[CQ-Contest] RTTY replace CW contesting??

[Bill Coleman]

On Mar 29, 2008, at 6:38 AM, Shelby Summerville wrote:

> "CW, if for no other reason, the
> relaxation of requiring CW as a requirement for licensing, will surely
> disappear"


I'm not sure if I agree with this. There are at least four good  
reasons to use CW, even if it is not required for licensing:

1) DXing -- some DX is either only on CW, or is substantially easier  
to work on CW. (This is especially true on the low bands)

2) Contesting -- nearly half of all major contests are on CW. If you  
can't work CW, you miss out on a lot of contests.

3) QRP -- CW transmitters are substantially easier to build than SSB  
transmitters, CW signals tend to reach further, even at QRP levels.

4) Fun -- CW is a heck of a lot of fun.

While you are certainly correct that the popularity of CW may  
diminish, I don't believe that CW will ever completely disappear.

Bill Coleman, AA4LR, PP-ASEL        Mail: aa4lr at arrl.net
Quote: "Not within a thousand years will man ever fly!"
             -- Wilbur Wright, 1901