SSB 
had loads of 80's 90's and 00's

As per one of my previous posts, the entrance code speed of 5 WPM is just too 
low to allow an easy transition to the speeds of 20 plus WPM. In the old 
days, there was a place for low speed CW guys get up to faster speeds...the 
novice bands.  The novice...uh.....tech plus bands are a barren wasteland.

My wife just took her tech and 5WPM over the weekend.  I think her comments 
are pretty typical of the average licensed ham.  "I'm glad I'm done learning 
the code and have passed the test.  I'll never use it again."

I am not knocking code.  It will always be around.  However, it eventually 
will become like AM and handkeys....nostalgic and quaint.

Bill K4XS