[CQ-Contest] Contesters on CW (was: FCC on CW)

[John Geiger]

Where is it written that everyone should become a ham?  We seem to have this
idea that we need to get as many hams as possible, so are willing to
sacrifice quality for quantity.  Most people will never be interested in ham
radio, and most hams will never be interested in contesting or DXing.  Go to
your next local club meeting, do a nice presentation on the joys of
contesting, and see how many people really get interested.  Most seem to
want to become hams solely for the local communications aspect, so they can
chase storms and parades around and feel important.

73s John NE0P
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ward Silver" <hwardsil at centurytel.net>
To: "CQ-Contest Reflector" <cq-contest at contesting.com>
Sent: Saturday, July 23, 2005 4:17 PM
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] Contesters on CW (was: FCC on CW)


> > Imagine if you weren't allowed to get on the Internet until you could
> > demonstrate proficiency with TCP/IP and routing protocols?  And if at
> > first
> > you could only get a 192.168.1.X address so you could be on a local LAN?
> > And only after an exhaustive set of exams and hard work could you ping
> > www.k1ttt.net?
>
> I believe this is a good description of the Internet before about 1995.
And
> guess what?  Most people did not use the Internet!
>
> The Internet was a much different environment (old timers will work their
> gums, lick their drying lips and recall how much better is was then and
> where's the nurse?) where text was king and images files.  Not entirely
> different stylistically than the Grand Old Days of one-tube rigs and
> open-wire feeders and snappy traffic handling every night. Assuming the
> world tends to operate at a normal level of chaos and squalor, there are
> short periods of time when technology or philosophy manages to create a
> temporary deviation from the norm, for better or worse.  Such is life and
> things tend back to the norm - the bell curve is a powerful thing.
>
> CW may have some life in it, yet - if we can communicate why it is
> enjoyable.  Recall, too, that fly fishing was a dying art until various
> sources communicated its beauties and now you can't swing a cat on some
> rivers without getting snagged by some guy in $500 designer waders.
Instead
> of berating people for not fly fishing, it might be slightly more
productive
> to show them why fly fishing is so danged neat and help them learn it.
>
> If we are successful in communicating the joys of CW, including and
> especially CW contesting (obligatory contest content), I see no reason why
> it will not continue to attract a large number of aficionados that find
> typing to each other too much like a regular job :-)
>
> 73, Ward N0AX
>
>
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